About Mother Block
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, and 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 and 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.
These 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. The wines are bottled with the use of lightweight glass and labelled with 100% recycled materials.
About Kim and Tennille Chalmers
Kim studied at the University of Adelaide before joining the family business. She has been director at Chalmers Wines since 2005, managing operations from the vine to the wine list. In 2011 she was awarded an AgriFoods Skills Australia Overseas Fellowship, for which she wrote a paper entitled “Hot climate wine growing, making and marketing in Southern Italy and its application in Australia”. Kim's husband, winemaker Bart van Olphen completed the family team in 2011, a year after sister Tennille joined the business full time following a 10-year career in hospitality, most recently as a sommelier. The Chalmers sisters have been pivotal in turning the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show into a major event on the wine awards calendar. In 2015 they also spearheaded 21st Century Vino, an initiative to increase awareness and expertise in Italian vine varieties grown in Australia.
Current Range
2023 Mother Block Red
Mother Block
2023 Mother Block Skin Contact
Mother Block
2023 Mother Block White
Mother Block
Archive
2022 Mother Block Red
Mother Block
2022 Mother Block Skin Contact
Mother Block
2022 Mother Block White
Mother Block