Winemaker Notes
Bright, pale gold. The nose is bursting with notes of fresh fruit, white peach and citrus with a delicate touch of fresh hazelnut. The palate is lively, full, and balanced. Long and refreshing, this is a superb Burgundy. Situated in the commune of St. Aubin, this single monopole vineyard lies on a south-south-west facing hillside, very near the Chateau's plot "En Vesvau." This predominantly limestone area consists of light clay and sand on top of a limestone fault; the Chardonnay benefits from perfect drainage conditions, resulting in the production of elegant white wines.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2024 Philippe Le Hardi BOURGOGNE CÔTE-D'OR Clos de la Chaise Dieu Monopole shows a medium straw-yellow color. It opens with attractive savory aromas accented by notes of Golden Delicious apple. Medium-bodied, it displays excellent firmness on the palate, with ripe apple and subtle oak flavors providing depth and structure. The wine carries a firm, focused finish, offering a composed, well-balanced expression of Côte-d'Or Chardonnay. A natural pairing would be roast chicken with herbs, veal in a light cream sauce, or sautéed sole, dishes that complement the wine's structure and savory nuance. (Tasted: March 20, 2026, San Francisco, CA)
Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the majestic stately home of the first Duke of Burgundy. This historic estate is one of Burgundy’s most prestigious producers with its colorful glazed roof tiles. Working in a very natural way, they farm their 200+ acres of vineyards throughout the Côte d’Or and Côte Chalonnaise. Their wines are distinctive and reflect the delicate complexities of each unique vineyard site. For the last 20 years, the domaine has been taking an environmentally-friendly approach to growing, proving itself to be a true pioneer in this respect. It has been TERRA VITIS certified since 2004 and was certified by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2009 for its use of sustainable growing methods. In 2015, it was one of the first wine domaines to receive ‘High Environmental Value’ (HEV 3) certification respecting a new set of specifications issued by the French Ministry of Agriculture. In 2016, the domaine set up an apiary close to the vineyards in order to verify that the techniques used were harmless to bees, which are very sensitive to the environment. Plans are already in place to introduce more hives.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
The most acclaimed region of Burgundy, the Côte d’Or is defined by a long, limestone escarpment beneath the ground's surface and is home to all of Burgundy’s most famous wines. While Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are produced throughout the Côte d’Or, the north tends to excel at Pinot Noir and the south, at Chardonnay.
The northern half of the Côte d’Or is called the Côte de Nuits. Here reside most of the Pinot noir Grands Crus vineyards of Burgundy—the only one farther south, in Côte de Beaune, is Aloxe-Corton.
The Côte de Beaune is the center all of the Chardonnay Grands Crus with the exception of Le Musingy, found in Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits, which produces both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with Grand Cru status.