Mer Soleil Pinot Noir Reserve

Description

It was only natural that we would add Pinot Noir to our Chardonnay offerings. The Santa Lucia Highlands is well-known as the perfect home for both these varietals, with a longer growing season that allows us to create wines of subtle intensity. – Charlie Wagner, Owner and WinemakerA growing region unlike any other on California We were first drawn to the Cenral Coast’s Santa Lucia Highlands 30 years ago, as we searched for the best conditions to make Chardonnay. The rugged beauty of the region is framed by its dramatic weather, with morning fog giving way to bright sun, cooling breezes and afternoon gusts of wind.Summer temperatures are cooler than in most other winegrowing regions in California, leading to an extended – and remarkably consistent -growing season. These conditions are perfectly suited not just to Chardonnay, but to Pinot Noir, an early-ripening variety that thrives in a more moderate environment.Slow-ripening grapes create more intense, complex wine Grapes for this Pinot Noir come from vineyards in the southern and middle sections of the Santa Lucia Highlands, whose diversity enables us to create a more layered wine. We use a vertical trellis system, which allows us to achieve consistency by managing the canopy and fruits zones while permitting wine to circulate. Because grapes ripen slowly, we can make wine of heightened complexity. Mer Soleil is named after the two forces of nature – the sea and sun – that shape this singular character, and they are as powerful in creating our Pinot as our Chardonnay.Layered and round, with integrated oak and soft tannins Our goal was to create a wine that tastes fresh and young. We push grapes to full ripeness, and barrel aging takes place for only nine months in mostly new French oak to create integrated toasty notes and a balanced oak character. Just like the dramatic growing conditions of the Santa Lucia Highlands, this wine has its own drama and complexity, revealing multiple dimensions with every sip.Tasting notes With the alluring color of dark plums, this wine features scents of ripe cherries with cocoa, pomase, blueberry, toasted wood and a soft, powdery whiff of old-fashioned lipstick. The palate is all about texture – entry if soft, with a round, complete quality. Flavors of cherry cobbler mingle with cola notes and hints of anise. Tannins are structured yet extremely fine, providing a lush, lingering mouth feel. On the finish, a wisp of acidity adds balance and freshness, a reminder of this wine’s origins in a cool, coastal region of California. – Charlie Wagner, Owner & Winemaker