Mer Soleil, Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County
Mer Soleil · California › Santa Barbara County › United States of America
Critics Average score from professional wine critics and publications.
89
/100
Reviews
76
professional
Vintages
No vintages
NV
Community Reviews
9393
Reviews
89.3
Avg Score
95
Highest
Taster #1617
· Dec 13, 2025
90/100
Really good Chardonnay. Great value.
2021 vintage
Taster #7119
· Oct 31, 2024
90/100
I do t know what this question is. It tastes like dirt earthy worms. We like it.
2021 vintage
Taster #5538
· Oct 14, 2024
91/100
This is a big bodied, full of flavor California chardonnay. It's a lot of flavor for the price if you like ripe and oaked chardonnay.
2021 vintage
Taster #3995
· Aug 15, 2024
90/100
EYES: pale straw color, well defined legs NOSE: buttery mineral on the nose, slight fruitiness underneath MOUTH: mellow sweetness, like a dry apple up front, nice balance of tannins and smoothness, comfortable warmth follows OVERALL: I’m more of a red wine fan, but I really enjoyed this… almost drinks like a red wine! Not too acidic, quite smooth. Very much enjoy it, I would get this again!
2021 vintage
Taster #7754
· Jul 4, 2024
84/100
Bue en verticale avec un 2015 et un 2016. DE LOIN le moins bon des 3. Jaune très pâle, fade, astringent, très peu fruité, sec, aucune rondeur. Très décevant comparé aux 2 autres. Buvable sans plus !!!
2021 vintage
Taster #7364
· May 19, 2024
Pending consumption 5/25
2021 vintage
Taster #5981
· Apr 15, 2024
90/100
A nice medium body, lite oak chardoney. Easy drinker. Reorder
2021 vintage
Taster #1913
· Apr 10, 2024
89/100
Really well. Balanced, dry, subtle oak, mealy, oats. Touch of clove, touch of fennel. A refined texture is a particular nice aspect of this wine. Refined and delivers at its price point.
2021 vintage
Taster #4054
· Apr 6, 2024
We loved it. Bought it at Caymus-Suisun vineyard. Not normally a big Chardonnay fan, but this is great. Need to buy more.
2021 vintage
Taster #5416
· Apr 6, 2024
81/100
Local Wine Shop Tasting (My average score for April went way down) (Bloomington, MN) : A bit better than the silver but not much. Citrus, sour apple, mild spice and really short finish. Not much going on but drinkable.
2021 vintage
Taster #7015
· Jan 29, 2024
89/100
Its interesting that so many different reviewers have a unique take on this wine. I found it almost austere, with an oaky structure that gave it a Burgundian profile. The finish was long and fairly complex. All in all an excellent Chardonnay for the price.
2021 vintage
Taster #9849
· Jan 20, 2024
Nez puissant sur des notes vanillées, lactées et citronnées. Soyeux et presque gras. Du beaux fruits et des arômes lactées bien équilibrées. On voudrait plus d’acidité. Somme toute fort agréable... mais beaucoup de chaleur en réchauffant. Garder frais.
2021 vintage
Taster #8021
· Jan 12, 2024
Dumped
1999 vintage
Taster #6690
· Dec 10, 2023
89/100
Rich, California style Chard, no doubt about it. Decent lemony acidity, though it does feel a little hot. A good pairing with steelhead chowder tonight.
2021 vintage
Taster #1282
· Dec 10, 2023
91/100
Paired with lobster and king crab legs.
2021 vintage
Taster #0098
· Nov 28, 2023
87/100
Liked it better than last time. Nose = light honeysuckle Palate = fruity, peach, followed by oak, off-dry. Full body. Crowd pleaser.
2021 vintage
Taster #0098
· Jul 14, 2023
86/100
This grew on me. Nice gold color. Light honeysuckle nose. Palate is fruity, ripe peach, followed by oak. Off dry...damp? Feels high alcohol. Full body and mouthfeel. Crowd pleaser, but an indoor wine. Not a poolside sipper, because it is so big.
2021 vintage
Taster #0245
· Jul 1, 2023
90/100
A little tang, not too much oak,
2021 vintage
Taster #7595
· May 13, 2023
This Chardonnay is just fine. As we could see from the 2013 Reserve Chardonnay, this wine can indeed be cellared and improve over time.
2021 vintage
Taster #5622
· Apr 30, 2023
75/100
Sweet approach, tart chemical after birth. Not like a Chardonnay
2021 vintage
Taster #0913
· Feb 4, 2023
85/100
Citrus and apple nose with slight tropical and toast notes. Dry and fresh palate with a warm to hot, medium length finish. 3/5
2021 vintage
Taster #3104
· Feb 12, 2020
89/100
No deterioration since my last bottle in the summer of 2012. Rich, ready seems to be holding.
2012 vintage
Taster #3104
· Aug 6, 2019
89/100
Rich, generous, ready. A good example of the style of Chardonnay that California continues to do so well. Not especially complex, but with some length and very enjoyable. Won't improve, but no great rush.
