Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A white with apple, yogurt and honey character. Full body with lots of fruit and a full-throttle character. Toast, apple and honey finish. Ginger. Rich, full style. Complex.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: In recent years, a discussion over the styles of California has emerged with at least two distinct camps. While many wine imbibers like the creamy, buttery style, there are almost as many who prefer the crisper, mineral-like offerings. The 2012 Mer Soleil in 1.5-liter bottles offers full-throttled creamy, oaky, and butter aromas and flavors. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with plenty of oomph with its ripe peaches, tropical fruits, sweet oak, and buttery notes. Enjoy its smooth and layered richness with shellfish in cream sauce. (Tasted: June 1, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.