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Some bottles are made to be enjoyed straight away, while others spend years tucked away before there is a chance to discover what time has done to them.
This September, Hardys Tintara is opening four vintages of its prestigious Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon for a rare month-long tasting in McLaren Vale, with wines spanning from 2010 to 2020.
It’s a rare opportunity to experience side by side, the collection includes award-winning 2010 and 2013 vintages, the 97-point 2014 Cabernet and the more recent 2020 release.
“There’s something special about going to the back of the cellar, dusting off these bottles and bringing them into the Cellar Door,” said Siubhan Wilcox, Brand Home Manager at Hardys Tintara.
“It’s a rare opportunity to taste these remarkable Thomas Hardy wines and experience the legacy of a true Australian wine pioneer.”
For $25, guests will be guided through all four, comparing how each vintage has developed while discovering the story of the pioneering winemaker whose name appears on every bottle.
And that name carries a considerable amount of history for the brand.
Thomas Hardy first arrived in South Australia from Devon in 1850, at just 20-years-old, and soon found work with winemaker John Reynell, who introduced him to the industry.
Just three years later, Hardy produced his first vintage and established his own winery, Bankside. By 1857 he was already exporting wine to England, beginning a journey that would eventually make his name known well beyond Australia.
In 1876, he established Hardys Tintara in McLaren Vale, helping lay the foundations for what would become one of South Australia’s most significant wine regions.
It was international recognition that quickly followed, including a Gold Medal at Bordeaux in 1882.
By 1894, Hardys had become the largest wine producer in Australia, producing around 1.2 million litres a year, the equivalent of almost 1.6 million standard bottles.
When he passed in 1912, The Register described him as “the father of the wine industry in South Australia”, recognising the role he had played in building the state’s reputation for wine both at home and overseas.
The first wine in his honour, the Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon, was made in 1989 and released in 1994 as a tribute to his approach of sourcing the best grapes available.
Rather than being tied to a single vineyard or region, the Cabernet brings together premium fruit from different Australian wine regions, with each selected to contribute to the character of that particular vintage.
Now we’re getting a rare chance to taste the four Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon vintages. It’s not just about the flavour of the wine, but the history intertwined with each bottle from a legacy that continues 170 years on.
Tastings are only available for a limited time on throughout the month of September, and it’s an opportunity not to be missed.
Hardys Wines
Where: Hardys Tintara Cellar Door, 202 Main Road, McLaren Vale
When: 1–30 September, daily, 11am – last booking at 3pm
Price: $25 per person
For more, click here.
