The heart of the Chalmers family has always been in the Murray Darling wine region. Merbein, just outside Mildura, is where the family’s home is, and the location of the Chalmers’ vineyard and vine nursery. This unique and diverse land is also the adopted home to every variety they’ve imported to Australia over the last twenty years. It is the source block for supplying millions of vines planted across Australia’s wine regions, hence the name ‘Mother Block’.
These Mother Blocks have given the Chalmers family the privilege of being the very first growers to see how these grapes could perform in Australia. They have been the source of many of Australia’s many favourite varieties, including Sagrantino and Nero d’Avola, with newcomers Falanghina just a few years ago, and Nerello Mascalese, the Mount Etna star, coming very soon.
For the Chalmers family, sustainability means taking care of the whole ecosystem surrounding and supporting what they do, environmentally, socially and economically, with soil health of utmost importance, using composts and microbes to ensure beneficial and diverse soil health; using as little water as possible to irrigate that arid land, and implementing solar power to run winery power and irrigation pumps. In the vineyard there are diverse plant species around the property, creating a home for beneficial insects and other flora and fauna encouraging a balanced ecosystem. In these ways, the Chalmers family work to achieve the best outcomes for their wines, their land and their community.
The new wines, aptly named ‘Mother Block’, come from red sand and limestone soils and are estate grown, sustainably farmed, ethically tended, co-fermented and vegan friendly. They’re fresh and fun and totally smashable; bottled with the use of lightweight glass and labelled with 100% recycled materials.
We are very excited to introduce these wines to you.
THE WINES
2022 Chalmers Mother Block White RRP $24
Well, hello fresh! This gorgeous white is based on Vermentino and Fiano with touches of Grechetto, Greco, Glera and Pinot Bianco. The cooler vintage of 2022 has showcased the bright fresh and crunchy elements of all these varieties. The grapes are pressed and co-fermented on full solids; a wild ferment takes place and once dry, sees maturation in stainless steel with 6 months on fine lees.
Aromas of tangy lemon sorbet, zesty passionfruit, zingy pineapple and flourless almond cake, tantalizing taste buds with the same mix of fruits on the nose, coupled with cool stream cress, a nettle texture and a super cool feel to finish.
2022 Chalmers Mother Block Skin Contact RRP $24
The Mother Block Skin Contact wine – a blend of Vermentino, Ansonica and Pecorino with splashes of Falanghina, Moscato Giallo and Nosiola – is a veritable kaleidoscope of lemon and lime, coconut husk, Vietnamese mint, and is so fresh and zesty you’ll want to be sitting on a desert island drinking it!
The palate shows all that skinsy phenolic grippy pulp and texture with soft herbs and melon, and a little bitter twang that leads into zippy refreshing acidity and with just a touch of pizzazz.
2022 Chalmers Mother Block Red RRP $24
Dr Pepper anyone?! The Mother Block red is a juicy little number with a definite sarsaparilla bent… based on Sagrantino, the variety originally from the central Italian region of Umbria – and Nero d’Avola, the Sicilian workhorse variety, and touches of Aglianico (southern Italy, originally from Campania and Basilicata), Uva di Troia (also southern Italy, from Puglia), with Teroldego (hailing from Trentino Alto Adige in northeast Italy) and finally Piedirosso (from Campania).
This is all about raspberry, cherry, cola and plum aromas with notes of Szechuan pepper, poppy seed bagel and sweet liquorice. It’s light on its feet with a sweet supple feel, and full of lifted, pretty red berry fruits and raspberry jubes, with savoury and moreish cured meats and a fine sandy texture and bounce… what’s not to love?