Stony Hill Chardonnay emanates from a small vineyard on the northeast-facing slope of Spring Mountain. For the last 55 years, they have been unique among California’s Chardonnays.

The reasons are simple: The vines on which the grapes are grown are dry farmed. The barrels that are employed are used over and over again. The use of malolactic fermentation is verboten; and perhaps most important, since 1952 there have been -- count ‘em -- just two winemakers. The first was the late Fred McCrea, the founder of this white-wine producing winery located in a region that has become known almost exclusively for its red wines. The second winemaker is Michael Chelini, who took over the winemaking duties in 1973.

Yes it’s true, there have been some changes. The small producer (only about 4,000 cases are made, with that number increasing by 25 percent in a good year) underwent an extensive replanting beginning in the early ‘80s due to Pierce’s Disease, and the fact that no rubber was left on the tires of the original vines. Some thought Stony Hill’s quality had fallen because of the renovation of the vineyards. But even then, Peter McCrea (Fred’s son) and his longtime winemaker Michael Chelini adhered to the practices that have produced what many people consider America’s greatest Chablis-styled Chardonnay.

McCrea spoke recently to Alan Goldfarb, Appellation America’s Napa Valley correspondent and told him, without a hint of braggadocio, that Stony Hill is its own appellation.