2025 Stonier Merricks Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula

While it initially appears pretty and so aromatic, and it is, the palate is an explosion of flavour, power and definition. A rich combo of spiced sweet cherries, pips, toffee apple and pops of lovely stemmy flavours acting more as seasoning, alongside baking spices and cedary oak, which also pumps up the volume. Fuller bodied, with supple tannins and tangy acidity drawing this to a long finish. Drink 2026 to 2038.

96+ points Special Value Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, May 2026

Medium ruby, with an initial smoky note opening up to ripe red cherry and jubey raspberry, a little stalk and stem, dried orange peel spice and hints of forest floor and clovey oak. Plushly-fruited on the palate, with a prickle of bright acidity, a little Campari amaro and seamless, fine-grained tannins building to a long finish. Poised like a tiger about to pounce. Drink to 2034.

95 points Melissa Moore for The Real Review, June 2026

Stonier is one of the oldest and most respected names on the Mornington Peninsula, with vines in the ground since 1978. Now back in local family hands after a period of corporate ownership, the winery has refocused on quality and site expression, converting its vineyards to organic farming and working with some of the Peninsula's most distinguished blocks.

The Merricks is a new addition to the Stonier range, sourced from two estate vineyards on Thompsons Lane in Merricks — the Gance vineyard and the Stonier vineyard. The north-facing Gance block is a powerful site that consistently delivers fruit of exceptional tannin maturity and concentration, while the Stonier vineyard provides a complementary counterpoint. Twenty percent whole bunch inclusion adds a savoury, stemmy seasoning to the blend without dominating the fruit.

The 2025 is a wine of real presence and energy. The nose is fragrant and inviting — spiced cherries, red fruits and a floral lift — before the palate opens into something considerably more substantial. Rich and concentrated, with sweet cherry, toffee apple, baking spice and a cedar thread from the oak, the texture is full and plush, with supple tannins and tangy acidity pulling through to a long, defined finish. An impressive debut.

Serve alongside duck confit, roasted quail or a well-seasoned mushroom ragù. Drink from 2026 through to 2038.