Ask Jim
Jim Chatto
Leading young winemaker, Jim Chatto
It is an exciting time for Australian wine lovers- prices are great and quality is better than ever. We are riding a wave of new regions, varieties and styles.
Winemakers in the 'old world' now look to us for inspiration as equally as we look to them. Such cross pollination of ideas, techniques, skills and experiences is providing wonderfully expressive wines for every occasion and for every taste.
So how do we keep up with this ever expanding vinous cornucopia? It is difficult enough for wine industry professionals to keep ahead of the game- professional wine lovers who spend all of their time (and most of their wealth) attempting to unravel the complex yet imminently rewarding world of wine. What chance does the amateur wine lover have in such an enigmatic field were- the more you know, the less you know you know.
Here at Visit Vineyards we want to help expand the wealth of knowledge for all wine lovers, thereby enriching the wine experience for everyone. This column will provide snippets of both technical and philosophical knowledge as well as answers to the many wine questions we all harbour. It is an opportunity to gain insight into how wine is made from the vineyard to the bottle; the choices winemakers have; the inspirations they draw on- a chance to discover wine at every level.
As a professional winemaker and consultant I am constantly being asked questions relating to all aspects of wine. Sometimes I have the answers sometimes I have to research them. Wine is never ever irksome; I love the fact that there is always the gift of surprise; always something to learn and discoveries to make. I invite you to 'pick my brains' with any questions, queries, fancies or mystery's on the artful subject of wine.
And remember wine is and should always be great fun! On that note I will leave you with some words from the late great Len Evans AO OBE:
"Wine is not meant to be enjoyed merely for its own sake; it is the key to love and laughter with friends, to the enjoyment of food and beauty and humour and art and music. It rewards us far beyond its cost".
-Len Evans Theory of Capacity
Cheers,
Jim.
Please note, Jim will endeavour to answer as many questions as he can, however there may be delays between submission of questions and publications. Emails will not receive personal responses.
About Jim Chatto
Jim is a Wine Science graduate from Charles Sturt University and in 2002 was a star scholar at the illustrious Len Evans Tutorial. Having worked in the Hunter Valley; the Yarra Valley; Orange; Tasmania; Hungary and France, Jim's philosophies and techniques are reflective of a winemaker of the world. Aside from his role as chief winemaker at Pepper Tree Wines, Jim is a National Wine Show Judge and the Principle Consultant and Director of his own winemaking consulting business -Alchemy Wine Consulting, giving him great insight into the rich and diverse wine landscape that is Australia. Jim also operates his own tiny Pinot Noir vineyard at Glaziers Bay in Tasmania's Huon Valley.
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