The niece of renowned Au Bon Climat winemaker Jim Clendenen, Beverly was born into wine. “When I was a child, his wine was brought out on special occasions — my parents didn’t drink alcohol otherwise — so I associated wine with something special and rare,” explained Beverly, who visited Clendenen at least twice a year and decided at age 15 to be a winemaker. She’s been working under his wing since 2008 and started Bevela with her husband, Kris, during the 2010 vintage.
How’d you get into making teroldego? Teroldego is a variety that just gets my heart pumping. The size of the clusters, the color of the wine, and the natural acidity — it’s just a stunning, rare Italian variety. It is a wine that opens beautifully over time in the glass and can be paired with a variety of foods.
This is a passion project of mine, and I started making teroldego in 2010 from the only vines planted in Santa Barbara County. These vines are grown at Jim’s estate vineyard, Le Bon Climat, and there is a little more than half an acre planted.