Felicitas
2018 Heathcote, Vic
Felicitas is made from hand picked Fiano and is only made in very small quantities. A method traditional sparkling which takes its name from the Roman Goddess of fertility, good luck and happiness.
Fiano is a star performer in the Heathcote vineyard with lovely natural acidity which means, even in the warm conditions of Colbinabbin it can make a sparkling wine with finesse and freshness without the need for acid or sugar adjustment in the winemaking. A true sign that the grape is a great match for the site. Remember, Felicitas = happiness. On any occasion.
Vermentino
2021 Heathcote, Vic
Chalmers came out with Australia’s first Vermentino wine in 2004 and it’s since become a trademark line in the range, their ‘go-to’ white. There are now more than 100 winemakers working with the grape across this country and it’s no wonder when it loves the sunshine and makes such delicious wines with ultimate drinkability.
Chalmers Vermentino is a truly unique iteration of the Mediterranean grape, a crisp and refreshing drink with white florals, soft stonefruit and a lick of saltiness, perfect for the Australian al fresco lifestyle.
Greco
2020 Heathcote, Vic
A compelling and intriguing variety which makes an equally interesting wine originally hailing from Campania in the south of Italy. With bucket-loads of natural acid, these grapes stay vibrant and racy through the warm summer of northern Heathcote, meaning Greco can achieve fruit richness without compromising freshness.
The wine is bold and intense with ripe apple and poached quince flavours with a chalky, crunchy backbone. Not for the faint at heart, rather an adventure for the palate, especially at the dinner table.
Fiano
2020 Heathcote, Vic
The top tier wine of the Chalmers whites. This grape has shone since day one in both Chalmers vineyards and has really made it’s home in Heathcote proving that the famous Cambrian soil is just a special for what it imparts to whites as it does to reds.
Chalmers Fiano always has a portion of wood in the winemaking, recently in a chestnut botte, it is also bottle aged before release, both to emphasise the natural bees-waxy texture of the variety. It ages with aplomb so stick it in your cellar or serve it at your next dinner party to white burgundy lovers. They will love it.
Rosato
2021 Heathcote, Vic
Who doesn’t love rosé!?!
The Chalmers Rosato is made from mostly Aglianico with a splash of Nero d’Avola and Sagrantino. All three varieties originate from Southern Italy and are growing on the prized top block at the Heathcote vineyard. It’s a wonderfully complex rocky site with green basalt, ironstone, dolerite and fractured limestone. The block gives a distinct elegance and prettiness to the red varieties grown there, even though these varieties are usually more muscular. The Aglianico portion is fermented in old barriques and the other two are co-fermented in stainless steel to retain freshness. The end result is a serious yet slurpable pale, dry and textural rose.
Nero d'Avola
2021 Heathcote, Vic
Imported by the Chalmers family in 2001, that one little vine which was brought in has evolved into more than 200,000 vines planted all over Australia and is doing great things. It’s really found a synergy with the red soils of Heathcote, particularly in the top block where the Chalmers Nero d’Avola is grown.
In the glass, the combination of the lightness and charry/graphite notes of our site with the cherry/raspberry, tar and hard herb characters of Nero are a great match. Chalmers deliberately go for a crunchy style which gives an enchanting, vibrant and juicy red perfect for summer drinking. Chill it off slightly for utmost enjoyment.
Aglianico
2016 Heathcote, Vic
In the quest for grapes which produce excellent wines in warm Aussie conditions in the face of climate change, Aglianico has won the race. A late ripening grape, it cruises through summer to ripen slowly in the cooler autumn months giving a lower alcohol yet complex and refined red wine capable of long ageing. Made in a chestnut botte and bottle aged before release, Chalmers Aglianico has earned its place at the top of the range showing all the hallmarks of a great red wine. Poise and structure, freshness and complexity, this wine has it all.
Fragrant lavender aromas pair with the palate where you’ll find native plum, dusty cocoa and fine, integrated tannins. Open a bottle with friends over dinner, in every glass you’ll find something new to love.
Appassimento
2017 Murray Darling, Vic
Inspired by the great Passito sweet wines of Italy, and decadent and charming at once, this little dessert wine is very special.