2012 vintage
Taster #8736
· Sep 11, 2016
87/100
This needs a salty or creamy cheese to balance the sweetness. Too ripe for seafood or shellfish.
2012 vintage
Taster #7017
· Mar 27, 2016
89/100
Served with ham, rice, and asparagus. Nice gold wine. Citrus, lemon, and a touch of oak on the nose, with a hint of sweetness, not perfumed. Palate revealed lemon, acid to balance the fruit, some minerality. It would be nicer with a touch more balance.
2012 vintage
Taster #2255
· Mar 19, 2016
91/100
My notes are ditto cshouston's. Peach and pear comes out more for me as the wine warms. Tangerine comes out too. The oak influence is obvious, but I don't find it obtrusive or over-the-top; the sour lemon acids are out in front of the wood by a good distance. Quite delicious.
2012 vintage
Taster #1895
· Mar 17, 2016
another one from the inheritance. Undrinkable.
1994 vintage
Taster #7841
· Jan 26, 2016
88/100
A nice mouth-filling Chardonnay. We think best as an aperitif.
2012 vintage
Taster #4396
· Dec 17, 2015
Put in wine cooler
2012 vintage
Taster #8237
· Sep 9, 2015
90/100
Enjoyed with Patti at Beacon Fish Feast. Delicious!
2012 vintage
Taster #5102
· Aug 31, 2015
92/100
Un chardonnay envoûtant, charpenté et goûteux à souhait. Idéal compagnon des crevettes épicées à la Montignac.
2012 vintage
Taster #8237
· Jul 25, 2015
91/100
Did I mention bodacious? Yes, bodacious. Best bottle yet of this beauty.
2012 vintage
Taster #5102
· Jul 20, 2015
90/100
Bien structuré et gourmand, séducteur quoi !
2012 vintage
Taster #5726
· Jul 15, 2015
95/100
Delicious!
2012 vintage
Taster #9024
· Jun 24, 2015
89/100
Deep yellow, like a ripe banana. Not much aroma, may be some minerality. Big, sweet flavors, mostly tangerine citrus. Lush and satisfying finish.
2012 vintage
Taster #7841
· Jun 7, 2015
93/100
Drank as an aperitif to enjoy the great balance of fruit, vanilla and oak. Probably Ardis' favorite Chardonnay.
2012 vintage
Taster #6113
· Jun 7, 2015
Lovely semi-sweet Chardonnay
2012 vintage
Taster #8090
· Jun 3, 2015
88/100
Might have an off bottle. Initial nose reminiscent of green olives, not unpleasant just odd. Vegetal flavor profile. Wonder what the harvest dates were? Lovely pale gold. I see other positive reviews so I suspect this bottle is not representative.
2012 vintage
Taster #4014
· May 13, 2015
94/100
Big rich buttery chardonnay. If you like this style, this is the Chardonnay to drink.
2012 vintage
Taster #8237
· Mar 15, 2015
89/100
Big, bold, broad, bountiful.
2012 vintage
Taster #5824
· Mar 12, 2015
91/100
velvet finish. buttery taste.
2012 vintage
Taster #8685
· Feb 20, 2015
89/100
Tart lemony plenty of oak, good length, but somehow the puckering lemon takes something away from this, making it a bit astringent. Still this is a big chard, and altogether nice. Worth the price? Don't know... But would have to say yes at $25
2012 vintage
Taster #5824
· Jan 30, 2015
90/100
Rich texture, not overwhelming oak. Very enjoyable.
2012 vintage
Taster #3647
· Jan 16, 2015
92/100
We really like this Chardonnay. Smooth, somewhat thick texture, not bitter, not too sweet, just good wine, and at a good price. This is one of my favorite Chardonnays. I keep several in my cellar at all times.
2012 vintage
Taster #1287
· Jan 15, 2015
4th flawed Mer Soleil in past 2 months. 3 silvers and one reserve. Seems like the wine got exposed to very high heat. Winery issue, or distributor issue?
2012 vintage
Taster #0025
· Jan 14, 2015
90/100
overall very enjoyable... I love the butter and oak, but I can see where some would prefer more citrus, etc... viscous palate, honey, needs a bit more time in cellar to integrate
2012 vintage
Taster #0377
· Jan 10, 2015
N: oak, lemon, ripe peach. P: oak, confection lemon, flabby butterred finish. Too much oak masking a limp wine. A textbook example of old school CA chardonnay's bad rep. Not my style. Avoid
2012 vintage
Taster #9945
· Apr 12, 2010
90/100
Amanteigado, ótima presença, frutas e baunilha. Suportou bem um strogonoff sem tomate no molho.
2005 vintage
Taster #8553
· Feb 17, 2010
89/100
the color was eye popping golden. The taste was good with a nice level of barrel, but not over done at all. Did I mention the color was amazing?
2005 vintage
Taster #7240
· Nov 20, 2009
Deep golden color. So much oak that I really could not taste anything else. As my wife said, "Classic Cali Chardonnay." Proof that 'classic' does not always mean 'good.'
2002 vintage