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The August 2020 Auction: Part 3
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1 / 2Lot 514
Estimate: $110
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Collection name
Reviews
96RP
"Kongsgaard rarely makes Merlot, and there are only 75 cases of his 2012 Merlot. A beauty, it offers sexy, creamy chocolaty, Asian plum sauce, and blackcurrant notes as well as a hint of minerality. Full-throttle and opulent, this [is a] layered, stunning Merlot . . . . The mystical John Kongsgaard came out of the Newton winemaking factory where he was mentored by the great Michel Rolland. However, he has had his own operation for many years in the cool Coombsville hills east of the town of Napa. He also uses purchased fruit from some of Napaâs finest growers, particularly the Hudson Vineyard. His estate includes six acres on Atlas Peak and six acres in Coombsville, and he is in the process of clearing another tract for planting. Although his total acreage is small, the wines are artisanal, individualistic and filled with personality and flavor. Anyone who believes Kongsgaard wines are too alcoholic or rich is missing out on some of the worldâs most pleasure-filled and complex elixirs. The Chardonnays include a basic cuvĂ©e, which comes from selected parcels John Kongsgaard has long worked with in the Hudson and Hyde vineyards (from Old Wente clonal materials). There is also an estate Chardonnay, the riveting, prodigious The Judge named after Kongsgaardâs father. It comes from a six-acre parcel planted in 1975 in Coombsville that never yields more than ten tons of fruit. It is Old Wente clone material, which old-timers claim, but canât prove, came from Burgundyâs grand cru Corton-Charlemagne. With two great vintages (2012 and 2013) in the pipeline, and with 2014 looking superb at the time of my visit, Kongsgaard is overflowing with liquid treasures."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"Kongsgaard rarely makes Merlot, and there are only 75 cases of his 2012 Merlot. A beauty, it offers sexy, creamy chocolaty, Asian plum sauce, and blackcurrant notes as well as a hint of minerality. Full-throttle and opulent, this [is a] layered, stunning Merlot . . . . The mystical John Kongsgaard came out of the Newton winemaking factory where he was mentored by the great Michel Rolland. However, he has had his own operation for many years in the cool Coombsville hills east of the town of Napa. He also uses purchased fruit from some of Napaâs finest growers, particularly the Hudson Vineyard. His estate includes six acres on Atlas Peak and six acres in Coombsville, and he is in the process of clearing another tract for planting. Although his total acreage is small, the wines are artisanal, individualistic and filled with personality and flavor. Anyone who believes Kongsgaard wines are too alcoholic or rich is missing out on some of the worldâs most pleasure-filled and complex elixirs. The Chardonnays include a basic cuvĂ©e, which comes from selected parcels John Kongsgaard has long worked with in the Hudson and Hyde vineyards (from Old Wente clonal materials). There is also an estate Chardonnay, the riveting, prodigious The Judge named after Kongsgaardâs father. It comes from a six-acre parcel planted in 1975 in Coombsville that never yields more than ten tons of fruit. It is Old Wente clone material, which old-timers claim, but canât prove, came from Burgundyâs grand cru Corton-Charlemagne. With two great vintages (2012 and 2013) in the pipeline, and with 2014 looking superb at the time of my visit, Kongsgaard is overflowing with liquid treasures."
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The fourth-largest wine producer in the world, led by California. American fine wine is defined by ripe, expressive fruit and a spirit of innovation, with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon among the most sought-after wines globally.
California's most prestigious wine region, celebrated worldwide for opulent, structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Diverse soils and mountain-to-valley-floor sites yield wines of remarkable ripeness, power and longevity.
California's flagship appellation for opulent, structured Cabernet Sauvignon of ripe fruit, plush tannins and cellar-worthy depth.
Produces plush, supple, fruit-forward reds with plum and chocolate notes. Softer and earlier-maturing than Cabernet, it adds flesh and roundness to blends and stars in Right Bank Bordeaux.