Fine Wines

Dense, dark garnet color. Aromas of juicy dark fruit, moist soil, vanilla and coco burst out of the glass. The palate is so rich that it can almost be chewed on. Flavors of pie filling, plum, cured meats and root beer enliven the senses. This wine has structural integrity with great depth. The balanced acidity leads to a provocatively supple finish.

Some prefer gold, with its heavy, honeyed highlights and warm, rich glow. But some prefer silver, lighter on its feet, clean and crisp, bright and steely. We're not talking about watches here, or earrings, either. This "Silver" Chardonnay from Mer Soleil is, as the name suggests, an alternative to the gold label. There is no oak on the Silver and not much that is heavy, or rich and buttery either. What there is is plenty of refreshingly clean and minerally Chardonnay fruit. Delicious poolside 92 points Wine Spectator: "Delicious, with pure, rich, concentrated pear, citrus, honeysuckle and spicy apple flavors that are complex and well-focused, with a long, juicy aftertaste. Drink now through 2010. 4,600 cases made." (05/07)

This is our first release of a true Bordeaux style blend. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon 19% Merlot 9% Cabernet Franc 7% Malbec 2% Petite Verdot The artwork for the label is a photo taken by world renowned photographer and wine lover, Greg Gorman.

Here is a prime example of a handcrafted wine—and a good one, to boot. First of all, special care was taken with terroir selection (Santa Lucia Highlands) as well as good grapes and fine winemaking techniques. Only about 200 cases were produced, so the price is (almost) irrelevant—especially if you find yourself liking the wine. What's to like? A dark beverage with fruity character, ranging from ripe raspberries to blackberries laced with some spice. Most pleasant in the mouth with a medium to full body and a lingering finish, you could pair it with short ribs.

92 points Wine Spectator: "Bold, rich and layered, with a medley of smoky fig, toasty oak, hazelnut, and roasted marshmallow flavors that are pure, focused, intense and concentrated, with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2015." (WS Advance, 06/10)

2006 was a cooler than normal year in Monterey County. This benefited our Sauvignon Blanc, as we encourage bright, grassy flavors with crisp acidity and pronounced varietal character. To this end, we began picking Sauvignon Blanc early in September with low sugar and high acid in order to enhance these characteristics. The resulting wine exhibits the aromas and flavors we love: loads of grapefruit, gooseberry and citrus flavors along with tropical fruit and grassy notes. We also enrich the texture with 4 % barrel-fermented Semillon from Napa.

2009 provided us with excellent weather throughout the summer and warm sunny conditions in September. The resulting wines are very aromatic and express rich, ripe Sauvignon Blanc flavors. We began picking September 4th and continued picking block by block finishing on October 23rd. This gave us a wide range of ripeness levels from which to create the final blend.

A supple, complex, full bodied, moderately rich Pinot Noir, with fine flavor (plum, baked cherry, sage, nutmeg, toasted oak) good balance, and a very long finish. Excellent value.

Our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon grabs the taster's attention immediately with enticingly fresh, fruit-forward aromas of black currant, blackberry and boysenberry, joined by seductive chocolate and roast coffee scents. Beautifully structured on the palate, it boasts intense, concentrated, dark berry and cassis flavors balanced by supple, well-knit tannins and a long, flavorful finish with fine acidity and savory mocha tones. Delightful to drink now, this rich, elegant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will blossom fully with another 5 to 7 years of bottle age.

A classic Napa Chardonnay, this wine shows a fragrant varietal nose of white fruits and subtle vanilla with toasty nuances highlighting pear, pineapple and melon fruit flavors set in a supple, discreet oak structure.

A pronounced spice-blackberry fragrance with a hint of vanilla leads into this wine's full-bodied, velvety palate with flavors of cassis and ripe berries, and notes of licorice and chocolate set in a supple yet firm structure.

The 2006 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc is brilliantly clear with a very pale, light straw color. This lightness belies the wine's full fragrances and flavors. There are aromas reminiscent of mint, green kiwi fruit, and melon. On the palate, the Sauvignon Blanc's lively acidity carries flavors of tropical fruit, with hints of pineapples and, perhaps, ripe cantaloupes. There is a pleasant wisp of sweetness throughout this wine, with a note of butterscotch on the wine's finish.

Our Monterey Chardonnay is rich, bold and beautifully balanced. It possesses an intriguing combination of grapefruit, pear and vanilla imparted by traditional barrel fermentation. The flavors are luscious, fruit forward and distinctly mineral thanks to our unique inner-coastal soils. As with all of our wines, the finish is crisp, structured and long.