2025 Chatto Franklinii Pinot Noir

95 pts
Spicy, lifted Pinot Noir from the Huon Valley.

Price:
Sale price$69.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Jim Chatto has been exploring the absolute limits of Tasmanian Pinot Noir for over two decades. His owen Huon Valley project operates right on the edge of viticultural viability, but this wine, sourced from some grower friends, consistently delivers some of the island's most compelling drinking.

This release pulls from two distinct sites across the valley in Cradoc and Glaziers Bay. A wetter-than-usual spring in 2025 pushed healthy yields, but it was the noticeably warm, dry finish to the growing season that locked in the fruit's concentration and structure.

The fruit is entirely handpicked with 15% whole bunches retained for the wild ferment. After ten days on skins with manual plunging and pump-overs, the juice is moved to French oak puncheons - just a quarter of them new.

It's a highly spicy, complex aromatic here. Dark red fruit, lots of earthy spice. It delivers depth while staying remarkably light on its feet, and is one of the best drinking of the 2025 Chattos on release.

95 points
"A perfumed pinot noir release from Jim Chatto, with fruit sourced from the Huon Valley... Just the right amount of buoyancy and space here. It has wonderful pure fruits, layers of spice, game and leaf litter, and a lovely mineral cadence to boot."
- Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points
"When I first opened this there was a distinct nutmeg aroma but it dissipated with time, and the next day it was gone... I’m not yet fully through all the wines in Chatto’s 2025 range but so far it’s one of the best sets yet produced." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

95 points - "A perfumed pinot noir release from Jim Chatto, with fruit sourced from the Huon Valley. The fruits seem a little redder with this release, with high tones of pippy raspberry, red plum and wild strawberry on top of the base notes of red and dark cherry. That array of spice has some allure, no? Hints, too, of rose petal, citrus blossom, crushed herbs and rocks, charcuterie, dried citrus rind, star anise, judicious oak and a wisp of struck flint. Just the right amount of buoyancy and space here. It has wonderful pure fruits, layers of spice, game and leaf litter, and a lovely mineral cadence to boot." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "When I first opened this there was a distinct nutmeg aroma but it dissipated with time, and the next day it was gone. At all times though this wine drank easily and well, all-be-it with an appropriate tightness and with a fair bit tucked up its sleeve. Red berried fruit flavours, some foresty notes, a gentle meatiness, and the leafy side of an Australian bride’s clutch of flowers. This wine feels bright and deep at once; if it was a river it would be the rapids, in semi flood, deep and urgent at once, busy. There’s some reduction in pay here, modest, tightening. I’m not yet fully through all the wines in Chatto’s 2025 range but so far it’s one of the best sets yet produced." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

WINEMAKING
Handpicked. 15% whole bunch. Fermented for 10 days on skins,
hand plunged and pump over. Indigenous yeast. 25% new French
Puncheons.
Alc: 13.7%.
TASTING NOTE
A blend of two Huon Valley Vineyards one in Cradoc and one in
Glaziers Bay. Franklinii is our ode to what we love about Huon
Valley Pinot. The 2025 Franklinii, carries a little more depth and
texture than previous releases. Leaning into a darker spectrum
of berry fruits, coupled with heady spice, vibrancy and length.
2025 SEASON
A warm and relatively dry season across Tasmania. Rainfall
figures were about 10% below the longterm average. However, a
wetter than average spring provided for good yields right across
the state. These slightly higher than average yields were helped
greatly by warm, and dry finish to the growing season, enjoyed
by the vines. Resulting in medium weight yet remarkably intense
Pinot Noirs, with great detail and focus.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Light Bodied
Variety Pinot Noir
Country Australia
Region Tasmania
Australian State TAS
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

Chatto Wines

Jim Chatto is revered as one of the finest winemakers currently working in Australia.

His recent reinvigoration at Mount Pleasant in the Hunter Valley has received phenomenal critical acclaim, as has his personal Tasmanian project, Chatto wines.

After purchasing a plot of land that Jim describes as "right on the edge of viticultural possibility", planting began in 2007.

In only a short amount of time, this site has produced some extraordinary wines and looks set to become one of the Apple Isle most prized viticultural assets.

Modern winemaking master, Jim Chatto Chatto Wines

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