Drinking lovely right now. Pineapples, butter and oak in a wonderful balance. The alcohol can however be felt but it seems to fit the flavors very nicely. Impressive wine
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No decant. Was a little worried that this wine might be over the hill, but it was fantastic. Drinking great. Not sure that I would hold much longer so plan on drinking this summer.
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Stored perfectly on release. This needed about 45 min in glass to open. Full bodied with nice balance and a finish of butter and apple tart. Certainly in its prime and should be consumed within a year or so. This is still going strong but no upside on this.
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Popped and poured. Lemons rind, kiwi, pear, minerals and toast come through. The wine is full bodied but not heavy, showing a nice pairing of ripe fruit with a fine bead of acidity, and a long finish. This is in perfect drinking condition today and should stand well for another year or two.
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Popped and poured. White flowers and orchard fruits on the nose. The wine is light to medium golden. Flavors of lemon, pineapple, minerals and a hint of vanilla come through on the palate. The wine is nicely balanced with elegant style as the oak seems pretty well integrated at this stage. I don’t think this gets better so drink up.
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This is fantastic. Light golden. Lovely nose of white flower and tropical fruits. Medium bodied, wonderfully balanced with layers of flavors of kiwi, guava, pineapple and minerals with discrete touch of oak. If the regular Chardonnay is this good I can’t wait for the Judge. This is in a perfect drinking window now and i would try to drink it over the next year or two.
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My first one and I eally liked it, particularly compared to other comparable CA Chardonnay's like Aubert and Kistler. It had that Russian River Valley roundness, lusciousness and full body...and in addition had strong minerality and high acidity which created terrific complexity. The age also seems appropriate...the fruit and minerality were well balanced and over time the fruit will likely dissipate.
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Such a lovely wine and it has developed very nicely. Lots of exotic fruit like pineapple and mango with a touch of butter and smoke. A nice lemon acidity balances the wine very nicely and overall it is just a wonderful wine! Lovely flavor depth and balance. 94-95p. It is certainly at what I would consider its peak but can easily last for a number of years.
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Popped and poured. This is a medium-gold wine. On the nose, there are some spring flowers, wax, and popcorn. The mouth is a bit oaky with some butter notes, all leaving a pinched finish. Overall, this is plush but not in a fruity way; I think the wine is a bit tired or maybe a bit clobbered. Not really my style, but can see why it might be liked. 87 points.
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Reliably one of the best California Chardonnays. I think John Kongsgaard has a more deft touch with oak (at least for this cuvée) then some of his high end competition.
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oxidized nose - flat low acid mouth - simple chardonnay flavors - bitter finish - well stored since purchase directly from the winery, so very disappointing
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Very well made in the big, bold style. Luscious and plush fruit with baked apple and melon. Coconut and even a touch of dill from the oak. The flavors and mouthfeel made this fun to drink, but the oak is heavy-handed.
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While this is perennially not a favorite of mine due to its very heavy oak treatment, i would have to say that if you like this style, it's quite nice. Tonight, shortly after opening the nose was redolent of orange blossoms, nectarines and tropical fruit, all of which carried through to the rich, unctuous palate along with the oak and popcorn flavors. Again, if big Cali chards are your thing, then you're sure to appreciate this one.
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Needs about 1 hour to open up. Finally coming into fine form. This is still about one year away from prime and will last for another 5 plus years. Good fruit and balance.
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Even though I scored this 92 points, this wine is not to my liking. I'm not a fan of the hugely over oaked Cali chards and this wine is undoubtedly a perfect example of that style. That being said, there is really good depth and concentration to the underlying fruit, but it is completely overwhelmed by the oak.
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A hollow Chardonnay in poorly-executed modern style. Nose of cedar and melon; full in body; light yellow in color. Overdone tastes of vanilla, butter, and cedar dominate, while the mid-palate is strangely thin, and the fruit is one-dimensional. Perhaps this will get better with time, and perhaps this was a bad bottle - but I'm at a loss to understand the hype here (aside from the producer's reputation). I appreciate - and buy - the spectrum of CA Chardonnays (from Rhys to Kistler to Peter Michael), but this wine just wasn't that impressive to me.
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Great balance, concentration, pure fruit, expensive oak$, but well integrated; I got just a little oak-tired on my 3rd glass. But great with chicken breast with peach sauce and fresh sweet corn on the cob.
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My first kongsgaard came with no disappointment. Everything that I was expecting was there in this young and wonderful wine. It really needs time to open and show juicy core of honeydew, apples and thin layers of tropical fruits. All this complemented by a crispy acidity and a very elegant and refreshing finish. Just a touch of oak at the end, a well done wine.
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A well made wine for the style but not for me, at least not now. While there are some pleasant fruit flavors, including tart citrus notes, they are completed overwhelmed by vanilla and wood. Time will help somewhat but this wine will never reach a balance that appeals to me.
