Pinot, chardonnay et syrah de la côte centrale californienne
40 bouteilles, des Santa Cruz Mountains aux Sta. Rita HillsA taut Pinot Noir, a Chardonnay that keeps its freshness, a collector's Syrah: that is what the Californian coast gives when the valleys open onto the Pacific. The morning fog and the afternoon wind slow ripening down and preserve the acidity.
Here you will find the limestone of Calera, the Burgundian Pinots of Au Bon Climat, the old vines of Birichino and the blends of Sine Qua Non.
Birichino - Saint Georges Pinot Noir 2022
A superb Californian Pinot noir, made with finesse, freshness and deliciousness
Birichino - Scylla 2023
Concentrated red fruits, a pale color, finesse and complexity.
Birichino - Besson Grenache 2023
A captivating wine from century-old Grenache vines.
Birichino - Saint George Zinfandel 2021
A zinfandel from old vines over 90 years old, of incredible complexity and freshness!
Delicato Wines & Alex Gittins - Shadow Point Chardonnay 2023
Le chardonnay californien version moderne, citron jaune, texture onctueuse et finale fraîche.
Birichino - Rodnick Farm Pinot Noir 2021
A Pinot Noir from an exceptional terroir nestled in the Gabilan Mountains
Sine Qua Non - Distenta III Grenache 2021
An explosive and complex blend where Grenache plays the leading role
Sine Qua Non - Distenta III White 2021
An exceptional white wine that unfolds an aromatic richness, combining intensity, silky texture and an elegance of rare precision
Au Bon Climat - Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2023
A cool-climate Californian Chardonnay, combining controlled richness, maritime freshness and woody elegance.
Calera - Chardonnay 2020
Chardonnay de haute altitude, pomme verte et amande, porté par une minéralité volcanique.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta I 2019
An exquisite wine that captivates the senses with its unique taste profile
Delicato Wines & Alex Gittins - Shadow Point Pinot Noir 2019
A delicious and charming Pinot Noir from the Monterey Valley
Calera - Jensen Pinot Noir 2020
Le vignoble fétiche de Josh Jensen, cerise, framboise et sous-bois sur une trame élégante.
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Appellation Series Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021
Au Bon Climat - Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2022
A cool-climate Chardonnay combining depth, tension, and precision, emblematic of the Sanford & Benedict coastal vineyard.
Au Bon Climat - Knox Alexander 2020
A precise and elegant cool-climate Californian Pinot Noir, where the fruit's finesse meets the depth of the coastal terroir.
Au Bon Climat - Isabelle Pinot Noir 2021
A cool-climate Californian Pinot Noir, combining aromatic finesse, balance, and depth.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta IV Syrah 2022
This wine expresses the strength of the terroir in a symphony of black fruit, spices and minerality, combining power and refinement.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta I Grenache 2019
A wine that surprises with its controlled power, its deep aromas of black fruits and spices, and its texture that combines opulence and elegance.
Hahn - Pinot Noir 2021
A juicy, balanced Californian Pinot Noir, where coastal freshness highlights vibrant fruit and silky tannins.
Sine Qua Non - The Hated Hunter Syrah 2017
Cycles Gladiator - Chardonnay 2022
A generous and balanced Californian Chardonnay, where freshness meets a subtly woody sweetness.
The coastal valleys, one by one
The Coast Ranges are cut through by valleys that let in the Pacific air: the more a valley opens to the west, the fresher the wine.
