2010 The Judge Chardonnay

The 2010 Chardonnay The Judge is rich, explosive and unctuous, with a stunning interplay of deep, resonant fruit and imposing structure. A wine of pure verticality, the 2010 stands out for its power, length and drive. The 2010 remains incredibly young, but it is fabulous. The textured, creamy finish is hugely appealing.

Brilliant medium yellow, the palest of these four chardonnays. Reticent, Burgundian nose hints at peach, citrus fruits, hazelnut and gunpowder complicated by mineral and sulfide nuances. Extremely deep and concentrated but youthfully closed, showing a powerful crushed stone character that reminded me of a Corton-Charlemagne. With its strong minerality, this very Burgundian chardonnay comes across as drier than the Napa Valley bottling. Already shows outstanding palate presence, but really calls for three to five years of aging.

The 2010 Chardonnay The Judge is rich, ripe and seamless, but also supported by plenty of vintage 2010 minerality. Lemon, pastry, spices and intense crushed rocks are all woven together beautifully in a focused, taut Chardonnay loaded with class and personality. Saline notes come to life on the layered, nuanced finish. A high presence of shot berries reduced yields to just one ton per acre. Most of the fruit was old Stony Hill Wente.