Stonier Reserve Chardonnay 2009
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2005-
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At the heart of Stonier lies a meticulous approach to viticulture and winemaking. A desire to reflect the imprint of each site, through subtle variations in flavor and texture, has earned Stonier a place amongst the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in Australia. Early vintages were made off-site until the winery in Merricks, designed by Daryl Jackson, was completed in 1991.
Today, Stonier sources Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from over 150 acres across 5 selected sub-regions: Merricks North, Balnarring, Tuerong, Red Hill and at the estate vineyards in Merricks which span over 50 acres. Grapes from each of the vineyards are vinified separately to allow ultimate flexibility when finally blending the wine to form the two distinct styles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Stonier Label and Stonier Reserve wines. An unswerving focus on style and structure ensures that the wines reflect the diverse flavors and texture of fruit sourced from across these five sub-regions without any one aroma or flavor dominating the final wine.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Extending into the sea from just south of the city of Melbourne to form Port Philip Bay in the southern state of Victoria, the Mornington Peninsula grape growing region naturally has a cool, maritime climate. A wide range of soils and topographic variations support a large diversity of wine styles within the small headland.