Stonier Wines

What Stonier Wines does

Stonier Wines is a family-owned producer of premium cool-climate wines based in Merricks on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, Australia. The company was founded as a vineyard in 1978 by Brian Stonier (the new owners' records date the operational winery to 1999) and operates a single site at 2 Thompsons Lane, Merricks, producing a portfolio centred on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay across three tiers: entry-level Mornington Peninsula regional wines ($40-$45 per bottle), single-vineyard wines from specific sub-regional sites including Merricks, Windmill, and KBS Vineyard ($65-$80 per bottle), and reserve wines ($80-$150 per bottle). Its underlying competitive asset is vineyard age, including the oldest continuous Chardonnay plantings on Mornington Peninsula dating to 1978 on dark volcanic soils with northwest aspect, alongside a portfolio of single-vineyard sites planted between 1978 and 1988.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer revenue comes from the stonier.com.au e-commerce storefront (powered by WineDirect), the seven-day Merricks cellar door with $15 redeemable tastings, and the KBS Wine Club subscription delivering three annual shipments of six bottles at a 20% pack discount and 15% additional-order discount. Wholesale distribution in Australia is handled by Mezzanine Wines. Supporting revenue includes signature culinary events (Fire & Wine Lunch, Pies and Pinot, Chardonnay & Lobster Rolls) co-produced with chefs such as MoVida and Yona's Kitchen, and digital/physical gift cards in denominations from $30 to $500. In December 2022, three local Mornington Peninsula families (Drummond, McLeod, and Thickins) acquired the winery, returning it to local family ownership for the first time since 1999 and installing Aaron Drummond (former Craggy Range GM) as Co-Owner/CEO, with Technical Director Julian Grounds (formerly Chief Winemaker at Craggy Range) leading winemaking.

Stonier serves three primary customer segments: wine enthusiasts and collectors who subscribe to the KBS Wine Club for exclusive releases and benefits; cellar door visitors seeking Mornington Peninsula tasting experiences and local food pairings; and direct online consumers purchasing wine for personal consumption or gifting across Australia. The company has 11-50 employees and no disclosed financials. International credibility is established via the 1997 Reserve Pinot Noir winning Decanter Best New World Red Wine of the Year (1999) and the 1999 Reserve Chardonnay winning International Wine Challenge trophies for Best Chardonnay and Best White Wine of Show in London (2001).

Name

Stonier Wines

Legal name

Stonier Wines

Website

https://stonier.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stonier Wines is a family-owned Mornington Peninsula winery producing premium cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vineyards dating to 1978, selling via DTC e-commerce, a seven-day Merricks cellar door, the KBS Wine Club subscription, and Australian wholesale distribution through Mezzanine Wines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wineries (31213), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Vineyard Certification & Sustainability Programs (Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative, GAP) (AFAGAJAL), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Cool climate wines
• Pinot noir production
• Chardonnay winemaking
• Wine club membership
• Cellar door tastings

Headquarters

HQ city

Merricks

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through e-commerce platform and cellar door. Products include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir at various price points from entry to reserve level. Case discounts available (e.g., 2025 Stonier Merricks Chardonnay $420 for case of 6 vs $70 per bottle).
2. KBS Wine Club Membership: Three annual shipments (March, July, October) of six bottles each with 20% discount built into pack pricing and 15% off additional orders. Members receive free shipping on 6+ bottles, complimentary tours and tastings, early access to releases, and priority event access.
3. Cellar Door Tastings and Events: Tasting fees of $15 per person (waived for Wine Club members), redeemable on wine purchases. Signature events including Fire & Wine Lunch ($200 per person, $150 for Wine Club members), Basque-inspired long lunches, and seasonal food and wine pairing events.
4. Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards available in denominations from $30 to $500, valid for 3 years, redeemable for wine purchases online or at cellar door.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stonier Wines produces and sells premium cool-climate wines from its Mornington Peninsula vineyards, focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from vines dating back to 1978. The product range spans entry-level Mornington Peninsula wines, single-vineyard bottlings, and reserve-tier wines, supported by cellar door tastings, a recurring KBS Wine Club membership, and signature food-and-wine events.

Product overview

Stonier Wines is a family-owned Mornington Peninsula winery offering a portfolio of premium cool-climate wines centered on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The product range spans entry-level regional wines (Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), single-vineyard wines from specific sites (Merricks, KBS Vineyard, Windmill Vineyard), and reserve-tier wines from oldest plantings. Supporting products include e-Gift Cards and physical Gift Cards for gifting occasions. The KBS Wine Club subscription service provides members with three annual shipments, discounts, and exclusive access to experiences. The company also operates a cellar door offering tastings and charcuterie platters, and hosts seasonal events like the Fire & Wine Lunch. The online store is powered by WineDirect ecommerce platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KBS Wine Club: Named after founder Kenneth Brian Stonier, the wine club delivers three shipments per year with six bottles of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, offering 20% discount to members

