The name Chalmers has long been associated with the wine industry, especially at the avant-garde, the cutting edge of viticulture in Australia.

Bruce and Jenni Chalmers established their grapevine propagation business, Chalmers Nurseries (www.chalmersnurseries.com), in 1989.

Beginning with a handful of small orders for grafted vines Chalmers implemented a program of research and development, refining vine propagation, production and processing techniques to build the first ‘Australian Standards’ quality assured and largest wholesale vine nursery in Australia.

Over the years the Chalmers’ have supplied millions of vines to vignerons, both large and small, all over Australia. Simultaneously they have developed revolutionary ideas and conducted extensive innovative work on perfecting vineyard establishment, operations and infrastructure to achieve both environmental sustainability and quality.

Bruce Chalmers has been intrinsically involved in the alternative variety movement in Australia for many years now working through Chalmers Nurseries on importing propagation material but also at the other end of the business, marketing and education.

In 1998, along with celebrity chef and Murray ambassador Stefano de Pieri and Italian-Australian Viticulturist Dr Rod Bonfiglioli, Chalmers initiated the Sangiovese Awards which went on to evolve into the Australian Alternative Variety Wine Show (www.aavws.com), held each November in Mildura, now perhaps the most important forum for non-mainstream wine in Australia.

The collaboration between Chalmers and Bonfiglioli also lead to Chalmers Nurseries importation project in conjunction with Italian viticultural companies Vivai Cooperativi Raucedo (www.vivairauscedo.com) and Gruppo Matura (www.matura.net). Through establishing this relationship Chalmers gained access to hundreds of European grape vine varieties and clones, some entirely new to Australia and some new clones of varieties already existing here. The final selection of around 70 clones and varieties began arriving at the nursery in 2001.

The inherited family interest in the new and different lead composer/musician daughter Kim to Europe where she not only fell in love with Italian art, language and culture but discovered the fascinating world of Italian wine. Since her return to Australia, Kim has been working with Bruce and Jenni toward discovering varieties, and experimenting with clones, which suit the Chalmers vineyard’s viticultural conditions and have the ability to produce distinctive, quality wines.