Hardy’s wines seem to have dropped off the radar for over the past little while, and so it is great to see them back in the market with two cracking wines like these that are just the thing to pick up for your Xmas/Holiday dinner. Hardy’s have decided to go back to the original concept of “bins”, when they were actually labelled as such because they were storage lots rather than simply marketing labels. These two bottlings have very little in common with the Hardy’s wines of yesteryear, and will surprise many who dare to try them out.
The Heritage Bin Reserve Chardonnay combines fruit from both Pemberton in Western Australia and the cool Adelaide Hills to produce a wine with surprising elegance and finesse. The oak regime shows judicious élevage, and hence wonderful integration fruit/wood integration. This wine is so far removed from what most folks think of as Ozzie Chardonnay.
The HRB Shiraz, sourced from the Mclaren Vale and Clare Valley, exhibits the better side of Australian Shiraz, with abundant dark fruits, with just a hint of cracked pepper, and an acid balance that makes one crave another glassful.
2009 Hardy’s “HRB: D648” Chardonnay, Pemberton/Adelaide Hills, Australia $29.95
2007 Hardy’s “HRB: D641” Shiraz, McLaren Vale/Clare Valley, Australia $35.95
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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he thinks that these two wines will be just the job with your turkey replete with all the trimmings.
