By James Atkinson
Hardys is set to release four new vintage wines across its Thomas Hardy and Eileen Hardy ranges this month, once again drawing on the company's unrivalled vineyard holdings that stretch across the country.
At a launch event in Sydney this week attended by Sir James Hardy, Lady Joan McInnes-Hardy and Bill Hardy, the company’s chief winemaker Paul Lapsley said the new release flagship wines one again celebrate “the wonderful journey across Australia that we do with our company, that’s our winemaking philosophy”.
“Our footprint goes from Tasmania all the way across to Western Australia, and in WA, down the coast to the Great Southern area as well,” he said.
This year’s releases include the 2010 Eileen Hardy McLaren Vale Shiraz, which Lapsley declared is one of the best Eileen Hardy Shiraz the company has ever made. [continues below]
L-R: Bill and Sir James Hardy
The 2012 Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon meanwhile was presented alongside the 2004 vintage of the same wine, which was still looking spritely and Lapsley said made a strong case that it should be “Cabernet and not Shiraz that is considered our national drink”.
There is also the 2013 Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir, as well as the 2013 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, which Lapsley said continues the lineage of the wine that has mapped the evolution of Australian Chardonnay.
“The first vintage was in 1986, when it was sourced from a reasonably warm climate area called Padthaway… then we actually evolved towards much cooler climates in search of finesse, in search of complexity and in search of greater flavour profile, and that wonderful vibrancy and freshness that is commanded by really high quality Chardonnay,” he said.
The new release wines will be sold nationally through fine wine retailers:
2012 Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon: RRP $129.99
2010 Eileen Hardy Shiraz: RRP $124.99
2013 Eileen Hardy Pinot Noir: RRP $94.99
2013 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay: RRP $94.99