Chardonnay was not always planted in the Corton Charlemagne wine region of France. During the reign of King Charlemagne it is believed Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligoté were the main white varietals. This intrigued Jim Clendenen to a degree that in 1998, Au Bon Climat created its first Hildegard blend, named after Charlemagne’s wife. A success from the start, we never stopped.

This distinctive blend gets the best of everything including 16 months barrel age in all new François Frères French oak, creating something special. It has a texture, complexity, and distinctiveness that cannot be found in a single white wine varietal.

"My favorite wine in this tasting, the 2023 White Hildegard Estate speaks entirely in its own voice. This blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligoté is a rich, reductive, old-school California white that's unabashedly forward and confident but also completely unique. Flint, orange oil, sweet spices and vanilla create a very Chardonnay-like impression with tons of weight and impressive body, but this wine tastes more like Au Bon Climat than anything else. Intensely singular. Just fabulous." 96pts Billy Norris Vinous