A regal white with minerality and complexity highlighting this luscious blend. 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 that finish. As it ages the texture and flavours will expand.

An unusual but regal blend of 55% Pinot Gris, 45% Pinot Blanc and the rest Aligoté meant to recreate Burgundy's fabled Charlemagne vineyard in Medieval times. (The name Hildegard is a salute to the history of Burgundy and to her husband the King of the Franks, Charlemagne.) Bright and finely cut, Hildegard shows another side to Jim Clendenen's magic touch.

The Pinot Gris planted next to the winery (Block 12 of Bien Nacido Vineyard) was amazing. The yields were small, and the grapes were intense. The wine made from this Pinot Gris was more like a Burgundian Pinot Gris or dry Alsatian Pinot Gris than a light, insipid Pinot Grigio style. This rich oily Pinot Gris, blended well with the flinty minerality of Pinot Blanc and the mouth-watering acidity from the Aligoté. These three lesser-known Burgundian white grapes were aged for two years in new French oak barrels, blended and then released with the name Hildegard.

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 extra barrel and bottle time. The barrels for this program are all new Francois Frères French oak. Combining a unique blend with long term barrel aging made something special. The lovely aroma of vanillin and hazelnuts from the oak and the mouth-coating richness makes for a wine that seems like a top-notch Chardonnay. The fruit profile is more "melony" than Chardonnay and the aromas are more flowery than Chardonnay. Food matches that work with Chardonnay would work fine with Hildegard.

"The 2021 Hildegard, a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Aligote, was matured in 100% new French oak for 24 months. Its youthful, exuberant toast and allspice give way to a deep core of peach and red apple, plus nuances of bread dough and cashew. The medium-bodied palate offers savory flavors, balances vibrant acidity with a silky texture and finishes long and youthfully leesy. It drinks wonderfully on its own but will also pair widely at the table. Drink to 2034."
92 points. Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate (December 2023)