Mer Soleil "Silver" Monterey County Chardonnay 2022

Vin Chicago: 88 Points

(1/2025) This viscous juice clings to the sides of the glass. On the nose and in the mouth are a combination of citrus, orchard and tropical fruits including ripe lemon, golden apple, pineapple, and papaya. We have featured many vintages of this wine and are really impressed with the 2022. The Wagner family famously uses stainless steel (and concrete), but no oak in the production and aging of this wine. So you'll find no overt vanilla or butterscotch tones. What you will find is plenty of minerality and body, nicely balanced with lively energy and a fresh, pleasing and impressively long finish. We'd easily compare this to a warm vintage Chardonnay from the Mâcon.