2017 Kongsgaard, The Judge Chardonnay, Napa Valley 1x750ml

Robert Parker 100

The 2017 Chardonnay The Judge prances out of the glass with flamboyant notes of baked pineapple, green mango, apricot preserves and nutmeg with underlying nuances of sea spray, lime blossoms, yuzu, almond croissant and crushed rocks plus a waft of beeswax. Full-bodied, the palate is charged with amazing energy, featuring loads of tightly knit layers and a scintillating backbone of freshness, finishing with decadent creaminess and with that lingering a oeThe Judgea mineral signature coming through at the very tail end. [Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 01/11/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2020-2034

Vinous 93+

The 2017 Chardonnay is powerful and rich in the glass. At this stage, The Judge is not that differentiated from the Napa Valley Chardonnay, but that will almost certainly come in time. Today, the 2017 is embryonic and still a bit hidden by a vein of sulfur, and yet there is much resonance and texture. [Antonio Galloni, 14/12/2018]