CASE PRICE = $19.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
Tasting Notes:
Mineral-driven nose with citrus shining through. Cement tank fermentation and aging bring out aromas remindful of the first rain of the season or a wet rock. Soft and round entry with an acid backbone informs you these grapes are grown in a cooler climate. Mid-palate reveals ripe fruit such as lemons and exotic fruits. Finishes dry while the acid comes and goes in a balanced fashion. Laser sharp minerality carries through from start to finish on both palate and aroma. Released July 2011
This unoaked wine captures the pure, clean expression of Chardonnay from our Mer Soleil Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County. The mineral essence is reminiscent of the classic Chablis style with the tropical elements found in the Chardonnays of the Pacific Coastline. Grapes are fermented in cement tanks, without oak contact.
About This Wine:
Using Chardonnay grown in special blocks of the Mer Soleil Vineyard, we harvested the grapes when just fully ripe, their gold color hued with green, expressing clean aromas of Chardonnay fruit and firm acidity.
The grapes were pressed and fermented in cement vats, with no oak contact or malolactic fermentation. We bottled the wine early in the year and capped it with a twist top to maintain its fresh fruit character and crisp citrus finish.
Ratings & Reviews
90 Points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine:
Mer Soleil’s Chardonnay grapes dependably get so ripe, they offer explosive flavors even without oak. You won’t miss a thing without that barrel. The pineapple, orange and golden mango flavors are delicious on their own, and even offer a hint of vanilla. A mouthwateringly fresh squeeze of acidity makes everything bright and clean. — S.H. (3/1/2012)
Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:"Light gold. High-pitched aromas of green apple, lemon zest and white flowers. Dry and racy on entry, then plumper in the middle, offering juicy citrus and orchard fruit flavors that show a refreshingly bitter quality. Finishes taut and nervy, with good clarity and spicy persistence. No excess fat here." - Josh Raynolds (Nov/Oct '11)
Wine Spectator Magazine - 91 Points ('07 vintage):"Combines ripe, intense peach, nectarine and tangerine fruit, with touches of floral and spice. Gains body and depth, turning creamy in texture. Drink now through 2012. 18,400 cases made." –JL (7/31/2009)
