We love this wine! It is the best kept secret in California. We have featured this wine before, but the newly released 2014 vintage is a jaw-dropping Burgundian doppelganger.
You may recognize the "Hudson Vineyard" designation on labels of some of the finest California whites. That's because Hudson Vineyards sells its grapes to a "who's who" roster such as Kistler, Kongsgaard, Ramey, and Cakebread to name a few. That's an impressive resume for some of the most coveted fruit in all of California.
Without fail and with every vintage, the wine "reveals a Batard-Montrachet-like richness and hazelnut creaminess." Robert Parker
How do they achieve such consistent elegance and depth? The winery is one of the few that has old-vine Wente clones (some of the finest, oldest and most prized fruit in all of California). And, behind the helm of Hudson Vineyards is winemaker John Kongsgaard, a super-star in his own right whose California Chardonnays sell for $120 per bottle, if you can find any.
Here is what we love about the 2014 Hudson Chardonnay: Exotic aromatics of ginger and allspice. Young apple on the palate, the wine is marked by a hint of saline, pain grille, roasted corn, macadamia nuts and pear. Lemon zest and orange peel on the backend offers a vibrant finish. Fantastic!