| Sous-région | Climat et sols | A bottle to taste |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Mountains | Première appellation délimitée par le relief (1981). Vignes au-dessus du brouillard, fruit rouge et herbes de montagne. | Birichino Saint Georges Pinot Noir 202243 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Mount Harlan | Chaîne de Gavilan, vers 670 m. Un calcaire rare en Californie, choisi par Josh Jensen. Pinots de garde. | Calera Jensen Pinot Noir 2020129,60 € la bouteille |
| Chalone | Neighbouring plateau, at around 550 m, decomposed granite over limestone. Highly aromatic Pinots. | Birichino Rodnick Farm Pinot Noir 202163 € la bouteille |
| Monterey et Santa Lucia Highlands | La vallée de la Salinas aspire chaque après-midi le vent de la baie. Pinot et chardonnay juteux. | Hahn Pinot Noir 202123,50 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Paso Robles | The hottest sector, far from the ocean, with cold nights. Cabernet, Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. | Coppola Diamond Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 201928,90 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Edna Valley | San Luis Obispo valley opening onto Morro Bay, one of the coolest in the state. | Chamisal SLO Chardonnay 202129,80 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Santa Maria Valley | East–west valley, fog until midday, sands and silts. The cradle of the county's Pinot. | Au Bon Climat La Bauge au-dessus 202159,80 € la bouteille, par lot de 2 |
| Sta. Rita Hills | Between Lompoc and Buellton, the windiest corridor. Sanford & Benedict has been planted here since 1971. | Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Pinot Noir 202177 € la bouteille, par lot de 2 |
| Ventura | The Sine Qua Non winery. Its grapes come from its own vineyards in Santa Barbara County, including Eleven Confessions. | Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Syrah 2022380 € la bouteille |
The estates and how they read the coast
Du pinot bourguignon au grand assemblage rhodanien, le nom du domaine en dit souvent plus long que la vallée.
| Domaine | Repères | Style | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Au Bon Climat | Founded in 1982 by Jim Clendenen in the Santa Maria Valley. | Style bourguignon : degré modéré, acidité vive, fût de chêne français. | Santa Barbara Chardonnay 202339,50 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Calera | Josh Jensen plante le mont Harlan en 1975, attiré par le calcaire. | Pinot vinified plot by plot (Jensen, Mills, Ryan, de Villiers), built for ageing. | Calera Pinot Noir 201839,60 € la bouteille, cuvée Central Coast |
| Sine Qua Non | Manfred et Elaine Krankl, Ventura, 1994. | Assemblages de grenache et de syrah, nom et étiquette neufs à chaque millésime. | Distenta III Grenache 2021380 € la bouteille |
| Birichino | Alex Krause et John Locke, Santa Cruz, 2008. | Old vines, native yeasts, old barrels: fragrant reds. | Besson Grenache 202349 € la bouteille, par lot de 2 |
| Hahn | Nicky Hahn, Santa Lucia Highlands, un coq sur l'étiquette. | Cépages classiques de Monterey, du pinot au cabernet. | Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon 202039 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Chamisal | The first vineyard planted in the Edna Valley, in 1973. | Pinot et chardonnay marqués par l'air marin, boisé mesuré. | SLO Pinot Noir 202137,80 € la bouteille, par lot de 3 |
| Cycles Gladiator | Marque de la famille Hahn, reconnaissable à son étiquette Belle Époque. | Everyday wines, round and fruity. | Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay 202220,40 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
| Shadow Point | Delicato Wines et Alex Gittins, à Monterey. | A lively, juicy Pinot Noir to discover the coastal style at a modest price. | Shadow Point Pinot Noir 201916,50 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6 |
Find portraits of other producers on our wine estates page.
A bottle from the coast for every mood
Partez d'une occasion ou d'un plat, la bonne vallée suit.
Un pinot de Santa Barbara à garder
Au Bon Climat's best Pinot plots, aged Burgundy-style, for a fillet of duck.
Au Bon Climat Isabelle Pinot Noir 2021 · 96 € la bouteille, par lot de 2Un chardonnay tendu de grand vignoble
The wind of the Sta. Rita Hills gives a precise, saline Chardonnay, for turbot or lobster.
Au Bon Climat Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2022 · 79 € la bouteille, par lot de 2Goûter le calcaire de Mount Harlan
Un pinot de parcelle, fleurs, épices et trait minéral, à attendre quelques années avant un pigeon.
Calera Ryan Pinot Noir 2018 · 99,60 € la bouteilleA red in the Rhône Rangers style
Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre from vines nearly a hundred years old: pale colour and red fruit, for a barbecue.
