Chapel Hill Winery in McLaren Vale was built on the site of the Seaview Chapel and school house. The 1865 ironstone Chapel still stands today and is an integral feature of the popular tasting room. The winery founder, Thomas Nelson hand planted the vineyard on the estate commencing in 1972 and the first vintage was in 1975. Perched on the edge of the spectacular Onkaparinga Gorge in the elevated northern end of McLaren Vale. Shallow rocky soils are a feature of the site with some of the geological formations dating back 600 million years. McLaren Vale’s maritime climate, influenced by the nearby Gulf St Vincent, provides excellent ripening conditions and minimal disease pressure.

Under the guidance of winemakers Michael Fragos and Bryn Richards, Chapel Hill strives to hand craft wines with purity and balance. To pursue this belief, all of our grapes and wines are handled gently in small batches with a restrained winemaking philosophy. As a result there are no additions of any fining agents or tannins. The red wines are open fermented, plunged and basket pressed and are not filtered to ensure the wonderful site and varietal characters are nurtured and protected. Our mantra of seeking power, style and grace encourages our wines to articulate the wonderful charm of McLaren Vale so then others can also enjoy the beauty of our place.