Tasting note

John Kongsgaard told me that when the unfiltered Chardonnay from Newton was first launched in the early 1980s, the fruit came entirely from what is now the Judge Vineyard of Kongsgaard. No wonder that wine was so spectacular in those days. It also had an incredible aging curve as well. This wine continues to be a strong effort. The 2013 Chardonnay Unfiltered exhibits notes of white peach, honeysuckle and some brioche in a medium to full-bodied, lusciously fruity, rich, complex and full style. It doesn't have the minerality of the old days of the early 1980s, but this is a brilliant Chardonnay, representing one of Napa's finest efforts. Drink: 2016-2020. Score - 94. (Robert Parker Jr., robertparker.com, Dec. 2015)