2003 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge
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Tasting notes
Slightly deeper yellow than the 2004. Wild aromas of bacon fat and game. Superconcentrated but quite dry, with flavors of apple pie dough, cinnamon butter and smoked meat. Very little primary fruit to be found. This is hugely rich but today I find it almost too dry, with the minerality it displayed in barrel a year ago decidedly in the deep background.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The Chardonnay of the vintage is the 2003 Chardonnay The Judge. At $175, it may be California’s most expensive Chardonnay, but what a remarkable wine! Tightly-wound as well as super-concentrated, it represents the essence of a terroir and varietal character. Sadly, there are only 100 cases of this remarkable effort. Fax (707) 963-4512
(Kongsgaard makes this wine from what he describes as "visually perfect fruit" from the family's vineyard in southeastern Napa Valley Extravagant aromas of orange blossom, apricot, nuts, butterscotch and light sulfides. Dense but ur gent in the mouth; at least as lush and concentrated as the "regular" chardonnay but with extraordinary vibrancy and great acid spine. Captivating, downright Burgundian notes of roasted almond and minerals. Kongsgaard notes that the alcohol in these four chardonnays is just under 15%.