- Winery: Chapel Hill
- Wine Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
- Variety: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- Vintage: NV
- Price: $27
- Find it: From the winery direct and Dan Murphy’s
- Alcohol content: 12.5%
- You’ll like this if: You love traditional method sparkling
- Body: Medium
- Mouthfeel: Crisp
- Taste: Fresh, luscious, creamy
- Flavours: Strawberry, brioche, citrus
- Enjoy it with: Celebrations of all kinds
- Food pairings: Cheese platter, seafood
Wine review: Chapel Hill NV Sparkling
If you’re looking for a sparkling wine that feels genuinely special without taking itself too seriously, the Chapel Hill NV Sparkling is exactly what you need in your life. Made from premium Adelaide Hills fruit, a region that just keeps delivering when it comes to elegant, cool-climate wines, this is a beautiful Chardonnay and Pinot blend that ticks every box. It’s bottle fermented and spends an impressive 24 months on yeast lees, which gives it lovely depth and complexity at a great price point. Whether you’re marking a milestone or simply deciding that a Tuesday evening is reason enough to pop a cork, this is the bottle you reach for.
The Chapel Hill NV Sparkling is beautiful from start to finish. The Chardonnay brings that lovely crisp, citrus freshness, and a clean, zesty acidity that keeps things lively, while the Pinot Noir steps in with strawberry, a satisfying mouthfeel, and lovely length on the palate. And then there’s the texture. That long time on lees gives the wine a beautifully creamy, bready richness, with subtle hints of brioche and almond meal weaving through. It’s complex, it’s elegant, and it’s the kind of sparkling that you want to keep sipping on. Perfect for celebrations, yes, but honestly, don’t wait for a special occasion. This one’s too good to save.
About Chapel Hill
There’s something truly special about a winery with a story as rich as the wines it produces, and Chapel Hill has both in spades. Nestled in the historic Seaview sub-region of McLaren Vale, the estate takes its name from a charming 1865 ironstone chapel that was once the heart of the local community. It sat abandoned for years until Adelaide professor Tom Nelson stumbled across the derelict building in 1971, planted a vineyard by 1972, and the rest is history. By 1985, the Gerard family had taken the reins and made one of the smartest decisions in Australian wine history: hiring winemaker Pam Dunsford, a true legend of the industry. Under her guidance, Chapel Hill became one of Australia’s most respected boutique wine brands, and in 2022 Pam was awarded the prestigious Maurice O’Shea Award for her extraordinary contribution to Australian wine.
In 2004, Michael Fragos arrived as senior winemaker, becoming chief winemaker and general manager by 2013, and ushering in an exciting new era at Chapel Hill. Alongside senior winemaker Bryn Richards and viticulturalist Rachel Steer, the team is united by a simple but powerful goal: to make wines of purity and balance. That means deep respect for the land, a strong commitment to sustainability, and an ongoing focus on expressive single vineyard and McLaren Vale styles. While Chapel Hill is renowned for its classic Shiraz built on heritage vine stock, they also produce benchmark styles from cabernet sauvignon, grenache, and chardonnay that consistently turn heads. Pioneering viticulture, imaginative winemaking, and a team connected to almost 185 years of tradition — that’s the Chapel Hill experience, and it’s one worth raising a glass to.
You can learn more on their website.
Note: This wine was sent as a sample. I was under no obligation to post about it.