Chatto Isle Pinot Noir 2024

Dark cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry fruit tones with a captivating blood orange tone. Hints of souk-like spice, char siu, dark cherry conserve, negroni, light, toasty oak, dried shiitake, pomegranate, dried game meats, wildflowers and earth. I love the clarity and tension in this wine; the interplay between pure fruit, tannin and acidity captures and holds attention as the wine travels stony and composed across the palate.

Stylistically we are looking to make a focused yet elegant wine of purity and balance that is true to the site, with the fruit spectrum right on the cusp of red and black (perhaps leaning to the red). Thus, still holding its natural acidity, vibrancy and line. Stalks are a component; though well embedded into the wine. Our crops are low (~1 kg/vine) so we are reaching this flavour profile at modest sugar levels Made in the vineyard from careful selection of 3-4 of the 8 clones planted, depending on the season.

With 25+ years of winemaking experience, Jim Chatto is also a senior wine show judge with over 20 years of experience across both regional, capital city shows and was the Chairman of Judges for the National Wine Show of Australia 2014-2016.

In 1998 Jim moved to Tasmania as the inaugural winemaker for Rosevears Estate in the Tamar Valley. He fell in love with Tasmanian Pinot Noir, and a girl called Daisy.

In 2000 Jim and Daisy left Tasmania for the Hunter Valley, but began the Chatto label to continue the affair with Tasmanian Pinot Noir.

We then spent the next six years searching for the perfect vineyard site. Isle vineyard is located in Huon Valley at Glaziers Bay. Warm, well-drained but in a very cool region, right on the edge of viticultural possibility. Planting began in 2007 and our first vintage (2012) was released in 2013.

In 2014 the fruit quality from pockets of the vineyard saw the introduction of the single vineyard Isle label. At that time we only made two wines, from our vineyard in relatively small quantities, it was usual for us to sell out well before the next release.

We finally returned to live full time at Isle Vineyard in January, 2017. This was the first year our wine was made on site. (Previously we had shipped the fruit up to the Hunter Valley where the winemaking occurred, most recently at Mount Pleasant.)

In 2018 we introduced a third wine to the Chatto family - Seven Inch which comes from a tiny neighbouring vineyard.

In 2019 the entire Huon was unable to harvest fruit due to smoke taint from bushfires. We were very fortunate to receive some parcels of fruit from vineyards in the North of Tasmania to keep us going thanks to our friends at Marion's and Pipers Brook vineyards. Jim also blended his first Tasmanian regional wine from across these parcels which we now call Lutruwita.

After the bushfires we decided to uproot as a family for winter and found Jim an opportunity to get his hands dirty in Burgundy. Through a mutual friend we got to meet and work with Jane Eyre, a friendship born out of a love and respect for Pinot. With her help we were able to secure a tiny two barrels of premier cru Burgundy from Savigny-les-Beaune.

While we were there Jim was announced the Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year 2019.

In 2020 we harvested in the Huon and also took fruit from Bird (Pipers), Marion's (Tamar), Glengarry (Tamar), Seven Inch (Huon) releasing no less than six single vineyard Pinots as well as Lutruwita (Regional blend).

Also coming out in 2024 is the 2023 Bird, Seven Inch and Killara Farm - all due out May 1.
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Our Estate wines Isle and Intrigue will both be released August 1.

We have just completed an early, long and excellent 2024 harvest at Isle Vineyard - the future is bright!

97 Points - Halliday wine companion
98 Points - The Real Review
96 Points - The Wine Front
Wine Maker of the Year 2019 - The Gourmet Traveller