Chapel Hill The Parson McLaren Vale Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 2018

Chapel Hill’s 2018 The Parson Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre (GSM) ranks among Australia’s best. From the moment it exits the bottle, this suave, succulent GSM offers nothing but pure pleasure. It opens with ripe red berry scents infused with subtle hints of mocha and spice to immediately captivate the nose. The wine’s delightful olfactory follows through on the palate, offering ripe lush fruit and floral tones edged with wild herbs and a deft touch of vanilla. Texturally beautiful, the wine’s ripe and soft tannins provide energy, structure, and a freshness rarely seen in other GSMs. For optimal enjoyment, afford the 2018 Chapel Hill The Parson McLaren Vale Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre 10-15 minutes of aeration before serving at cool room temperature (no more than 62° F). Anticipated maturity: 2020-2025.

Although the 2018 Chapel Hill The Parson McLaren Vale Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre needs little to shine, it is extremely food friendly – a calling card of all Chapel Hill wines. The wine’s ripe fruit and smooth texture lend themselves to pairing with pasta, chicken, pork, lamb and a host of vegetarian specialties. Roast chicken basted with butter, olive oil, and Mediterranean herbs provides a great companion to this comely GSM. Grilled loin lamb chops rubbed with garlic and basted with olive oil, rosemary and thyme gets two thumbs up as well. Pork chops smothered in brown gravy provides another tasty accompaniment. A traditional Shepard’s Pie, a popular pairing with GSM, makes another fine impression in the company of Chapel Hill’s The Parson GSM. Eggplant Parmigiana, Provençal Ratatouille, and almost any dish prepared with eggplant provide tasty accompaniments, too. Lasagna Bolognese prepared with fresh pasta, buffalo Mozzarella, Ricotta, pomodoro, and Asiago Cream won’t disappoint either in the company of Chapel Hill’s 2018 The Parson GSM. Enjoy!

Chapel Hill draws its name from the historic stone chapel built on the property that dates to 1865, which has served as a local church, a parish school, and now the winery’s cellar door and art gallery that features the work of talented local contemporary and indigenous artists.

Pam Dunsford, the first woman graduate of Australia’s prestigious school of oenology at Roseworthy, brought Chapel Hill to international prominence a quarter of a century ago with Gold Medals at the prestigious London International Wine and Spirit Competition and the International Wine Challenge in London, but then Chapel Hill’s wines all but vanished from the American market. Happily, under the current leadership of Chief Winemaker and McLaren Vale native Michael Fragos, Chapel Hill wines are once again available in the United States and garnering well-deserved critical acclaim.

Under Michael Fragos (IW&SC 2007 International Winemaker of the Year), Winemaker Bryn Richards and Viticulturist Rachel Steer, Chapel Hill has solidified its position as one of South Australia’s top wineries. Chapel Hill owns and operates 44 hectares (about 109 acres) of vineyards in South Australia’s famed McLaren Vale appellation and purchases fruit from a select group of McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills growers. Shiraz reigns as king at Chapel Hill as it does throughout McLaren Vale. However, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, and especially Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale also lend credence to the extraordinary success of this winery. Chapel Hill also works magic with grapes from the nearby Adelaide Hills, too, which further account for this winery’s preeminence among South Australian wine producers.