2015 | Kongsgaard | The Judge Chardonnay

Rich and distinctive, with expressive flavors that dance on the palate, offering glimpses of pear, melon, fig, apricot and smoky, toasty oak notes, yet for all the wood elements, this white wears it well.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: A barrel sample to be bottled around July 2018, the 2015 Chardonnay The Judge offers up very pretty orange blossom and jasmine notes with a core of lemon curd, pink grapefruit and guava plus buttered toast and praline. Full-bodied, wonderfully creamy, spicy and gregarious, it has so much verve and expression, finishing very long, layered and minerally.

• Vinous: The 2015 Chardonnay The Judge has turned out beautifully. Like the Napa Valley Chardonnay, The Judge is a hushed, quiet wine. Whether it ever develops into a more typically exuberant, flamboyant wine in the more classic Kongsgaard mold remains to be seen. Today, the 2015 speaks to finesse, nuance and understatement. There is lovely depth and texture of fruit. As always, the Judge is marked by a distinct oiliness, but the 2015 is less overtly flamboyant than other past vintages have been.

Producer Information

Kongsgaard is a cult California wine producer widely renowned for making richly textured yet elegant Chardonnays, which are among the very best in California. The wines have received numerous accolades from critics, including Robert Parker who gave the 2013 vintage of The Judge 100 points, calling it "certainly one of the greatest Chardonnays I have ever tasted". John Kongsgaard is one of the most lauded winemakers in the US, having previously made wine for Newton, Luna and Arietta. He makes numerous other highly rated wines, including a Napa Valley Chardonnay from Carneros fruit, a Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot blend called Fimasaurus, a Hudson Vineyard Syrah and an Albariño. The Kings Farm (the translation of Kongsgaard) range are the "little brothers and sisters" of the main brand. These wines are made in small quantities and initially only available to mailing-list customers.

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