Part mystic, part great winemaker and long-time veteran of the Napa Valley wine scene, John Kongsgaard continues to turn out a bevy of exciting and compelling wines from his family's vineyards high in the cool, rocky soils of Coombsville in the southeastern sector of Napa Valley. Robert Parker
2015 Kongsgaard Chardonnay, Napa
This wine will delight with its vibrant acidity, vivid aromas, and astonishing array of flavors from both the plant and mineral kingdoms. It hails from the Hudson and Hyde vineyards near the Bay in the coolest part of Napa Valley and reminds us of some of the most delicious Burgundies. Tasting from barrel, Galloni found "candied lemon peel and white flowers" in "the exquisite, nuanced finish." Parker found it "incredibly concentrated," and "reminiscent of truly profound Grand Cru Burgundy."
A barrel sample to be bottled around July 2018, the 2015 Chardonnay gives up peach blossoms, apricot preserves, honeycomb and croissant with touches of cashews and jasmine. Full-bodied, rich, opulent and seductive, it has a gorgeous creamy texture and very long, very spicy finish. Wine Spectator 98 points
"The 2015 Chardonnays are incredibly concentrated, as you might expect because of the low yields. He makes two cuvées - his Napa cuvée and the homage to his father, The Judge. Both are made from low-yielding Old Wente clonal selections. The 2015 Chardonnay, which is two-thirds Hudson clone and one-third Hyde clone, offers plenty of muscle, rich, extracted honeysuckle, orange blossom, tangerine oil and crushed/powdered rock in a full-bodied, rather large-scaled effort reminiscent of truly profound Grand Cru from Burgundy, the likes of which we don't really see anymore. However, they certainly appear in increasing numbers from great terroirs in California. This wine has spent its time for nearly two years in 80% new French oak prior to being bottled unfiltered." Robert Parker Wine Advocate 96-98 points
