Winemaker Mike Chelini says of the 2006 vintage, “Not that we haven’t made serious wine before, but this is a really serious wine! And he ought to know having made the wines at Stony Hill for the past thirty-six years. He thinks the 2006 vintage stands out because of its more intense and mature qualities, which bring a new dimension to our non-oaky, non-malolactic Chardonnay. Mary Burklow says the bouquet reminds her of “wet stones after the first rain drops,” focusing on the mineral quality of the wine while Mike detected the youthful, slowly emerging aromas of pure Chardonnay fruit as he swirled his glass. In the mouth the wine carries more than usual weight with already integrated fruit and mineral flavors, and its finish lingers and carries to the end of the palate. We frankly do not understand what has made this wine so complex so early in its life, but we think that it probably reflects the continued aging and maturing of our vines, particularly from Vineyards #1 and #2. These are Stony Hill’s original Chardonnay vineyards first planted in 1947 and 1948 and replanted with their own bud wood in 1987 and 1988. They are our favorite vineyards and have always given us intense yet delicate fruit. In the 2006 vintage we see the perfect transition from the vine to the glass.