Chardonnay 2023 Kongsgaard

The 8-acre Chardonnay vineyard, planted in the 1970s, is situated on the summit of a volcanic hill with extremely rocky soil; the grapes grown here are used to produce Kongsgaard's Napa Valley white wine. The 2023 growing season was cool. The heat summation through mid-August totaled 1,977 growing degree days, which contrasts with 2,294 in 2021 and 2,204 in 2018. As a result, the harvest ran about three weeks behind average. This slow ripening process is reflected in the wine, which maintains a refined character rather than a heavy one. John, Maggy and Alex Kongsgaard work with native fermentation, so no yeast or bacteria are added. with a long period of oak barrel aging and little to no added SO₂, these wines are made with minimal intervention a deliberately hands-off way of building texture. While they can be enjoyed now, allowing them to breathe in a decanter for about an hour will help the flavors unfold more fully. They are best enjoyed through 2040