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Lovely depth and a good balance. Lots of citrus fruit and some pineapple but still very refreshing. Minerality is showing nicely as the wine develops in the glass. Adored it!!
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Still needs more time in the bottle. All the typical notes I've come to expect (and love) from Konsgaard, with super fresh citrus and delicate floral notes. Minerality is there but I expect it to come into better focus on the finish in a year. Score should improve accordingly.
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11/16/2023 - mclanew wrote: flawed
Premox
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5/13/2023 - canan wrote: 93 Points
Drinking lovely right now. Pineapples, butter and oak in a wonderful balance. The alcohol can however be felt but it seems to fit the flavors very nicely. Impressive wine
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11/5/2022 - Rubinstein wrote:
Slightly oxidized. Lacked freshness, but still rather enjoyable with white flowers and tropical fruit.
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4/6/2022 - sayward Likes this wine: 94 Points
No decant. Was a little worried that this wine might be over the hill, but it was fantastic. Drinking great. Not sure that I would hold much longer so plan on drinking this summer.
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1/8/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Stored perfectly on release. This needed about 45 min in glass to open. Full bodied with nice balance and a finish of butter and apple tart. Certainly in its prime and should be consumed within a year or so. This is still going strong but no upside on this.
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12/11/2021 - EmilyE wrote:
Oxidized
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11/7/2021 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely starting to oxidize, so don’t wait long, but with persistent acidity that made it a fascinating light amber.
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10/8/2021 - ozstef wrote: 90 Points
Old
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3/7/2021 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Lemons rind, kiwi, pear, minerals and toast come through. The wine is full bodied but not heavy, showing a nice pairing of ripe fruit with a fine bead of acidity, and a long finish. This is in perfect drinking condition today and should stand well for another year or two.
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2/27/2021 - robertek wrote: 94 Points
Very good and balanced. Still young. Butter and some tropical notes. Love it.
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11/7/2020 - ggj wrote: 86 Points
Tired and fading. Not premixed, but close. Purchased on release and properly stored.
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10/30/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. White flowers and orchard fruits on the nose. The wine is light to medium golden. Flavors of lemon, pineapple, minerals and a hint of vanilla come through on the palate. The wine is nicely balanced with elegant style as the oak seems pretty well integrated at this stage. I don’t think this gets better so drink up.
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7/17/2020 - ggj wrote: flawed
Oxidized
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5/27/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
Consistent with last note
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4/15/2020 - mclanew Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is fantastic. Light golden. Lovely nose of white flower and tropical fruits. Medium bodied, wonderfully balanced with layers of flavors of kiwi, guava, pineapple and minerals with discrete touch of oak. If the regular Chardonnay is this good I can’t wait for the Judge. This is in a perfect drinking window now and i would try to drink it over the next year or two.
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1/14/2020 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first one and I eally liked it, particularly compared to other comparable CA Chardonnay's like Aubert and Kistler. It had that Russian River Valley roundness, lusciousness and full body...and in addition had strong minerality and high acidity which created terrific complexity. The age also seems appropriate...the fruit and minerality were well balanced and over time the fruit will likely dissipate.
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10/11/2019 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Such a lovely wine and it has developed very nicely.
Lots of exotic fruit like pineapple and mango with a touch of butter and smoke. A nice lemon acidity balances the wine very nicely and overall it is just a wonderful wine!
Lovely flavor depth and balance. 94-95p.
It is certainly at what I would consider its peak but can easily last for a number of years.
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5/12/2019 - fine137 wrote: 89 Points
This has not aged well. Dark yellow, oxidative, burned butter and green oak.
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12/22/2018 - pdemaio wrote: 94 Points
Wow - this is tasting perfectly now. Balanced, full bodied, and just a touch of wood noted. Drink up.
PDQ94+
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11/2/2018 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich yellow color and nice fruit with some butter on the finish.
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8/31/2018 - fcf3 wrote:
RP95 WS94
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3/24/2018 - whitmanlholt wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured. This is a medium-gold wine. On the nose, there are some spring flowers, wax, and popcorn. The mouth is a bit oaky with some butter notes, all leaving a pinched finish. Overall, this is plush but not in a fruity way; I think the wine is a bit tired or maybe a bit clobbered. Not really my style, but can see why it might be liked. 87 points.
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1/7/2018 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have been a long time lover of KG wines. This vintage is excellent. But not quite "outstanding".
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12/23/2017 - beau11 wrote: 89 Points
The 12 has never been my favorite. Rich with a lot of oak. A bit chunky and unbalanced. Finish again dominated by oak. Not on same level as 13/14
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11/25/2017 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Reliably one of the best California Chardonnays. I think John Kongsgaard has a more deft touch with oak (at least for this cuvée) then some of his high end competition.
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11/11/2017 - Craig15 wrote: flawed
Oxidized. Dark hue for a chard. Aromas and flavors all leaned toward fortified wine notes. Lots of butterscotch and caramel.
