Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir 2024

97 POINTS

Shanteh Wale - Winepilot

Take the adoration you have for Stonier, the brand, but open your heart to the articulate eye of its new caretaker. This is a brand new day in Stonier’s tale, with one eye on the past and both feet striding forward. Fruit is sourced from the 1982 Stonier Family vineyard block, KBS and Windmill blocks. All MV6, wild yeast with 20% whole bunch and aged in French barriques of which 11% was new. A landslide of Quandong fruit is met with sour cherries and red plum. Cut rhubarb, jasmine tea leaf and poppy seed. The svelte weight of tannins is uplifted by fine acidity, with a middle palate of  moreish woodsy herb and twiggy stem. This is jam packed with detail and wrapped in a silk bow. Tannins tannins tannins, they give and give and make you weak at the knees. An utterly mesmerising wine that will live a long and fruitful life, say another 8-12 years. A lovely drink on its own but would also be heavenly with a Moroccan inspired B’silla or pigeon pie. That’s a death row kinda meal.

96 POINTS

Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion

Estate fruit off three blocks – the original, KBS and Windmill. 20% whole bunches in the fermentation and aged in French barriques, 11% new. What is pleasing with this Reserve is that it’s all about elegance. Nothing is forced, it’s not extracted; instead, it’s perfumed, enticing and detailed. Earthy and red fruited, with cardamon and chinotto, blood orange and zest, the mid-weighted palate alive with juicy acidity and tempered by filagree tannins. This is Julian Ground’s first full vintage since taking over. His arrival bodes well for Stonier (he’s a co-owner); exciting to have this producer back on track.

96 POINTS

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

Grown on the 1982 planting out the back of the property, and on the Windmill block. You see the whole bunches (25% of the Windmill block portion), you see the fruit, you see the seduction. It’s such a neat wine but it’s so layered and giving, in a balanced/structured way. Bitter chocolate, red berries, some herbs, plenty of spices and earth. Love how emphatic the finish is, so structural and yet so perfectly powered with flavour.  This is great. It’s bitter and it’s luscious in the best of ways. Stonier never went away, it’s been excellently served by fantastic winemakers throughout its history, and yet this wine makes me think that Stonier is back.

94 POINTS

James Suckling

Savory-edged aromas of cherries, herbal liqueur, citrus peel, potpourri and earth. The medium-bodied palate has firmly framed tannins and bright acidity that lead into notes of dried strawberries, blood oranges and pencil shavings. Will benefit from time in bottle as it is very tightly wound. Drinkable now but best from 2028.