By Farr - GC Cote Vineyard Chardonnay - 2022

...At this level of quality, hyperbole is all we have, and I hate that. It appears foolish at best and untrustworthy at worst. So here goes nothing. A green-gold colour in the glass, tending towards straw, it’s crystal clear, and if liquid can appear chiselled, then this is it. The nose is restrained yet detailed, a common thread from this house. It’s precise yet comforting. It’s redolent of light caramel (I shouldn’t lead off with that, but it’s there), ripe nectarine, struck match; faintly, and barrel spice. I guess the caramel note is more appropriately a creaminess with warm barrel notes, but who has time to explain it all? The palate leaves you feeling relaxed, a lovely softness and masked acidity that makes your mouth water, but not feel like you’ve encountered too much acid. It’s alarmingly supple and easy to drink and the way it sits quietly in the glass makes it easy to see how these types of great wines can easily be overlooked for loud, brash, show ponies. Exquisite, perhaps, peerless, unquestionably. Ben Knight, By Farr