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10/28/2017 - canan wrote: 94 Points
BYO - US wines (Trio): Lovely and juicy with plenty of fruit and lots of vanilla.
Delicious wine!
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8/27/2017 - Verb Does not like this wine: flawed
oxidized nose - flat low acid mouth - simple chardonnay flavors - bitter finish - well stored since purchase directly from the winery, so very disappointing
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8/27/2017 - Verb wrote: flawed
corked and undrinkable
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7/22/2017 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Very well made in the big, bold style. Luscious and plush fruit with baked apple and melon. Coconut and even a touch of dill from the oak. The flavors and mouthfeel made this fun to drink, but the oak is heavy-handed.
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6/30/2017 - mmcdds Does not like this wine: 90 Points
While this is perennially not a favorite of mine due to its very heavy oak treatment, i would have to say that if you like this style, it's quite nice. Tonight, shortly after opening the nose was redolent of orange blossoms, nectarines and tropical fruit, all of which carried through to the rich, unctuous palate along with the oak and popcorn flavors. Again, if big Cali chards are your thing, then you're sure to appreciate this one.
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4/29/2017 - robertek wrote: 94 Points
This is drinking really well and is very good value for money.
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12/31/2016 - mmcdds Does not like this wine: 92 Points
Once again, this is an exceptional Cali chard with excellent depth and concentration and its drinking beautifully tonight.
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11/5/2016 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
Needs about 1 hour to open up. Finally coming into fine form. This is still about one year away from prime and will last for another 5 plus years. Good fruit and balance.
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9/3/2016 - Bbaldinger wrote: 93 Points
- Yellow color. It's balanced and has flavours of honey and grapefruit with a light/medium body. Polished texture.
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7/15/2016 - mmcdds Does not like this wine: 92 Points
Even though I scored this 92 points, this wine is not to my liking. I'm not a fan of the hugely over oaked Cali chards and this wine is undoubtedly a perfect example of that style. That being said, there is really good depth and concentration to the underlying fruit, but it is completely overwhelmed by the oak.
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4/8/2016 - Wuthee wrote: 94 Points
Oaky, hits the tongue on the top middle. Bit of sesame--nice length
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9/29/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dynamite, showing it's stuff. Heavy on the oak, buttery, intense wine
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9/8/2015 - msuwine wrote: 88 Points
A hollow Chardonnay in poorly-executed modern style. Nose of cedar and melon; full in body; light yellow in color. Overdone tastes of vanilla, butter, and cedar dominate, while the mid-palate is strangely thin, and the fruit is one-dimensional. Perhaps this will get better with time, and perhaps this was a bad bottle - but I'm at a loss to understand the hype here (aside from the producer's reputation). I appreciate - and buy - the spectrum of CA Chardonnays (from Rhys to Kistler to Peter Michael), but this wine just wasn't that impressive to me.
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8/5/2015 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Great balance, concentration, pure fruit, expensive oak$, but well integrated; I got just a little oak-tired on my 3rd glass. But great with chicken breast with peach sauce and fresh sweet corn on the cob.
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8/5/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Light straw. Crisp apple, pineapple, oak, butter, and finishes with lemon. Very long finish. Gorgeous nose as well.
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8/5/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
More oak and butter. Lemon. Crisp. Nice acid. Fruit driven. Elegant.
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7/26/2015 - prez Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very well balanced, but very surprised by the strong black pepper on the palate.
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6/30/2015 - ggj wrote: 92 Points
Le Berdardin NYC.
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6/21/2015 - carisua78 wrote: 93 Points
My first kongsgaard came with no disappointment. Everything that I was expecting was there in this young and wonderful wine. It really needs time to open and show juicy core of honeydew, apples and thin layers of tropical fruits. All this complemented by a crispy acidity and a very elegant and refreshing finish. Just a touch of oak at the end, a well done wine.
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6/19/2015 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
Needs an hour decant- medium bodied, still 3-5 years out from prime, will hold until 2025. Average balance at this point.
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5/10/2015 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Although expensive, it is one of the best bottles I have tasted of chardonnay I have tasted. What more can I say/
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1/27/2015 - tinybubbles wrote: 90 Points
A well made wine for the style but not for me, at least not now. While there are some pleasant fruit flavors, including tart citrus notes, they are completed overwhelmed by vanilla and wood. Time will help somewhat but this wine will never reach a balance that appeals to me.
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1/10/2015 - canan wrote: 94 Points
Lovely depth and a good balance. Lots of citrus fruit and some pineapple but still very refreshing. Minerality is showing nicely as the wine develops in the glass.
Adored it!!
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1/1/2015 - DaButtah Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still needs more time in the bottle. All the typical notes I've come to expect (and love) from Konsgaard, with super fresh citrus and delicate floral notes. Minerality is there but I expect it to come into better focus on the finish in a year. Score should improve accordingly.
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12/26/2014 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 94 Points
big but super smooth.
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