Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2014 Syrah Hudson Vineyard is a wild, exotic wine. White truffle, orange peel, spice, mint, leather and ripe red cherry fruit are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Still young, the 2014 is a gorgeous, delicate Syrah that will continue to drink well for another decade. I am blown away by its translucent finesse. There is something incredibly distinctive about the Syrah that is hard to capture with just words. It is one of the most compelling and intriguing wines of the vintage.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The two finest Syrahs that Kongsgaard has made to date may well be the 2014 Syrah and especially the 2015 Syrah, which has all of the characteristics of a potentially perfect wine. The 2014 Syrah, 100% from a two-acre block in the Hudson Vineyard that rarely ever gives more than .5 tons of fruit per acre and was planted to the specifications of Kongsgaard. The wine has a meaty, flowery, blood and blackberry scented nose, plenty of pepper, lard and a touch of oak. It is dense, full-bodied and cascades over the palate. This is aged 24 months in 50% new French oak prior to being bottled unfiltered. It should drink well for 20 or more years.
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James Suckling
The linear edge to this generous syrah enhances the form and energy of the wine. Lots of blackberry, cumin and stone character with hints of cherries. Polished, tight and muscular. Better in a couple of years but who can wait?
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.