The Farm Chardonnay 2022

Have you been one of those people who say no to oaky Chardonnay? Too heavy, too buttery, too much? On of those people who want everything stainless steel, straight to the point. No wood, no nothing, no, thank you? We have all been that person. But then you end up craving a little toastiness. A little richness. A little malolactic fermentation. And barrel fermentation. Because here's the thing: malolactic fermentation is not the enemy. It's what turns sharp, green apple acidity into something rounder, something softer, something that feels like a blanket instead of a slap. 

This might be the Chardonnay that reconciles you with your inner creamy, toasty Chardonnay lover. It comes from the Beamsville Bench, where the soil is rich in limestone. Hand-picked, pressed whole cluster, wild fermented. Aged for 16 months in a mix of stainless steel and French oak puncheons (500-litre barrels, bigger than usual, so less oak intensity). Full malolactic fermentation. Bottled unfiltered right in The Farm cellar.

The result is vibrant, with a chalky minerality that cuts through the richness. The wild ferment gives it layered notes of pear, lemon, honey, stone fruit. Creamy but not heavy.  Somewhere in between the stainless steel exclusivity and the vanilla bombs that make us cry.

Pair it with chicken. Any chicken. Baked, grilled, fried. Seafood works too.