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The November 2023 Auction: Part 1
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1 / 2Lot 727
Estimate: $650
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Collection name
Reviews
98RP
"Also amazing, the 2012 Chardonnay The Judge offers impressive aromas of tangerines, orange marmalade, wet rocks, quince, spring flowers and honeysuckle. Impressively full-bodied and majestic with terrific acidity, it is a tour de force in Chardonnay. Furthermore, it is about as 'natural' as possible. Thankfully, Kongsgaard is not one to deal in the quintessential B.S. that now seems so prevalent . . . . 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
White
Country
Score
"Also amazing, the 2012 Chardonnay The Judge offers impressive aromas of tangerines, orange marmalade, wet rocks, quince, spring flowers and honeysuckle. Impressively full-bodied and majestic with terrific acidity, it is a tour de force in Chardonnay. Furthermore, it is about as 'natural' as possible. Thankfully, Kongsgaard is not one to deal in the quintessential B.S. that now seems so prevalent . . . . 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.
The world's most versatile white grape, producing everything from steely Chablis to rich, oaked whites. Its neutrality makes it a mirror of terroir and winemaking, and the foundation of white Burgundy and Champagne.