[quote=“Matthew King” I opened the 2005 30th anniversary Pinot from grapes selected from Bien Nacido. Remarkably fresh and dancing on the palate. It’s deeply pitched with plum and rose notes and lots of that clustery spice. Enough acid at end to keep it lively. Party on Jim!
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Love it. Got a case of this left plus close to 200 more ABC/ Ici-Las Bas/ Clendenen Family Vineyards and 3 more labels with the oldest being 94` Isabelle. Going to do a huge tasting for my dinner group soon and plenty left over to share with any and all.
Some photos:
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I loved his Pinots and I always thought they were way better than some of the other Cali Pinots that get the love on here. Sad day.
Thank you to all of you who shared your stories and pictures of Jim. My heart continues to go out to all of you. Man am I gonna miss his smile and presence . . .
Cheers.
Tom Glasgow,
Jim never did embrace modern communications. Once he got past land lines, he was lost. When he finally got a smart phone, Raj had to record his voice mail recording for him. He bought a fax machine and it broke on him. I think it was out of paper. I am sure that in 1990 he did not have a mobile phone. He delayed getting a cell phone because he liked thinking while driving. I think somebody at the winery read his e mails to him. He did like text messaging.
Jim loved in person communication.
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Several people here have mentioned the epic lunches that Jim regularly prepared for the crew at ABC / Qupe, and I thought I would post some photos from the lunch that a few friends and I were generously invited to attend there in early 2016. A great memory.
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And 3 more tributes:
https://www.undergroundwineletter.com/2021/05/jim-clendenen-remembered/
I was lucky enough to have attended a couple of those lunches over the years. I first met Jim right after his first Chardonnay release ('82?) and introduced his wines into the Minnesota, Illinois and Florida markets. He used to do a Chardonnay/Pinot Noir Rose in his early days that I had a blast selling as well. This is really, really sad news. RIP Jim, you single handedly made me fall in love with Santa Barbara wines and I will be forever grateful.
Special guy, I like that he eschewed modern technology. Drank his wines occasionally, but not often enough.
My close friend, David Russell, posted the following on Instagram. David has been ITB for well over 4 decades and we’ve been friends now going on 41 years. He gave me permission to copy his post here.
Words can’t begin to express the shock and sadness I feel, having just learned this morning of his passing.
The memories have been flooding back all day as I attempt to process this loss. I remember the day we met. It was 1978. He was with Marshall Ream, then owner of Zaca Mesa Winery, and they were doing a “Meet the Winemaker” thing at the retail store at which I worked in Walnut Creek. We hit it off immediately; it was as if two kindred souls had found each other.
I was lucky enough to have traveled with Jim through Burgundy several times over the years, and I’ve never seen the red carpet rolled out for anyone the way it was when he showed up at some famous vigneron’s cellar–be it Henri Jayer’s or Frédy Mugnier’s. The peer-to-peer respect shown him by Burgundy’s greatest winemakers was something to behold. Those trips with him to France were epic, many details of which would probably land us in jail if they were widely known!
I’ll miss him for his charisma, his talent as a winemaker, and of course, for his friendship. But I’ll miss him as much as anything for his towering intellect. He was easily one of the two or three smartest people I’ve ever met in my seven decades on this planet. When discussing anything with him–a film, an event in the news, some aspect of the aesthetics of wine–he had the ability to approach it from some oblique angle that never occurred to me that put the topic in an entirely new and different perspective.
Finally, I can’t wrap this up without mentioning his big heart: I know of several instances of the most insane, mind-boggling generosity on his part: everything from helping an individual through a particularly rough patch in life to providing the funding to get a friend’s kid’s high school jazz band to a music festival in Europe. And these are the only cases I know about; I have no doubt there are many more. And in none of these instances did Jim seek any recognition or fanfare (I heard about them not from Jim, but from the beneficiaries of his largess).
Raising a glass in your memory, my friend.
The attached photo is one David took of Jim at Domaine de la Pousse d’Or in 1981.
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Really beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
It’s amazing how much Knox looks like Jim in that picture from 1981. Thank you for sharing . . .
