2002 Napa Valley Chardonnay
Prezzo di mercato
Opzioni di acquisto
Note di degustazione
(racked in the spring of 2004 for the first time and bottled 20 months after the harvest) Wild, gamey aromas of dried fruits, honey, smoke, truffle and nuts. Less fruit-driven and more minerally in the mouth than the younger 2003, with terrific fat and depth. Here the acids have been integrated into the wine. With aeration, this wine showed hints of exotic fruits as well as firmer notes of lemon and grapefruit. "During the wine's second year in barrel, we get rid of the primary fruit and get down to the bones of the wine," says Kongsgaard. Not surprisingly, last year I described the then-unfinished 2002 as a fruit bomb and noted that the bottled 2001 was more minerally in character! Distinctly tannic on the finish. A wine of vendange tardive-like texture and ripeness.
Punteggi della critica
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Altre recensioni e punteggi
The 2002 Chardonnay reveals evolution in its orange liqueur, lemon oil, honeyed grapefruit, roasted hazelnut, and leesy personality. With terrific delineation, intensity, and full body, noble purity, and an amazing texture, it represents California’s version of a Batard-Montrachet. These wines tend to age beautifully for 6-7 years, perhaps even longer ... I just never have any bottles left after that period of time. All of Kongsgaard’s wines are sold via a mailing list ... so good luck. Fax (707) 963-4512
Aromas of lime, lemon, papaya, nutmeg, clove and dusty stone, all lifted by a note of marmalade. Sweet, rich and exotic, with a compellingly creamy texture and a snappy sugar/acid balance that reminded me of a great Alsace wine. A real fruit bomb in comparison with the more minerally, laid-back 2001, and perhaps for drinking sooner (but then this won't be bottled until August). As exotic as the fruit is, this is also bright, firm and fresh on the back end. Kongsgaard noted that this wine took more than a year to ferment its sugars and also finished its malolactic fermentation much later than usual. The result was an unusually glyceral texture, not to mention 2.5 grams per liter of residual sugar, compared to just 1 in the 2001.