Posts Tagged "santa barbara wine"

Tribute to a Wine Legend: Jim Clendenen (Au Bon Climat)

Posted on May 18, 2021

Jim Clendenen, Allison & Bob Lindquist.

Earlier this week, the news that Au Bon Climat Winemaker Jim Clendenen had passed away sent shockwaves throughout the wine industry. His name is synonymous with wine from Santa Barbara county, but his legacy reaches well beyond the state of California. We had the good fortune of meeting him in late February of 2020—our last AdVINEture outside of Canada before COVID-19 closed the Canada/USA border. We had made several trips to Santa Barbara wine country prior to then but due to his extensive travel overseas, our schedules never managed to sync. Just over a year ago the stars aligned, and our patience was rewarded with a most memorable afternoon as guests of one of his infamous long table lunches. A lunch that happens daily at the winery for staff, with Jim at the kitchen helm when he was in town. We described him at the time as “Plain-speaking, intelligent, witty, iconoclastic and maybe a bit irreverent too, but unmistakably charming.” We hope you’ll enjoy revisiting our time with him this week as we honour a true pioneer: https://advinetures.ca/blog/au-bon-climat-lunch-legends/

Jim Clendenen with winery dog Emmy.

As the tributes pour in from around the world, the stories of his generosity, humour, mentorship and talent, remind us that we got to see firsthand what an unpretentious legend really looks like.

Au Bon Climat: Lunch with Legends

Posted on Mar 11, 2020

Barrel tasting at Au Bon Climat.

We were very privileged to be invited to lunch at Au Bon Climat, one of the true pioneers of the Santa Barbara County wine scene. We drove up to the winery with high expectations but ended up in an experience that well exceeded what we thought we may encounter.

Matt Dees: Taking Wine to The Hilt

Posted on Mar 4, 2020

Winemaker Matt Dees

As the winemaker behind Jonata, The Hilt and The Paring, Matt Dees’ reputation as a terrific winemaker easily precedes him. Meeting him and getting a glimpse behind Matt Dees, the person, quickly turned into a fascinating discussion that covered everything from vineyards and sedimentary rock, to Rock ‘n Roll and cellist Pablo Casals.

Melville Winery: Rooted in the Soil

Posted on Mar 13, 2019

The tasting room at Melville.

Within the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County, there are only a handful of wineries that have reached critical acclaim worldwide. For the last two decades Melville Winery has consistently produced top quality wines in this underrated region, helping bring attention to its very unique terroir and the exciting potential still to be realized there.