The last year has been a wild ride. It’s reminded all of us of the important things in life, and at Chandon, we found harvest season to be an incredible moment to reflect on those things together. We think we’re all the better for it.

This harvest began on the 8th of February with fruit from our partner grower in Goulburn Valley, then at our home vineyard in the Yarra Valley on the 15th of February. Next, we harvested from our highest altitude vineyards in Strathbogie (620m) and Whitlands Plateau (820m). We grow our finest grapes from these higher elevations, and this year’s quality and yield were excellent.

Throughout the harvest, close to 100 of us worked together to witness a year of work arrive at the presses. It felt like the end of something, but it was only the beginning.

With a considerably cooler season with excellent rainfall thanks to La Niña, summer was cool with no extreme heat – perfect for growing sparkling grapes. The vineyards in the mountains are green and healthy, and the fruit tastes excellent. Expectations are incredibly high this season – we’re all genuinely excited about what we’ve achieved and what’s still to come.
 
This is also a special milestone for Dan Buckle, our Winemaking Director, who is celebrating his 30th harvest. And if the spontaneous wild yeast ferment he has going in tank 59 is anything to go by, he’s not lost a single ounce of his urge to experiment and innovate.

So here’s to a season of ups and downs and a future that’s bright and getting brighter.