Napa Valley Chardonnay

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

As part of my white wine flight theme, I wanted to compare Hyde and Hudson side by side, then finish with Kongsgaard, since it is a blend of both.

Similar to the Hudson before it, I normally like to drink Kongsgaard on the young side, and also similar to the Hudson, on this day…it didn’t seem to have the typical opulent/massive profile. White peach and apricot upfront as well as sweet cotton candy on the nose. Ripe yellow and tropical fruits dominate the palate with sea salt, ginger and lemon cream. Faint note of butterscotch, but not near the amount I’ve found previous vintages to show. What Kongsgaard does well is have a wine of this profile but somehow find a way to have elegant qualities about it. Decant or hold a few years.

The 2021 Chardonnay (Napa Valley) is stellar. Wonderfully refined and airy, the 2021 impresses with its total harmony. It is especially elegant. Whether that is due to the vintage, a tendency to pick on the earlier side these days, or the combination of sites, the 2021 is magnificent, if a bit less showy than it used to be. Readers should plan on cellaring it for a few years. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2023)

Very good for this style of wine but the Judge is where it’s at. But priced accordingly lol.

This is definitely the most tropical expression of Kongsgaard’s Chardonnay I’ve ever had. Without getting in to all the nuances of vintages, I thought the 2016 had more lemon cream and the 2015 had a more bright profile. Lots of opulence here at an early stage.

Light golden hue in the decanter and so much tropical influence. The aromatics are really pretty...caramelized pineapple, marzipan (something I associate with Aubert), only a hint of lemon cream (something I ALWAYS get with Aubert), and powdered lemon bar. The complexity of Kongsgaard’s palate is always so intriguing to me...the depth and richness (14.1ABV) while still being able to flex a nervy and vibrant wine is hard to come across elsewhere. This is a full throttle chard up front before it turns quite elegant. The palate is loaded with lemon...grilled lemon, lemon cream, lemon scone, but has an orange marmalade and stony vibe down the middle. Obviously young, it’a delicious now with an hour or so in the decanter.

Omg so damn good - most interesting chard I have had in a long time @David L i think you called the WOTD or night or whenever - the wine was tropical notes - lemon lime orange - dried fruits - so damn good

The 2018 Chardonnay is a gorgeous, luscious Chardonnay loaded with character. Plush fruit and soft contours bring out all of the natural richness of various Wente Clone Chardonnay selections. Almond paste, dried flowers, butter, chamomile, apricot and tropical fruit all build into a striking crescendo of flavors and textures. This is an especially oily, weighty style of Napa Valley Chardonnay. As always, the Napa Valley Chardonnay is a blend of fruit from Hudson and Hyde. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2021)

Pineapple, Lemon, lime zest, mandarin, peach, green apple, creme brûlée, butterscotch.

The 2016 Kongsgaard Chardonnay is a sensational wine that is showing its full-throttle decadence now at the four year mark. Once on the nose this takes on layers of vanilla Creme brûlée and butterscotch woven together with mango and pineapple upside down cake that all meld together in the glass. The palate is silky smooth and wonderfully viscous. Ripe banana and roasted pineapple intermingle with baking spice infused challah bread, and Meyer lemon creme brûlée flavors. Gorgeous to enjoy in its youth, this beautiful Chardonnay will cellar well for more than a decade to come. Drink 2020-2035- 95

Was amazing - really really good - enjoyed with @David L after WNH zoom Christmas in July tasting

Rich and full body showing strong intensity and power. Pineapple core, exotic citrus fruits and hints of orange skin and marzipan. Length is exceptional as is its depth. Decant.