Birichino Scylla 2023 · 38 € la bouteille, 37 € par lot de 3Un zinfandel frais et digeste
Vines from 1922 at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, a Zinfandel with the body of a Pinot, for spicy food.
Birichino Saint Georges Zinfandel 2021 · 42 € la bouteille, par lot de 3Un rouge de semaine à moins de 25 €
A Monterey Cabernet with ripe black fruit and supple oak, for a burger or a barbecue.
Hahn Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 · 23,50 € la bouteille, par caisse de 6Un chardonnay à la bouteille
Green apple and almond: Calera's Chardonnay is sold by the bottle, for poultry in a cream sauce.
Calera Chardonnay 2020 · 36 € la bouteilleA Sine Qua Non for collectors
Manfred Krankl's Grenache, ripe fruit and a spicy frame, made in tiny quantities, for long ageing.
Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Grenache 2022 · 380 € la bouteille
Why the coast gives fresh wines
Almost everywhere on the American West Coast, the mountains run north to south and shield the land from the ocean. Between Monterey and Santa Barbara, several valleys run west to east and let the marine air through. Fog in the morning, sunshine around midday, cool wind in the afternoon.
The vines ripen slowly, sometimes into November. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay find the freshness they seek in Burgundy, and Rhône varieties gain tension. Further inland, Paso Robles regains the warmth suited to Cabernet and Zinfandel.
Comment on choisit
The team tastes every wine before adding it to the range. It picks estates whose style is consistent from one vintage to the next, single-plot cuvées when the terroir shows in the glass, and affordable everyday bottles. To compare, see our Pinot Noir range from all countries.
L'équipe du Baroudeur du Vin
Ce qu'on nous demande sur la Central Coast
Qu'est-ce que la Central Coast en Californie ?
It is the coastal strip running from San Francisco Bay to Santa Barbara County, over nearly 400 km: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills. What they share is the Pacific, which cools the vines. To place the region, see the California page.
Quelle différence entre un pinot de la Central Coast et un pinot de Sonoma ?
Both benefit from the marine fog. In Santa Barbara, the valleys open directly onto the ocean and the wind blows harder: the Pinots there are often tauter, with notes of spice and herbs. Sonoma produces fleshier Pinots in the Russian River. Compare with the Sonoma page.
Why is Calera based on Mount Harlan?
Josh Jensen was looking for limestone, the soil of the great Pinots of Burgundy, and found it in 1975 in the Gavilan Range, at around 670 m. Calera means lime kiln. Each plot on the mountain is vinified separately. The Calera Mills Pinot Noir 2018 costs €99.60 a bottle.
Qui était Jim Clendenen ?
The founder of Au Bon Climat, in 1982, in the Santa Maria Valley. Trained in Burgundy, he championed moderate-alcohol, high-acid Pinots and Chardonnays when California was chasing power. The Santa Barbara Chardonnay 2023 costs €39.50 a bottle, in a lot of 3.
Why are Sine Qua Non wines so expensive?
Manfred Krankl has been producing tiny volumes in Ventura since 1994, and his wines are sold first through a waiting list. Each vintage bears a new name and label, which makes them collector's items. The Distenta Grenaches and Syrahs are available here at €380 a bottle, like the Distenta III Syrah 2021.
Who are the Rhône Rangers?
Californian winemakers who, in the 1980s, planted Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier rather than the Bordeaux varieties. The Central Coast is their heartland. Birichino, with its old Grenache and Carignan vines, and Sine Qua Non, with its blends, are two of their heirs. See the Grenache page.
Quel vin de la Central Coast choisir à moins de 25 € ?
The Shadow Point Pinot Noir 2019 from Monterey costs €16.50 a bottle, in cases of 6. At Hahn, the Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are €23.50 a bottle, in cases of 6. The Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay is €20.40 a bottle, also in cases of 6.
What food goes with a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir?
Its freshness and spicy notes call for roast poultry, duck or mushrooms, served at 15–16 °C. To get started, the Coppola Diamond Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2021 costs €28.90 a bottle, in cases of 6; Au Bon Climat's Knox Alexander 2020, €92 a bottle in a lot of 2.