Products and services

• Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay (entry-level range) Entry-level Chardonnay from cool Southern Mornington Peninsula grower vineyards with mineral and moreish palate, bottled and sold directly to consumers.
• Stonier Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir (entry-level range) Entry-level Pinot Noir from higher elevation Mornington Peninsula vineyards with depth of red fruit and fine tannins, sold across the portfolio.
• Stonier Merricks Chardonnay Single-vineyard cool-climate Chardonnay sourced from old vines on the Estate and Thompson Vineyard, some planted in 1978.
• Stonier KBS Vineyard Chardonnay Single-vineyard Chardonnay from the 1988-planted KBS block, known for a balance of power and acidity.
• Stonier Merricks Pinot Noir Single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Estate and grower vineyards Gance and Merrifield, with vines over 25 years old.
• Stonier Windmill Vineyard Pinot Noir North-facing pedigree Pinot Noir block on bright red volcanic soil with low cordon, creating red fruit intensity.
• Stonier Reserve Chardonnay Premium Reserve Chardonnay from the 1982-planted 40-rows plot, with hallmark Stonier salinity.
• Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir Reserve Pinot Noir from the oldest 1982 planting on dark volcanic soils with NW aspect, showing dark earthy intensity.
• KBS Wine Club subscription Wine membership delivering three annual shipments (March, July, October) of six bottles each, with 20% discount built into pack pricing, 15% off additional orders, free shipping on 6+ bottles, complimentary tours and tastings, early access to releases, and priority event access.
• Stonier Gift Cards (Digital and Physical) Digital and physical gift cards available in denominations from $30 to $500, valid for 3 years and redeemable for wine purchases online or at the cellar door.
• Cellar Door Tastings Wine tasting experiences hosted by winemakers and the vineyard team at the Merricks cellar door, available seven days a week on a walk-in basis, $15 per person and redeemable on purchases.
• Charcuterie Platters Local produce platters featuring Long Paddock and Main Ridge Dairy cheeses, Red Hill Kitchen pâté, charcuterie and salumi, served at the cellar door alongside Stonier wines.
• Fire & Wine Lunch Event Annual winter signature event featuring a Basque-inspired long lunch under vines, food cooked over open fire with chef Yonatan Rotner of Yona's Kitchen, barrel hall tours, and matched wines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Decanter Best New World Red Wine of the Year 1999 for 1997 Reserve Pinot Noir
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mezzanine WinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian domestic distribution partner handling wholesale accounts across Australia. Stonier wines distributed in Australia through Mezzanine Wines, contact via [email protected].
• Craggy RangeminorOthersCo-owner/CEO Aaron Drummond sits on the board of Craggy Range winery. Technical Director Julian Grounds will continue consulting to Craggy Range supporting transition to new winemaking team after his move to Stonier.
• Brick Lane BrewingminorOthersCo-owner/CEO Aaron Drummond sits on the board of Brick Lane Brewing.
• MoVida RestaurantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Melbourne Spanish restaurant MoVida for Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event at Stonier, featuring paella cooked over flame and local seafood celebrating harvest.
• Yona's Kitchen / Yonatan RotnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChef collaboration for Fire & Wine annual winter event. Yonatan Rotner preparing Basque-inspired long lunch under vines with food cooked over open fire. 2026 event scheduled August 9th.
• Long Paddock & Main Ridge DairyminorOthersLocal artisan cheese suppliers featured at cellar door for charcuterie platters alongside Stonier wines.
• Red Hill KitchenminorOthersLocal producer supplying pâté, quince paste, and preserves for cellar door platter offerings.
• Miller's BreadminorOthersBaker providing freshly baked baguettes on weekends for cellar door charcuterie platters.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crittenden Estate: Family-owned Mornington Peninsula winery producing cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other varieties with on-site cellar door and restaurant. Directly comparable region, varietal mix, and DTC-led model to Stonier.
• Giant Steps Wine: Yarra Valley cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialist with cellar door. Julian Grounds was previously Senior Winemaker at Giant Steps; directly comparable varietal focus and DTC model.
• Bindi Wine Growers: Small, highly regarded single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producer in the Macedon Ranges; shares Stonier's old-vine philosophy (Stonier's viticulturist Tim Brown was Bindi consultant). Comparable low-volume premium positioning.
• T'Gallant (T Gallant) Winery: Mornington Peninsula pioneer winery recognised for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay plus sparkling varieties. Historic parallels with Stonier (early-bottling Mornington Peninsula pioneer, DTC plus cellar door).
• Pt. Leo Estate: Mornington Peninsula wine, food, and art destination located a two-minute drive from Stonier, combining a winery, cellar door, and restaurant experience. Direct neighbour competing for the same wine-tourism traffic.
• Mount Langi Ghiran: Cool-climate Victoria winery famous for Shiraz but with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir programmes. CEO Aaron Drummond started his career there; similar regional provenance and premium positioning.
• Port Phillip Estate (Montalto): Premium Mornington Peninsula estate with winery, cellar door, and restaurant focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Same sub-region and DTC experience model as Stonier with overlapping tourist catchment.

Emerging players

• Craggy Range: Hawke's Bay, New Zealand premium winery where Aaron Drummond was previously GM and Julian Grounds was Chief Winemaker. Comparable scale, premium varietal focus, and wine-club DTC model; both share talent interchange.

Broad incumbents

• Yarra Yering: Established premium Australian winery known for single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Comparable in DTC tasting experiences and award heritage at a slightly larger scale.
• Treasury Wine Estates (Penfolds / Devil's Lair): Large multinational wine group with Australian cool-climate brands (e.g. Devil's Lair in Margaret River) competing in the same DTC, cellar door, and on-premise channels as Stonier but at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Stonierwine
• Instagraminstagram.com/stonierwines
• Xx.com/stonierwines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stonier-wines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stonier Wines