Chapel Hill Winery
Australia, McLaren Vale
About
GRAPE GROWING Guided by Viticulturist Rachel Steer, Chapel Hill has a deep respect for the land and vines. There is a focus on soil health to build resilience and character in the vineyards and consequently, the wines. Sustainable farming practices result in fruit that best articulates the wonderful characteristics of McLaren Vale. The vineyard at Chapel Hill Winery belongs to the Sustainable Australia Winegrowing program with the objective of improving viticultural practices, including minimising the impact on the soil and surrounding environment. Rachel and the winemakers spend a lot of time in the vineyards and with our growers to ensure the highest quality of fruit is delivered to the winery, as they understand it all starts with grapes.
WINEMAKING Michael Fragos and Bryn Richards lead the winemaking team at Chapel Hill, ensuring all grapes benefit from gentle handling and patient winemaking. With the white wines, only the free run juice and very gentle pressings are used ensuring the fresh aromatics and fruit flavours are preserved. The best red fruit undergoes traditional small batch open fermentation, plunging, basket pressing and subtle oak maturation. These processes allow any additions to the wines to be minimised and clarification to occur naturally, without the use of fining agents or filtration. The result is outstanding wine with exceptional purity and balance.
Winemaker
Michael Fragos