94 points,"The 2018 Chardonnay Sanford&Benedict Vineyard Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection is creamy and ample, with pretty floral notes that lend complexity. This is one of the richer, creamier wines readers will find from this part of the old-vine section of Sanford&Benedict. A few hours of aeration brings out gorgeous textural richness to play off the wine's natural brilliance."- Antonio Galloni's Vinous Media Jim Clendenen, the man and mind behind Au Bon Climat, was all set for a career in law when a trip to Burgundy inspired him to change his plans forever. In 1982 he set up the winery Au Bon Climat (now referred to by many as simply'ABC'), which is today one of California's most celebrated wineries. Sadly, Jim Clendenen died at the age of 68 on 16 May 2021. As Jancis Robinson MW - who coined his'wild boy'nickname - put it:"The wine world really is much the poorer without this brave pioneer."Clendenen was a winemaker that was Burgundian in his sensibility (if the grapes aren't grown in Burgundy then they don't get into an ABC wine) yet resolutely Californian in style. Although we're sure his vision and spirit will live on, his final vintages are bottles of fine wine history. This 2018 Chardonnay comes from what is considered the first'great'vineyard in Santa Barbara County. As the name suggests, Sanford&Benedict Vineyard was planted by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict in 1971. Au Bon Climat has been making a Chardonnay from it since the 1980s. The fruit is barrel fermented, and the wine is aged for 12 months before bottling. Expect notes of lemon, orange, beach pebbles, creamy macadamia nuts, chalk, apple pie, pineapple, vanilla, cream, brioche, jasmine and flint. It really is exceptionally complex, and consider pairing this exquisite white with roast chicken, creamy truffle pasta or wild mushrooms.£6.93 per 100.00ml