Stoney Rise Chardonnay (2022)
750mL / Tasmania / Australia / Tamar Valley
Tasting Notes:
"The missing Foudre from 2021 arrived in June so we are back to this fermenting in new big oak!
As usual we did 2 picks from the vineyard we buy the fruit from, which as the crow flies is less than 1 km from us. It's pressed straight to oak so that we get a full solids ferment.
We pump the juice around every day to keep the lees moving, once the ferment finishes its sulphured to stop Malo, then left to sit on full solids for a couple of months before bottling.
There is a hint of reduction on the nose, with some grapefruit.
The palate is full and fresh, with stone fruits and some melon.
No malolactic results in zingy acidity that drives the wine through your mouth and the finish is long and tight."
Lou & Joe Holyman
About Stoney Rise Estate
Dream team and husband and wife duo, Lou and Joe Holyman, are paving the way down at the Apple Isle.
Narrowly missing a career in cricket, Joe studied wine marketing in Adelaide before launching into a very hearty wine career including vintages in Burgundy and the Douro.
Both Joe and Lou worked at Cape Jaffa Wines in Robe, South Australia on different ends of the business, and launched Stoney Rise together at the start of the millennia. After a few years in Robe, they eventually moved to a 20-
year-old vineyard on the Tamar, a place they quite literally call home. "We don’t use herbicides, we don't add anything other than sulphur. It's about reducing." Joe says in an interview with WBM. "I'm looking at the vineyard now from our loungeroom and it's 15 metres away. Lou and I have three young kids – we don't need to be out there throwing chemicals around."
With this mentality, Stoney Rise has quickly gained recognition as one of the most influential wineries in their region.
Situated on the foothills of Mount Arthur, in the heart of the Tamar Valley in Northern Tasmania, Stoney Rise has been growing and producing the best wines to showcase the unique terroir of their 1986-planted vineyard (formally known as the ‘Rotherhythe Vineyard’). A family-owned and operated vineyard, Stoney Rise specialises in small-batch production, allowing for greater control over the quality and flavour of the wines.
The region benefits from the cool climate of the Valley, ideal for growing premium quality grapes. With a focus on sustainable farming and minimal intervention, the Holymans have allowed the natural characteristics and flavours of the vineyard do the work. These are truly artisanal wines and as such the selection released varies from year to year depending on what the growing season throws at the Tamar.