Bright, fresh and lovely. Medium-bodied with lemon zest, good fruit weight, texture, and loads of stony-nutty minerality. Aged in Stockinger Foudre and puncheons — quality wood to give a lift to the wine. Best from 2025 and on. Beginning with the subsequent 2021 release, the Stony Hill Chardonnays will undergo a style shift as they will be put through malolactic fermentation. Adjustments in farming allow for earlier picks while maintaining natural grape acids, ensuring longtime customers of the wine's ability to age. The additional benefit is that while the classic Stony Hill tension and minerality will remain, the wines will benefit from added texture and mid-palate weight. The estate’s longtime winemaker, Mike Chelini, helped through the 2019 vintage. In 2020, the estate was owned by Long Meadow Ranch. The 2021 vintage is the first year under the Lawrence Wine Estates programme, with winemaker Jaimee Motley producing the wines. The 2020 Chardonnay was still fermenting when the purchase was finalised, and Chelini started the wine, but Motley finished the ferments and ageing. (JC)