We planted our first grapes in the Santa Lucia Highlands in 1988 in pursuit of the best conditions for producing Chardonnay. A few vines gradually became a few acres, as we increased our vineyard little by little to achieve the highest quality. We took the name Mer Soleil from the two forces of nature, the sea and sun, that leave their imprint on this wine. The sea is nearby Monterey Bay, which delivers daily breezes off the Pacific Ocean that cool down the sun-drenched afternoons.