Au Bon Climat Los Alamos Pinot Noir 2022/23, California

One of the most iconic names in California winemaking, Au Bon Climat has done things differently ever since it was founded in 1982. Owner Jim Clendenen set out to make classic Burgundian-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that was nuanced and site-specific – and that’s exactly what they’re still doing today across multiple plots and sub-regions. Among a portfolio of understated and layered wines, this bottling from the Los Alamos vineyard is a terrific show of terroir. The site benefits from warm days and cool nights, resulting in a wine with dense, straight-forward fruit character and notes of bright red cherries, plums and strawberries. Spice and chocolate follow creating an elegant and beautifully balanced wine. Uncork it with duck, lamb or venison.