Community Tasting Notes 8

• RayOB Likes this wine: 94 points

  February 1, 2024 - Drank at 67
  Big and bold with a bright yellow hue

  Comment

• Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 points

  February 1, 2024 - Surprisingly evolved, a deep golden yellow. The absolutely delicious palate follows the appearance - lots of butterscotch. There is also ripe canteloup and yellow peach along with shortbread. Wonderfully coating mouth feel - full bodied. Acidity low to medium. Very long and showing some complexity. Drink now unless you are a fan of tertiary flavours.
  
  The only time I've tried The Judge before I had a similar experience (that was the 2006) i.e. advanced evolution. I wonder whether they reduce the sulfur for The Judge? The straight Chardonnay is much fresher and again this has been my consistent experienc e, except for the 2014, in which there is some kind of problem, as it is far too evolved for its age.

  Comment

• N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 points

  August 31, 2022 - Way too young. This is still somewhat closed down after an hour in the glass. Probably needs a decant at this point. The stuffing is there for a long life and balance will certainly improve. Revisit 2025

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• acyso wrote: 90 points

  December 5, 2021 - Vinetasters: Brown Bag (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. Oily and an incredibly broad nose and palate. It reminds me a little bit of what a Bâtard-Montrachet would turn out to be in a fat year, but with the fruit pushed even a little farther to the ripe side. The palate is an honest continuation of the nose, and this certainly has the richness, depth, and potency of a grand cru white Burgundy, save for the finish where it unequivocally proclaims its Americanness by an intense bitterness. Really, this would be a phenomenal wine (an MS friend of mine swears by this wine) if it weren't for that too-distracting bitterness. I did actually come to guess Kongsgaard because it is probably one of the few California chardonnays in the style that is remotely drinkable.

  1 person found this helpful Comments (1)

• Baron Slick wrote: 96 points

  December 24, 2020 - Tasted double blind. This was so layered and expressive, literally coquettish, with a textural depth and complexity that transcended many Chardonnays I've had. Smoky, autolytic, and buttery, almost oily, yet so pliant and light on its feet, with candied notes of guava, pineapple, orchard fruit, and Meyer lemon buffered by spicy, toasty nuances. Butterscotch and a kiss of bottle age laced the long finish. A blockbuster.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2015
• Type White
• Producer Kongsgaard
• Varietal Chardonnay
• Designation The Judge
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Napa Valley

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 6 (1%)
• In Cellars 432 (61%)
• Consumed 273 (38%)

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