The Ojai Vineyard winery
Adam Tolmach, a viticulture and oenology graduate of UC Davis, started the now infamous winery with fellow employee Jim Clendenen in 1982, Au Bon Climat. Adam had planted a vineyard in Ojai to Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc and had begun producing wine from that fruit in 1983. Looking back over the last 25 years, one can see the development of The Ojai Vineyard came in three distinct phases. In the beginning, it was lots of fun discovering the budding Santa Barbara County, experimenting with new plantings, new areas, and a wide selection of varietals; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and other Rhone varietals. Back in 1983, the vines were grown without much care in what was called a California sprawl. Adam took steps to convert the farming from sustainable to organic practices whilst fine-tuning the winemaking process to as natural as possible; minimal use of sulphites, avoiding fining and filtration, also reducing new oak usage as much as possible. When grapes were ripe but not overripe, the resulting wines were more aromatic and possessed finer balance. After more experiments the following years Adam started picking his fruit slightly earlier, opening a new stylistic era for his wines. Years of experience and humble dedication to his craft showed him how the cooler climate sites were always better balanced and more expressive terroirs, in search of elegance.