Le Fat Bastard, Pays d’Oc IGP (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) Chardonnay 2020

 You might find it easy to dismiss a quirky label as a gimmick to sell an inexpensive wine, but you would miss out on a delicious better-than-it-has-to-be Chardonnay.  Véronique Torcolacci has been the head winemaker for 20 years.  After the grapes are crushed, she allows the juice to remain in contact with the skins to extract flavors.  The wine does not go through malolactic fermentation, which changes malic acid (think green apples) to lactic acid (think milk), so the wine is crisp and lively.  After fermentation, she allows the wine to remain in contact with the lees, the expired yeast cells from fermentation, which gives the wine a creamy texture.  Her final touch is to age a portion of the wine in oak to add roundness and vanilla notes.  The result is a fresh, round, juicy wine with apple, pear and pineapple flavors laced with a touch of vanilla and crisp, citrusy acidity.  Enjoy it with a fried fish sandwich or to appreciate a summer sunset.