Winemaker Notes
Lovely aromas of apricot, lavender and caramel ebb into bright flavors of lemon/lime, and a fresh, lengthy finish has nuances of vanilla, clove and honeydew melon. The richness and texture are increasing in the bottle.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another gorgeous Chardonnay from Jim Clendenen, the 2018 Chardonnay Nuits-Blanches Au Bouge has an undeniable Burgundian vibe in its ripe stone fruits, toasted hazelnuts, white flowers, and brioche-driven aromas and flavors. These carry to a medium-bodied Chardonnay with terrific mid-palate concentration, vibrant, almost racy acidity, flawless balance, and a clean, crisp, lengthy finish. I like it today, yet I have no doubt this will evolve for 10, 15, if not 20 years in cold cellars. It's well worth seeking out.
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Wine & Spirits
This serves as the winery’s reserve of Bien Nacido chardonnay, a later pick from the old vines at Block K, along with a small percentage from the home vine- yard. This vintage is balanced, lush and deep, its broad cara- mel oak flavors steadying the showy golden fruit. The initial ripe impression becomes firm and penetrating with air, girded by oak and a lean phenolic bite.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Starting out with a lovely nose of ripe and green apples, various stone fruits and a hint of fresh flowers all framed by expertly fit sweet oak suggestive of crème brûlée and toasted brioche all of which traits are carried forward into its deep, impressively concentrated, beautifully tailored flavors, the 2018 Nuits-Blanches au Bouge is a complex, many layered Chardonnay of moderate weight that reveals more richness and nuance with each sip. Albeit fascinating and thoroughly satisfying now, it is structured to age effortlessly and improve for at least a half dozen years and is a sure bet to provide delicious drinking for no fewer than a half-dozen more after that.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.