The Judge 2022 is Kongsgaard's single-vineyard Chardonnay from its hilltop site east of Napa. Vinous rated it 97 points, praising its silky texture and balance.
About This Wine
Antonio Galloni described the 2022 as silky, creamy and resonant, with lemon peel, white flowers, graphite, mint and white pepper adding freshness, and gave a drinking window of 2025 to 2037. Fermentation is on native yeasts, and the wine spends a long time in barrel before bottling without filtration.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Lemon peel, white flowers and pear with graphite, mint and a touch of white pepper.
- Palate: Silky and creamy, with supple contours and a well-balanced line of acidity.
- Finish: Harmonious and long, with citrus and a fresh, stony lift.
Serving & Food
Take it to 12°C and pour into a large-bowled glass; a brief decant helps show the texture. Drink from now into the mid-2030s. It suits butter-poached lobster, black cod with miso or veal chops with a cream and mushroom sauce.
How to Enjoy
A recent vintage of The Judge in its more precise, modern style, for a fine dinner.
Product Details
Producer: Kongsgaard
Country: USA
Region: Napa Valley, California
Cuvée: The Judge
Vintage: 2022
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
ABV: 14%
Volume: 750mL
About the Winery
Kongsgaard began as John and Maggy's project, but it is now a family and team effort. Their son Alex Kongsgaard, a winemaker himself, joined around a decade after the first 1996 vintage, along with Evan Frazier, and Alex has been gradually shaping the style.
John has described the recent Judge wines as brighter and more saline. The range stays small: two Chardonnays, a Carneros Syrah, a Cabernet Sauvignon and an estate white blend grown near the winery on the eastern rim of the valley.