21/09/19

We are currently enjoying celebrating this incredible news whilst in Burgundy. We look forward to sharing it with the many people who support us when we return. (Maybe a major detox first because France...)
To read some very lovely words here is a link to see more

(l-r: Jim Chatto, Jane Eyre, Alexandra Wilson, Billy Xynas, Emily Wistow, Billie, Daisy and Clementine Chatto, Alexandra Maurisset at lunch at Caves Madeleine on September 19.)

Hello from beautiful, sunny Beaune.
Jim is in the midst of working his first ever harvest in Burgundy - this is a total bucketlist item for him and we do owe a debt of gratitude to the very lovely Jane Eyre.  Jane is an incredible human doing amazing vinous things here and back in Australia - you can find some of her wines at Prince Wine store FYI.

It is especially thanks to her support we are ecstatic to announce Chatto is casting the vinous net further afield than the Huon and we have secured grapes from a great patch of premier cru in Savigny-les-Beaune. We are making Chatto burgundy!!! After losing this years crop to smoke we feel things have turned around for us - swings and roundabouts! (if we hadn't lost the crop this year we may not have considered other regions let alone so far from home. Good to know silver linings are always there!)

It is always great to see how other people do things, We have had amazing tours of a few wineries (Taittinger, Billecart-Salmon, Louis Latour, Jean Claude Boisset, Jano Boss) and of course working in the winery with Jane has been awesome but the best part has been getting around the vineyards and making sense of the lay of the land (and the maps!)

We have found several opportunities to find a good bottle and go to the vineyard it is from with some food truck food (The burgers in Puligny on Fridays are worthy!) and so have established  #burgundyfoodtruckchallenge on Instagram in case you are heading this way anytime soon. It is a great pursuit, my favourite nights have been these ones.

Today was the second last day of fruit coming into the winery for the crew. The final pick will be Tuesday and soon our days in Burgundy will be over and we will probably go do all the Harry Potter tourism and hopefully get some sailing in at Mallorca....If we can pull Jim away!! (Alsace, Chablis, Jura and Champage as well as Piedmont are all on Jim's list but he has a good go so far and the kids get a few options next...it will be interesting to see where we do end up!)

For those on standing order a reminder that next year we won't have any Huon Valley wine to sell. All people signed up will get first dibs on what we have produced this year (Tamar and Burgundy!!)  We are really excited about this development as ridiculous as it is. (never in our wildest dreams...and yet!)

If you wish to stock up on the little bit of 2018 Huon Valley and Isle we still have left, I suggest you get in quick as the warehouse is depleting rapidly upon the WMOTY news. Only 20 packs of Isle left and the last pallet of Huon Valley (drinking beautifully right now) is broken...only a matter of time.
(Chatto Website can be found through this link HERE)

We very much can't wait to get back to our beloved Huon Valley but we are also very much enjoying this side of the globe....missing spring and the baby chicks and dogs back there but loving all the offerings here (Maybe a bit too much!)

Thankyou for your support of our little brand - we cannot quite believe where we are finding ourselves. In Jim's words:


Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of The Year is such a wonderful honour. Every year, for more than two decades, I have enjoyed reading about the finalists, and learning about their vinous journeys.
Being nominated as a finalist was a marvellous silver lining to what has been a tough year at Chatto Wines (having lost our crop) Being named as the winner, truly a career highlight!
I don’t do what I do for the recognition. I do it because I love the industry, its people, and love making something that brings pleasure to peoples lives. That said, being recognised by your peers, among such a talented group, is just the best.

We can't do this without the people around us. So thank you for being on this journey with us. Even if you just receive and read our newsletters you are part of something that we really wouldn't do without you being there!

Have a fantastic Spring. We look forward to being in touch soon (Probably in 2020 with news of our new range of wines!)

Best regards,

Jim and Daisy

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