Geoff Hardy is extending Australia’s wine vocabulary well beyond the safe confines of the classic varieties. Introducing a new label that speaks of his personal involvement, the ‘Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy’ range will introduce the Australian wine drinker to some rarely encountered varieties, whilst showcasing South Australian viticulture at its best.
The 'Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy' brand represents wines made from parcels of hand selected, premium fruit from the family's vineyards around South Australia.
And the range has proved adept at showcasing just how amenable the South Australian viticultural landscape can be, with the range to include sparkling, red, white, botrytis and fortified wines.
Highlights of the range are some rarely seen European varieties including the award winning Lagrein and Graciano and soon, Primitivo and Teroldego, that feature alongside slightly more familiar friends – Moscato, Roussanne, Savagnin as well as traditional varieties such as Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“I have never shied away from experimenting with whichever variety will work best in a specific vineyard. The Hand Crafted range is finally letting these rare gems shine in their own right. Few Australians venture outside their safe territory of classic varieties, but I want this range to make it easy for Australian wine drinkers to discover a new favourite” said Geoff.
The vineyards that have been used for the Hand Crafted range include the 35ha K1 Vineyard located in the southern Adelaide Hills, the 160haWirrega Vineyard in the Bordertown region of the Limestone Coast and the 200ha Angas Vineyard in Langhorne Creek.
The 'Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy' wines may be an expression of a single vineyard, or regional blends representing an expression of South Australian viticulture and winemaking style.
According to Bec Hardy, Sales & Marketing Manager “It’s great to finally bring out a full range under our Hand Crafted brand and give it its own true identity away from K1. The launch of a new online retail presence and a soon-to-be Cellar Door presence will allow us to bring some of these new and exciting emerging varietals to a broader audience.”
The wines will, initially, be retailed online at www.handcraftedbygeoffhardy.com.au with a new Cellar Door outlet for the wines to be established in late 2011. The wines will also be distributed direct to wholesale and export markets.
About ‘Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy’
The 'Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy' brand represents wines made from parcels of hand selected, premium fruit from the family's vineyards around South Australia. These vineyards are the 35ha K1 Vineyard located in the southern Adelaide Hills, 160haWirrega Vineyard in the Bordertown region of the Limestone Coast and the 200ha Angas Vineyard in Langhorne Creek. All of Geoff's vineyards were planted with careful site selection and canopy management for each variety.
'Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy' wines may be an expression of a single vineyard or, regional blends representing an excellent expression of South Australia viticulture and dynamic winemaking.
These wines also explore the range of Australian viticulture by introducing some new and exciting varietals such as Savagnin, Lagrein and Graciano.
For further details on ‘Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy’, visit www.handcraftedbygeoffhardy.com.au
About ‘K1 by Geoff Hardy’
In 1987 Geoff Hardy and his family began planting 30 hectares of vines with the aim of growing the highest quality grapes for producing ultra-premium wines.
The site, named Kuitpo (’ky-po’) Vineyard, is located along the ridge of the Southwest escarpment of the Mount Lofty Ranges, at a height of between 300 – 350 meters above sea level. The combination of this altitude, climate and ancient soils has made this site ideal for a premium cool climate vineyard. As this vineyard is the first significant planting in the Kuitpo region, most people refer to it now as the ‘K1’ vineyard.
Wines produced under the ‘K1 by Geoff Hardy’ brand are single estate, usually single block, wines from the aesthetically stunning Kuitpo Vineyard.
Today, this family owned and operated business produces 9,000 cases of wine and exports to Canada, Asia, Europe and the USA.
For further details on ‘K1 by Geoff Hardy’, visit www.k1.com.au
About Pertaringa
Pertaringa was established in 1980 by leading viticulturalists Geoff Hardy and Ian Leask. For over 30 years, the Pertaringa vineyards in the foothills behind McLaren Vale have always produced some of the regions finest wines. The soils are enriched from the hills above and the cooler climate further tempered by the sea breezes off St Vincent’s Gulf, setting the scene for high quality wine grapes.
During this time, the families have shared a passionate, innovative and hands-on approach to generational farming techniques and taking care of the natural environment through the adoption of bio-dynamic viticulture.
Further information is available at www.pertaringa.com.au
More News
