Chatobi: the new online wine shop that is already our favorite
There’s a good chance you’ve already seen Tobias Camman pop up here and there: originally a director, but increasingly found in front of the camera with his friends Daan Boom, Jasper Demollin and Stijn van Vliet (in De FOMO Show, The Dean and De Platenzaak, for example), and also heard on the podcast De Stijn, Tobi en Jeppe Show. And if you’re familiar with all that, you’ll know: Tobias is a true bon vivant. And as much as you may laugh at him, he takes his two passions very seriously: cooking and drinking (wine).
That rightly earned him a place in our Food Top 100, although that was mainly because of his two cookbooks Voer and Groenvoer. We hadn’t tested his online wine shop Chatobi at the time; by now, the first box has arrived and it’s time for a review.
Chatobi: ideal for wine novices and -connoisseurs
I see myself more as a wine lover than a connoisseur; although of course I hope to gradually move closer to the latter. I’m nowhere near there yet, but thanks to visits to Chatobi, I can at least pretend for the time being. Every wine comes with a catchy and informative description, as well as a food-pairing recommendation (so you can also choose the wine perfectly to go with the dish you want to serve—or, in my case, the other way around), serving advice for the right temperature and a tasting note describing the different aromas you might recognize in the wine.
But what I consider the biggest plus is the price. From €10.95, you can already have a very good Chardonnay delivered to your home: the Chatobi house wine, complete with its own logo. I already think that’s a lot of fun, but the proof is of course in the pudding, and I can confirm: this one is a keeper. ‘It has to be top quality, but it mustn’t cost a fortune, otherwise it isn’t a house wine, of course,’ they say about this wine themselves—and they have passed that test with flying colors; I think it’s an exceptionally good price for the quality and flavor of this house wine.
Something for everyone
And that’s what’s so great about this online wine shop: there really is something for every price range. From a good Spätburgunder (€15.95) to a very enjoyable Cremant from Chateau d’Orschwihr (€19.95), as well as a Barolo for €48.50. That’s not nothing, but a good Barolo inevitably comes with a price tag. By now, Chatobi already has a lovely selection of almost 50 wines in its webshop, and he doesn’t select them alone: he does it together with his wine friends Pim and Marcel, who already run a large wine import company and know an absurd amount about wine.
Finally, I have to mention the bubbly; you absolutely have to put it in your virtual shopping basket, because it’s incredibly delicious. And you don’t have to let the price stop you: the Champagne Brut Tradition from Girost Moussy costs €28.95 and, in my opinion, is at least as delicious as many more expensive, better-known champagne brands. The same goes for the rosé champagne from the same winery. Fun fact: I used to think I didn’t like champagne because I was only ever served the famous brands, which didn’t exactly win me over. Famous doesn’t always mean good—I’ve learned that by now… And I’ve also learned that champagne can be very delicious—so this is definitely what you want to toast to 2024 with. And Christmas. And simply the weekend.
Oh yes, and one more thing about the Groenvoer cookbook: you get it free with an order of at least €150. You’d be doing your own wallet a disservice if you didn’t take advantage of that.
Read also:
- Wine with your takeaway: here’s how to do it
- Most bottles of wine are ordered in Den Bosch
- Red wine is delicious when you chill it for a while
Image: Chatobi
