Think Australia, think Shiraz

Chardonnay is a real food wine — it demands food,” declares William “Bill” Hardy, brand ambassador of Hardys Wines, at the launch of his eponymous wine range over lunch at Zuni in Greenbelt 5. “It’s not as refreshing as a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, which are aperitif wines. Chardonnay is Australia’s most widely planted grape, and is my favorite variety in the world.”

It’s not surprising, then, that the fifth-generation winemaker decided on a chardonnay as one of his first two varieties for the William Hardy range.

William hardy fifth generation winemaker

The second William Hardy wine is a 2012 Shiraz. He decided on this variety because “most people, when they think of Australia and are asked to name one variety, it is Shiraz.” A glass was poured and set before a fish and meat dish; possibly the Shiraz was meant to be paired with both. But as I sliced through the crisp, pan-seared sole, my hand instinctively reached out for the 2012 chardonnay made from Australia’s cooler areas of Padthaway, McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully. Fresh and lively, it had flavors of peach, stone fruit and lemon zest that washed down the fish topped with tomato salsa beautifully.

I then moved on to the beefsteak and took a sip of the Shiraz from McLaren Vale, which had been aged in French and American oak (although with little barrel time, as the oak was intended to be kept in the background). It was a full-bodied wine with plum, blueberry, blackberry, vanilla and clove spice flavors.

Apparently, Bill Hardy did the same.

“I thought the restaurant was bold in putting the fish and steak in one plate, and the chardonnay and Shiraz in front of us,” he shared. “I had to drink the chardonnay with the sole and the Shiraz with the beef — I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned. I usually save my Shiraz for richer and gamey dishes but with the jus and sauce, it gave the steak the richness of flavor.”

Time-honored family tradition

The William Hardy wines, which celebrate Bill’s 40 years in the company, sits slightly at the top of the core range, ahead of Hardys Nottage Hill, Stamp and VR. It is a time-honored tradition of naming wines after the winemakers who have worked/ served in the family business for many years. “It really started with Nottage Hill in 1967,” shares Bill. “My great, great-grandfather Thomas Hardy Nottage was the second generation of the family and worked for 66 years in the business, so we felt we should recognize him.

“The second one was my grandmother Eileen Hardy, when she had her 80th birthday,” he continues. “Her four children couldn’t work out what to give her so they decided to bottle 500 cases of the best red wine in the cellar and they called it Eileen Hardy. Later on when we decided that Eileen Hardy shouldn’t be just the best red, but the best Shiraz, we decided we could then use my great, great-grandfather’s name for the best cabernet, so that’s when we named it Thomas Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon. And finally, the fourth generation, Sir James Hardy, we first launched the wines under his name in about 1990 (the Sir James sparkling range).”

As for the wines that commemorate his own 40 years in the company, how does Bill Hardy himself like to enjoy them?  “For the William Hardy Shiraz, I love things like beef cheeks, oxtail and osso buco — with some bone in it, cooked for 10 hours — with the meat falling off the bone.” He lets out a sigh of nostalgia. “To drink with, Shiraz would be perfect.” As for the chardonnay, he says, “Scallops cooked in just a light butter or cream sauce, no real spicing, or even pan-fried with a little bit of butter, cracked black pepper — that would be heaven for me.”

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William Hardy wines are available through Forth & Tay and select cellars at the suggested retail price of P755 for the Shiraz and chardonnay varietals.

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