WTN: Au Bon Climat Chardonnay La Bouge a Cote 1999

[Hoke]

(Stored in wine cooler since retail purchase three years ago)

Dead.

Not much fruit left, and what there is is sour. 'S okay, though, because little of the aroma and even less of the flavor manages to creep from under the thick layer of oak.

Later, when it was allowed to warm up, we realized it was better when it was cold.

Having had this particular wine over several years, and on several occasions, I can say with total confidence it is best consumed as young as possible, in the first full flush of youth, when it is showing all its raw characteristics. It's all downhill from there.

[MtBakerDave]

Hm. I had a 1994 Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict a couple months ago that was just superb. I wonder if your bottle was off?

[Hoke]

Sure, it could have been, Dave.

But I have to say that it was in keeping with all the other bottles I've had, all from the same case, and consumed, usually in the presence of other Chardonnays, over a period of time.

The first couple of bottles opened were not to my style, being excessively fruit forward and slathered with more fresh, raw oak, vanilla, and butter than I care for. But after that, as the bottles bore increasing age, they became successively less appealling---after the exuberance of the fresh fruit and vanilla was gone, there was little of interest left. This last bottle had nothing to reccomend it (And I was not alone; the other person drinking was underwhelmed as well.)

In the honor of full disclosure, I should say that I was not a fan of Clendennen's style early on. I thought it was showy and brash and consistently over the top in all the areas I didn't care for, and I never expected his wines to age well. So you can call me hopelessly prejudiced if you wish (and you won't hurt my feelings if you do ). I'll also add that I've heard the the ABC wines have been showing more restraint of late (although I've heard it more about the PN). I can't say, because I stopped spending my discretionary income on ABC wines in favor of others that interest me more.

[MtBakerDave]

Oh, dear. Now I do have egg on my face! I didn't read very closely and I didn't even realize that you were talking about Chardonnay. I was talking about a pinot that I had tasted. I guess that's what I get for reading while also cooking.

Generally I had a pretty low opinion of California Pinots, but that bottle in April had me thinking I needed to try more Au Bon Climat anyway. Maybe I'll be dissapointed when I get my hands on some young stuff. I do like a little restraint, in both Pinot and Chard!

[Hoke]

I like some of the Santa Barbara Pinots too, Dave! Not all, but some.

And yes, I have had some tasty ABC Pinots. Just don't care for his Chardonnays: they're too too, if you know what I mean.

And I tend to drink most Santa Barbara Pinots when they're young as well. That's cause I really like the perfumy berry fruit they give off young--that subsides quite a bit when they age, so I tend to consume them with five years or less. All this is as a relaxed general rule, mind you.

[Jenise]

I thought it was showy and brash and consistently over the top in all the areas I didn't care for, and I never expected his wines to age well.

Again, there I presume you're talking about the chardonnay? I've always thought ABC pinots were considered agers (perhaps, in part, to the petite sirrah Jim's been known to purchase that never ends up listed on any of his wines).

[Hoke]

I thought it was showy and brash and consistently over the top in all the areas I didn't care for, and I never expected his wines to age well.

Again, there I presume you're talking about the chardonnay? I've always thought ABC pinots were considered agers (perhaps, in part, to the petite sirrah Jim's been known to purchase that never ends up listed on any of his wines).

Yep, it's the Chardonnay I was referring too.

As I said in a follow-up post:

And yes, I have had some tasty ABC Pinots. Just don't care for his Chardonnays: they're too too, if you know what I mean.

[MtBakerDave]

Just don't care for his Chardonnays: they're too too, if you know what I mean.

I guess I'll stick to Chablis!