2016 Mer Soleil Chardonnay Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands 750 ml

A Wagner Family Coastal Classic

Charlie Wagner built Mer Soleil vineyard in the same quality-driven vein as Caymus and with each release, California Chardonnay connoisseurs know not to miss out on a Wagner bottle, especially at $24.99 a pop.

The 2016 Mer Soleil Reserve from Santa Lucia Highlands is a Chardonnay explicitly designed for Napa Cabernet lovers, packing broad orchard fruit notes, tinged with citrus pops, wrapped in a gorgeous silky blanket of sweet oak spices. Critic Antonio Galloni of Vinous said it best: “Plush and expansive,” with “pliant orchard fruit and melon flavors and suggestions of vanilla and clove.”

Early on, Chuck Wagner wanted to expand his vineyard opportunities and provide a wine project to each of his children. In the late 1980’s, looking for a site to grow world-class Chardonnay, Chuck settled on a large swath of land in the Santa Lucia Highlands, just east of Talbott’s Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in “the star district,” as described by Wine Spectator’s Matt Kramer.

In 1988, Chuck and Charlie planted the first Mer Soleil vineyards on rugged soils mixed with gravel and loam, just a stone’s throw from the roaring Pacific Ocean. Stiff maritime winds take the bite out of Monterey’s summer sun, refreshing the vines while stretching out the growing season for ideal ripeness.

In the years since the winery’s inception, owner and winemaker Charlie Wagner’s wines from the Mer Soleil vineyard have become synonymous with brilliant and plush California Chardonnay. In true form, the Mer Soleil 2016 Chardonnay Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands promises luscious orchard fruit, bracing citrus, and well-integrated oak—happiness in a glass, to be enjoyed over holiday meals and for months to come.