Kongsgaard The Judge Chardonnay 2022

The Judge Vineyard sits on rocky volcanic ground just east of the town of Napa, planted over thirty years ago by John Kongsgaard's father, a low-vigor site farmed organically, which is a polite way of saying the vines have never had it easy. Whole-cluster pressed straight to French oak, fermented on native yeast, raised in 100% new barrels: this is Chardonnay built with conviction, where the oak is structure rather than decoration and the volcanic minerality cuts clean through the mid-palate. Some wines are made. This one was inherited.