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Did he ever do an “I’ll Drink to That” episode? Would love to listen to a podcast of him discussing his life…
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I`m still don’t have it together enough to do a write up, but photos tell lots of stories and here’s some more:
and more:
Such terrible news! Although I never met Jim, it sounds like he was every bit as special a person as his wines were special.
Yesterday, I received an email from a mutually close friend of Jims and mine, Chef Rick Manson, and with his permission, Im placing it herein:
5/19/21
"Blakers,
Yes, this is a tough one.
The forever “last man standing” isn’t. Before this I really haven’t lost any close friends in my life.
Jim, like yourself, is a singular one of a kind in this world.
He told me twice over the past two or three years that after his heart attack his doctor keeps telling him to change his diet, cut down on drinking, lose weight, etc…and he wanted none of that. Jim said he was just going “to burn out!”.
Hunter S. Thompson once said “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proudly proclaiming “Wow! What a ride!”
Jim had quite a ride and very graciously shared a lot of that ride with his friends. I’m very, very grateful he was in my life.
Life’s a journey ain’t it Blake! Jim’s passing is a reminder for me to find happiness everyday and to tell the people I love that I love them while I have the chance.
I love you Blake!
Take care. I hope to see you very soon!
Rick Hawk”
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Its taken quite a few days and lots of tears of sadness and for the joy and deep appreciation for all of the fond memories to finally put some words together as Ive been asked and wanted to do so. Here`s some initial thoughts:
I first met Jim in the early 1980s but it wasn’t until a few years later that we really connected at a wine tasting and it was like 2 long lost brothers had just re-united.
Yes, wine was the common denominator but then it also became about rock and roll, college hoops and all things sports, travel and eventually food.
Being a vegetarian, my food knowledge and choices were limited but Jim was a budding gourmet cook using righteous ingredients and I ate everything he made, somethings in smaller portions; thus, he dubbed me as a “situational vegetarian “, a handle I still proudly accept and am known for today.
Both of us had played a significant amount of golf in previous years but had taken a sabbatical. In the 1990s, I became a partner in a new local golf course and started to play again and convinced Jim to join me and he did. As with everything he did, it was with full on passion and conviction. I could relate to that personality trait. We sucked at golf, but between 100 shots a round over 15 years or so, we shared our lives, the good and the not so good and eventually our golf game was also about just figuring out stuff in our lives and supporting each other to get it right.
Of all the amazing times we shared together including each other’s special occasions and celebrations and events, it was the kindred brotherly support that meant the most to me. For about 30 years, we shared a table(s) at the Central Coast Wine Classic that our mutual brother, Archie McLaren founded and directed. We would take a gazillion bottles of wine and gather other dear friends and family members and bid it up all the while drinking and sharing world class wines with any and all.
Jim was the most active and gracious bidder at every auction he went to. He was not only in to supporting charities, he was in to supporting people and often he bought auction lots just for that reason. He also created and contributed numerous one of a kind events and wines that always went for top dollar and rewarded the purchasers beyond their expectations. The guy had a heart of gold.
As all wine knowledgeable locals know, Jim was the worldwide ambassador for Santa Barbara County wines. Yes there were some incredible pioneers before him, and some great vintners after, but no one ever brought as much attention and awareness to the area as he did.
Another amazing attribute was his incredible wit. First he was as smart as a whip, “the mind behind” as he labeled his bottles and boxes, but when combined with his sense of humor, he was a stand up/ spontaneous comedian wherever he was. As such, wherever he went, he was in command of the audience whether it be 2 or 2,000 and the ambiance was always filled with joy and laughter.
Another trait that has to be mentioned was his dedication and support for his children. It was this same energy that he used when mentoring so many other now successful winemakers. And there is one more aspect about Jim that most people may not think about and that has to do with his choice and style of dress. He created his own version of black tie and casual ware and colorful and one of a kind Hawaiian shits made up a considerable amount of his wardrobe.
I know there’s so much more to say, but this is the best I can do at this time.
Jim Clendenen was an uber brightly shining star who now shines his brilliance down from high above. I feel you brother. I miss you brother. I love you brother.
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Thank you Blake for giving us some intimate glimpses into the Mind Behind. I’m sure you’re hurting and will be for awhile, but as you said, the man left it all on the court and lived life like we all should be, each and where day.
Cheers.
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