Image: Meaghan Coles, Supplied
If you find yourself in the beautiful McLaren this April, there’s one place you’ll want to stop by. Throughout the weeks of Easter and Gather Round Chapel Hill is bringing together wine, chocolate and a little bit of footy fever for a limited-time experience that ticks all the boxes.
The Easter Gathering experience, running from Monday, March 30th to Sunday, April 12th, is split into two standout offerings, a decadent Wine & Chocolate Pairing and a Handball Heaven challenge. And to make it even better, the Chapel Hills team has a new collaboration with Bracegirdle’s House of Fine Chocolate, a local favourite known for its handcrafted, small-batch treats.
“Bracegirdle’s are local chocolate artisans with a fantastic cafe on the main road in McLaren Vale,” shared Alistair Cranney, new Cellar Door Manager for Chapel Hill. “Partnering with local suppliers is at the heart of our approach, and their delicious hand-made chocolates are a perfect pairing with Chapel Hill wines.”
Wine & Chocolate Pairing
The Wine & Chocolate Pairing experience has been designed to highlight the best of both local businesses. There’s a curated lineup of Chapel Hill wines matched with artisan chocolates. “Naturally, we had to do a lot of research, tasting both the chocolate and wine together (tough job, but we soldier on!),” shared Alistair. “We have carefully considered the flavour of each wine, the acidity, the fruit notes and then paired that with a style of chocolate. We see that pairing as enhancing the flavour of both the wine and the chocolate.”
Guests will kick things off with a brand-new sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, followed by a series of carefully thought-out pairings. There’s Vermentino matched with creamy white chocolate, old vine Grenache alongside milk chocolate, and a bold Shiraz paired with rich dark chocolate. And to top it all off, there’s a 10-year-aged Tawny paired with a bespoke chocolate infused with the wine itself.
Priced at $35 per person, it’s a premium but approachable tasting experience, and there’s even the option to purchase your own take-home Easter wine pack, complete with a complimentary block of Bracegirdle’s chocolate.
Meaghan Coles
Handball Heaven
Chapel Hill is also leaning into the energy of Gather Round with Handball Heaven, a custom-built challenge designed to test your footy skills.
Visitors can step up and attempt to handball a Sherrin through a specially designed target, created by one of the winery’s own team members. It might sound easy, but with the pressure on and a life-sized Max Gawn watching on, it’s a whole different story.
“Think of it as your own ‘player of the match’ moment. Visitors step up to the mark to prove they have the precision and prowess to fire a Sherrin through the target. It’s the perfect blend of cellar door relaxation and high-stakes competition.”
To make it even better, if you nail the shot, you could walk away with some serious prizes, including a magnum of Shiraz or a bottle of aged Tawny.
The whole experience is about bringing people together, blending great wine, local food and a bit of fun into one relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. “We wanted to create something interactive for our visitors, though I have to admit, the Chapel Hill team, being a bunch of footy fanatics ourselves, were the first ones lining up to test it out,” said Alistair.
So whether you’re there for the chocolate, the cellar door, or just to prove your handball skills, Chapel Hill’s Easter Gathering is looking to be one of the most unique ways to spend the long weekend and Gather Round festivities.
Easter Gathering at Chapel Hill
When: Monday, March 30th to Sunday, April 12th
Where: Cnr Chapel Hill Rd & Chaffeys Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
For more information, click here.