Made from 100% Lambrusco Maestri estate grown at the Merbein vineyard, the grapes are hand-picked then naturally sun-dried on traditional sultana racks before vinification. This concentrates the sugars and reduces the weight meaning that there are 1.5kg of grapes in every 375ml bottle of wine. After a long slow fermentation and ageing in barrique the wine is ready for bottle. The result? Think prunes, Dutch cocoa, black cardamom. Pretty much the perfect cheese plate wine.
Lambrusco
2018 Heathcote, Vic
Lambrusco is often a dirty word in the eyes of many a wine connoisseur because of it’s huge popularity as a cheap and cheerful quaff, especially in the 70s and 80s, but real dry Lambrusco is cooler than ever.
The first Chalmers Lambrusco was made in 2012. We make it from Lambrusco Maestri – one of the 14 different lambrusco varieties used in Emilia-Romagna. Our Lambrusco is made Traditional Method and drinks bright, fresh, dry and acidic With plenty of dark purple fruit to keep it balanced. It’s aperitif style with perfume and tannic grip too. Try a glass with antipasti, especially cured meat.
Col Fondo
2021 Heathcote, Vic
We’re never shy of proclaiming our love of Aglianico, and rose…. and sparkling wine for that matter, so here is our love child of these passions; Chalmers Col Fondo, a sparkling Aglianico Rosato complete with the lees in the bottle.
What is Col Fondo? Col Fondo is unfiltered sparkling wine and it’s cloudy with the lees left in the bottle. With its second fermentation occurring in the bottle, similar to Champagne, the result is something drier and more savoury, and typically a terroir-driven wine which can be a little funky and pleasantly drying with no dosage. No funk here though. In the bottle you’ll find freshly squeezed cloudy pink grapefruit in colour, attractive, red-fruited perfume, tart yet moreish with lots of zip and texture on the palate. Fine fizz with a deliciousness that screams ‘pour me another glass’.
Pecorino
2021 Heathcote, Vic
** RECENTLY AWARDED 95 POINTS IN HALLIDAY COMPANION
New to the Chalmers suite from the most recently imported varieties from Italy, Pecorino is here and is here to stay. Originating from The Marche region in Central Italy, this variety typically is generous and savoury in style.
Chalmers Pecorino is powerful and distinctive with a luscious nose of nectar and white melon. In the glass you’ll find a mineral flintiness and a rounded, bees wax texture and some nice balanced generosity. Get creative with food pairing, think fennel risotto or roasted spatchcock.
Falanghina
2021 Heathcote, Vic
From the most recent importation of new clones and varieties to Australia via the Chalmers family. Falanghina refers to two distinct grape varieties in Italy, both grown in Campania primarily – Falanghina Flegrea, a highly aromatic and fruity grape grown closer to the coast, and Falanghina Beneventana, a more savoury and mineral version grown further into the mountains behind Naples. This wine is made from the Chalmers imported clone of Falanghina Beneventana. Chalmers Falanghina is the first commercially released Falanghina in Australia. At Chalmers we have a serious love for this promising variety for its complexity, drinkability and potential in the future of the Australian soils and wine industry.
This attractive wine is aromatic and racy, with notes of orchid and lime donating the nose. White stones and a persistent, tangy palate result in a wine with balanced tension and fresh appeal, think similar to a Riesling. Pair with aromatic, zesty dishes with an oily component such as Thai curry or Gyoza.
Bush Vine Negroamaro
2020 Murray Darling, Vic
The 2020 vintage marks the premiere release of our Bush Vine Negroamaro. A wine that represents the culmination of 35+ years’ experience of our families inland farming and viticultural journey where we test the limits of ‘dry growing’ in Merbein, Victoria, the heart of our production.
The vineyard was established organically in 2017 and managed with no herbicides or pesticides, hand pruned, hand harvested and even manually weeded. In the extreme hot and brutal climate of the Murray Darling, each vine is grown as a little tree/bush to provide its own shade and protection from the harsh sun. They are spaced 2.5 metres apart which enables them to capture the water it needs and minimises competition from neighbouring vines.
Hailing from Puglia in the hot, dry peninsula in the South East of mainland Italy, Negroamaro was a natural and appropriate choice for our bush vine planting. It’s sturdy nature, good natural vigour, drought tolerance and thick skins all positive qualities for the site conditions.
