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Chapel Hill

Yes, there is a chapel at Chapel Hill. In fact the old ironstone chapel, which was built by South Australian Chief Justice Sir Samuel Way in 1865, is a star attraction at Chapel Hill. Having served as both church and then village school, the building saw good use before falling into disrepair and eventual closure exactly one hundred years after it was built. In less than a decade, however, the chapel was restored and is now a focal point, serving as a tasting room and sales point at Chapel Hill winery.

Covering the history of the chapel is easy - looking at the people behind Chapel Hill is a little more intricate. For a relatively young winery it has seen its fair share of owners. The first vineyard was established on the site by Tom Nelson in 1973, although it did not become Chapel Hill until Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon & Unwooded Chardonnay 1979 when the Gerard family got involved. Richard Gerard eventually assumed full control in 1987, but by 2000 the winery once more change hands, this time Thomas Schmidweiny took control.

But it is not the owner that makes the wine - kingpin here at Chapel Hill is Pam Dunsford. Dunsford oversees winemaking as well as vineyard management, global sales and business development. An impressive task indeed. Her vineyards are all located in South Australia, with the majority in McLaren Vale or Coonawarra, and there is a healthy mix of terroirs - alluvial, some red soils, the ironstone of the chapel, clay and sand. On these soils there are a selection of cultivars, with Cabernet and Shiraz the most important - these are sold as varietals, but also blended in the estate's top cuvée, The Vicar - perhaps an obvious name for such a wine with an historic chapel on the property. Chapel Hill's The Vicar is not made in all vintages, but only when the grapes are of suitable quality, with the first vintage being 1993. In addition there are unwooded and reserve Chardonnays and a Verdelho produced. (22/1/04)

Contact details:
Address: PO Box 194, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171
Telephone: +61 (0) 8 8323 8429
Fax: +61 (0) 8 8323 9245
Internet: www.chapelhillwine.com.au

Chapel Hill - Tasting Notes

The following was tasted in January and March 2005. Click to locate stockists.

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 1996: Last tasted one year ago. I've been watching the development of this wine over the past few years, really as an indicator of my home storage. This is the last bottle, which seems appropriate as I'm soon to move house. Still a great colour. Ripe, macerated, blackcurrant fruit, with good development on the nose; minerals, and liquorice, notes of blood and iron, with a little candied edge to the fruit I've not noticed before. Full, ripe, evolving palate. Fresh, but with meaty fruit and a dark, tarry grip, and a burnt charcoal and mineral influenced finish. Some length. Wonderful stuff - and well cellared, too! 18/20

Chapel Hill 'The Vicar' (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 1994: Cabernet Sauvignon 56%, Shiraz 44%. Mostly American hogsheads (75%), the rest French. Dark and glossy, showing some maturity. It's plummy, sweet, smoky and laden with cassis. Plenty of jammy, dark blackcurrant and forest fruits as well, with coconut oak-derived notes. Toffee and coconutty oak dominates the palate's medium body, with some sweet fruit and eucalyptus. I hope the oak will integrate with time, although it has already had about ten years. For now I find it overwhelming. 14+/20

The following wines were tasted in January 2004.

Chapel Hill Chardonnay (South Australia) 2002: Pale colour. Some tropical and stone fruit nuances on the nose. The palate is quite clean, with some decent acidic fruits, offset by a rich, oily note. No great character here, but quite quaffable. Quite good.

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 1996: A blend of fruit from Coonawarra as well as McLaren Vale. Lovely deep colour, dark garnet red, with just some bricking at the rim. Good nose - sweet, ripe blackcurrant fruit, with a smoky, liquorice edge. The palate is delicious, with impeccable balance and great fluidity. Sweet, spicy black fruits, with a slightly macerated edge an early sign of developing maturity. Soft, ripe tannins, correct acidity and good body. Lovely development over the past couple of years - last tasted in 2001. Very good, potentially excellent.

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 1999: This wine has a deep, inky red-black hue, but it is cut through by a surprising, earthy tone. The reason why becomes clearer on the nose, which, although it displays fresh, smoky and intense blackcurrant fruit at lower temperatures, on warming from the cellar shows it's true colours. Roasted, slightly stewed even, plum fruit, some high-toned notes, and a touch of raisins. Despite this character on the nose, the palate has only medium body and appropriate acidity. Nevertheless, there is some disjointed use of American oak which imparts an obvious vanilla toffee character to the wine, although this seemed much more integrated after some time in the decanter. Good chewy fruit and good extract. Moderate level of tannins. I think this wine will mature quickly over the next year or two, and I'm not convinced the oak will ever integrate seamlessly. Obvious maturity on the finish. A little length. Quite good.

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 2000: A dark, glossy, attractive looking wine. It has an intense, fruit-laden nose, with a touch of mint and vanillin oak which doesn't seem at all overdone. The palate has is rich and seamless, but with the brawniness of youth. There are plenty of super-ripe black fruit flavours, behind which are ripe tannins that demand another couple of years in the cellar. Firm acidity too. This should mature well over the next five to seven years. Good, potentially very good.

The following wine was tasted in August 2001.

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (McLaren Vale/Coonawarra) 1996: A deep, red-black colour, with a youthful nose full of intense blackcurrant fruit, which develops some smoke and tobacco notes with aeration. An absolutely gorgeous palate, with smoky, elegant, restrained blackcurrant fruit, and a delightful, sinewy mouthfeel. Richly flavoured, although still a touch one-dimensional, and well-balanced. Will benefit from a few more years in bottle. Very good.