Au Bon Climat "Hildegard" Santa Maria Valley White Blend 2021

A regal white with minerality and complexity highlighting this luscious blend of 50% Pinot Gris, 45% Pinot Blanc and a dash of Aligoté. Fig and melon notes from the Pinot Gris are joined by green apple and stone fruits from the Pinot Blanc. It is round and enticing with a lovely floral oak in the finish. As it ages, the texture and flavors will expand.

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 winemaker Jim Clendenen to a degree that in 1998 Au Bon Climat created its first "Hildegard" blend, named after Charlemagne's wife. Legend has it Charlemagne drank so much red wine he spilled it everywhere and Hildegard could not keep the castle clean, so she had the red vines ripped out and replaced with white.

A wine named after an Empress has to be exquisite. This distinctive blend of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Aligoté is barrel-fermented and gets the best of everything including extra barrel and bottle time. The barrels for this program are all new Francois Frères french oak. Combining a unique varietal blend with long term barrel aging made something special.

2021 was a cool harvest with slow ripening to allow the grapes to fully mature. With each varietal handled separately, the fruit was hand harvested, whole cluster pressed, and put into barrel where primary and malolactic fermentations were completed. 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.