2021 Chalmers Wines Rosato, Heathcote, Victoria, Australia
ABOUT THIS WINE
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 our Heathcote vineyard on Mount Camel Ridge. 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 of this Rose is fermented in old oak barrels, while the other two are co-fermented in tank to retain those bright, lifted and fresh characters. The end result is an imminently drinkable dry and textural rose that’s just not joy in a glass, but a wine that has substance and a savoury interest coming from the qualities of the varieties, the site its grown, and the hands-off approach to wine making.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Bruce and Jenni Chalmers began growing grapes in the 1980s, with their vineyard in Murray Darling, on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. This diverse and thriving vineyard spawned their nursery business, which is responsible for importing close to 70 new clones and varieties. These varieties were released to Australia in 2000 and have since been a major factor in the improvements in sustainability and quality seen in the Australian wine industry in the last 20 years.
There has always been a focus on Italian varieties, which has been amplified under the next generation; Bruce and Jenni’s daughters Kim and Tennille have been the custodians of the family business since 2005 and 2011, respectively. Under their care, Chalmers purchased an 80- hectare plot in the northern portion Heathcote, where they have been able to find the greatest Australian terroirs for the Italian grapes they’ve been importing and championing for decades. Their success has been largely dependent on
their ability to match Italian grapes to Australian climates, focusing on thick-skinned grapes that are drought tolerant, resistant to sunburn, and have plenty of natural acidity.
Kim and Tennille have been instrumental in the amplification of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine
Show, and in 2015 they also spearheaded 21st Century Vino, an initiative to increase awareness and expertise in Italian varieties grown across Australia. Bruce and Jenni are still ever-involved in the company, “always looking for the next big thing,” as Kim says.