Stonier Chardonnay 2024 | Mornington Peninsula

Winemaking Notes

Fruit was hand-harvested, chilled overnight before being whole bunch pressed the next day. A long, slow pressing cycle ensures the wine contains a structure that mirrors perfectly with food. The juice was transferred to 500-litre French oak puncheons (10% of which were new) the following day with only heavy lees left behind. The wine was then fermented with a combination of native and cultured yeasts before a partial malolactic fermentation occurred during the winter. This meticulous winemaking approach creates a Chardonnay with rich stone fruit character, vibrant citrus notes and fresh acidity, whilst the creamy texture provides weight and mouthfeel. The subtle oak spice from the French oak puncheons adds structure without overwhelming the fruit, allowing the distinctive maritime character of the Mornington Peninsula to shine through. The combination of estate fruit and carefully selected grower vineyards from the Peninsula's elevated sites spanning Merricks to Red Hill creates a wine with brilliant clarity, luminous appearance and a long, satisfying finish that showcases the Stonier style.

Vintage Conditions

The 2024 vintage in the Mornington Peninsula provided excellent conditions for Chardonnay production, with the cool maritime influence of the Peninsula's higher elevation vineyards contributing to the wine's lovely citrus elements, freshness and complexity. The estate and high-elevation grower vineyards spanning Merricks to Red Hill benefited from ideal growing conditions that allowed the grapes to develop stone fruit richness, particularly ripe peach and white plum characters, whilst maintaining the fresh bright acidity characteristic of cool-climate Chardonnay. The maritime character of the Peninsula, combined with the elevated sites, created optimal conditions for producing Chardonnay with vibrant fruit character and balanced acidity. The hand-harvested fruit was chilled overnight to preserve freshness before being whole bunch pressed, ensuring the wine captures the distinctive expression of the vintage. The 2024 vintage showcases the exceptional quality that comes from blending estate fruit with carefully selected grower vineyards from the Peninsula's elevated sites. The wine displays bright straw colour with golden highlights, brilliant clarity, and an enticing bouquet of stone fruits complemented by creamy lemon notes. The palate is rich and full-bodied with deliciously intense fruit flavours, creamy texture and subtle oak spice, finishing long and satisfying. This vintage perfectly captures the distinctive maritime character and cool-climate elegance that defines Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay.