January 15, 2016

KONGSGAARD "The Judge" Chardonnay 2013

(Napa Valley, CA) $175

The 2013 vintage of Kongsgaard’s “The Judge” may well be the only chardonnay in Napa Valley with a waiting list as long as the ones for the cabernet sauvignons from superstars Harlan and Colgin. A mere three hundred thirty cases are made (hence the price). The Judge is unlike any California chardonnay I have ever experienced. The flavor equivalent of a tightly woven golden-colored tapestry, it is a wine of unbelievable textural sumptuousness with long lines of intensity punctuated by pinpoints of what can only be described as energy. Comparisons to Montrachet float in the mind. This is the sort of wine you really do never forget.

98 points

Which South American wine-producing region called “the land of good sunshine and good wine” is known for having almost no rain?

A. Casablanca Valley, Chile

B. Mendoza, Argentina

C. Colchagua Valley, Chile

D. Serra Gaúcha, Brazil

Mendoza. (Was this too easy?) Mendoza’s vineyards sit against the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains at altitudes ranging from 2900 to 5200 feet above sea level. The mountains wring out most of the moisture from storms before the rain can reach the vineyards. Therefore, grapevines in Mendoza rely almost entirely on irrigation, and Argentine growers control water precisely to regulate the vines’ growth. (This also helps to assure good quality). Interestingly, the city of Mendoza also depends on a unique irrigation: Cement-lined shallow canals carry snowmelt from the mountains to neighborhoods throughout the city.

Don’t-Taste

Here with a few items we’ve filed under the heading Don’t-Taste. (And, yes, the following all exist). Pinot Meow—Wine for your kitty. (You’d think cat-pissy sauvignon blanc would have been the first feline varietal but,… Continue reading

KONGSGAARD "The Judge" Chardonnay 2013

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