Jim Clendenen

The Path

Assistant winemaking at Zaca Mesa Winery (1978–1981) gave Jim Clendenen an early working base in the cellar, and the years that followed were spent turning that discipline into a long-running label program. He founded Au Bon Climat in Los Alamos, California (1982–2021), later served as owner at Au Bon Climat in Santa Maria, California (1989–2021), and founded Clendenen Family Vineyards in 2000, with each step extending the same focused approach across more than one house.

The Work Today

The craft most closely tied to Jim Clendenen is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at Au Bon Climat. He described the method without ornament: "The grapes were so good that all we had to do is keep them cool, crush them, let them ferment on their own, and then 14 days later put them down in barrels and bottle them 18 months later with very little work."

Signature

Jim's signature wines include 2013 Chardonnay Le Bon Climat, 2018 Grenache Rancho La Cuna, and 2018 Mondeuse (Noire).

In Their Words “The grapes were so good that all we had to do is keep them cool, crush them, let them ferment on their own, and then 14 days later put them down in barrels and bottle them 18 months later with very little work.”

Acclaim

Jim Clendenen's honors include Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America, Winemaker of the World, and Winemaker of the Year.