Soft plum-purple hues allude to a vibrant wine in the glass. Early impressions show an earthy dustiness, and pure fruit leading into cherries, dried blue berries and quandong jelly. Rosemary flowers, and wild thyme complement that reoccurring vibrancy in the fruit and freshness. The extended maceration gives the wine good presence in the mouth with a pleasant fine sandy texture. More savoury characters of wattleseed, worn leather and Murray Pine sneak through lengthening the palate even more. The alcohol is there but sitting in the background. Aromatics allow the wine to finish with a delicate and palate of fresh liquorice, lifted lavender and rose petal. The wine is medium bodied, with lovely long length and leaves you intrigued and wanting more. It’s wound up a little, in a nice way, and hints that it will unfurl nicely, drawing on the delicate fragrance and spice characters in the coming years. Food pairings here are aplenty, think confident flavours in medium weight dishes; smoked eggplant ratatouille, guinea fowl with braised radicchio, or a rosemary and salt bush slow lamb.
Bush Vine Inzolia
2021 Murray Darling, Vic
The 2021 vintage marks the premiere release of our Bush Vine Inzolia. A wine that represents the culmination of 35+ years’ experience of our families inland farming and viticultural journey where we test the limits of ‘dry growing’ in Merbein, Victoria, the heart of our production.
The vineyard was established organically in 2017 and managed with no herbicides or pesticides, hand pruned, hand harvested and even manually weeded. In the extreme hot and brutal climate of the Murray Darling, each vine is grown as a little tree/bush to provide its own shade and protection from the harsh sun. They are spaced 2.5 metres apart which enables them to capture the water it needs and minimises competition from neighbouring vines.
Hailing from the west of Sicily, Inzolia is considered one of the most important ancient Mediterranean (warm climate) white grape varieties and was a natural and appropriate choice for our bush vine planting. It’s sturdy makeup, drought tolerance, plump berries and thick firm skins all positive qualities for the site conditions.
This attractive fresh and pure wine opens to fragrant and perfectly ripened peaches on to more exotic fruits like fig, quince and cantaloupe. You can start to identify the welcome intensity of fruit on show from the ‘dry grown’ management of the vineyard. Nice savoury edges develop, and a slight toasty note follows, where the natural ferment and extended lees contact are displayed. Intense yellow and orange blossom and preserved lemon lift the wine out of the glass coupled with delicate wild herbs, fennel seed and a lick of salt bush. On the palate the same intensity and density of fruit carries through. It’s a moreish mouthful but not without definition. The chewy structure, a character typically more attune with red wines, shows grapefruit pith and sweet cooking spices of clove and star anise with an orange rind biscotti texture. It’s a confident wine balanced with detail and persistence. This wine drinks beautifully now with potential for ageing too. We look forward to tracking this wines journey in bottle. Food pairing is versatile, from aromatic chicken to pumpkin and dried sage ravioli with burnt butter, rich shellfish fregola, or sticky Asian pork.
Our Brands
Along with the core Chalmers range of wines, we also produce the following brands.
Chalmers wines are the result of years of experimentation and refinement, from the soil to the bottle, Australian wines which pay respect to their continental heritage.
Where the Chalmers range is all about unique and detailed expression of variety, site and vintage, Montevecchio is just about good drinks. Based on style rather than variety, this concise range of everyday drinking wines have fun and flair at their heart.
Where all the fun happens. Every year Chalmers makes experimental wines from the nursery source blocks in Merbein as well as the every growing Heathcote plantings. Not to be locked away in the lab – these wines are made public and can be found in a wine bar or indie bottle shop near you. You can’t miss the colourful labels.
Dott. is handmade by Chalmers from estate grown fruit. Inspired by the late Dr. Rod Bonfiglioli a passionate, eccentric scientist whose dogged determination and visionary foresight brought so much colour, interest and integrity to Australian wine. He sought out these rare grapes for our collection, seeing their promise long before we did, and for that we are grateful.
When your main business is as left field as the eclectic and diverse work with Italian varieties at Chalmers, what do you do for a side project? Sisters Kim and Tennille decided to make a Heathcote Shiraz, but in the style of red that they enjoy.
After Chalmers imported 6 clones of Malbec selected from Mendoza in Argentina 15 years ago Bruce Chalmers has been passionate about making great Malbec. Arturo is his baby.
Our Brands
