Reviewed: 4th August 2012

Paul Lapsley, the senior winemaker at Hardys was in town this week to show off a cross-section of his newest release wines. The wines were fantastic.

Despite the size of Hardys and associated wineries (Houghton, Amberly etc.), there was a clear house-style in evidence. The best wines all showed remarkable restraint, balance and elegance. Refinement is the key here and the result is superb.

For me, the bargain of the range was the Siegersdorf riesling. Absolutely delicious yet capable of aging for some time. The surprise for me was the Eileen Hardy pinot noir. A wine full of life and a great example of the style. In a superb line up, the Thomas Hardy was, ultimately, my favourite. Superb stuff.

NB. This was not a blind tasting, so my points are a guide only.

Reviewed

Hardys – Pinot Noir/Chardonnay – Sir James – 2007 (17.5). Very fine mousse on this. There is a complex nose that has lemon and red fruits over lees and autolysis notes. The balance on the palate is excellent, with the acidity deftly balancing the dosage. The length is excellent and the finish is clean and drying, with very good palate feel. This is a blend of Yarra Valley and Tasmanian fruit. The wine spent four years on lees and went though 100% malo-lactic fermentation.

Hardys – Riesling – Siegersdorf – 2012 (17.7). Lovely, though delicate limey fruit that has floral highlights. Perfume and almost musk characters follow on the palate. Seamless, fine, long, intense and sublime, this is totally delicious, but is worthy of a bit of bottle age. Lacks the concentration/acidity of the greatest, but this is a cracking wine to drink now and a bargain to boot.

Hardys – Riesling – HRB/D650 – 2011 (18). More steely and taut than the Siegersdorf. Stony minerality and a suggestion of lime teases the nose. The palate is tight and restrained. This is not austere, it is very shy. This wine will evolve and improve for many years and hold for many more.

Hardys – Chardonnay – Nottage Hill – 2011 (16.3). Smells like chardonnay, tastes like chardonnay. A remarkable wine for the price, this has reasonable quality fruit that has been expertly made. Even the hint of oak works well.

Hardys – Chardonnay – HRB/D651 – 2010 (17.8). Lovely nose with delicate, peachy fruit over complex, lees, barrel ferment and oak influences. The palate is complex, long, fine and elegant. The balance and texture are a highlight. This is a very elegant style that has great appeal, but I would like to leave it for a few years to show its best. A blend of fruit from Pemberton and the Yarra Valley.

Hardys – Chardonnay – Eileen Hardy – 2010 (18/18.5). This is a superb wine. Complex, refined, balanced and extraordinarily fine. The balance between the oak and fruit is superb. The subtlety on display means that 3 – 5 years would only help this to flesh out. The high quality oak has been well judged and the length is a highlight. Deserves its reputation as one of Australia’s finest.

Hardys – Pinot Noir – Eileen Hardy – 2010 (18). Lovely fragrant fruit that has cherry and berry fruit. This is a very appealing wine. Excellent quality fruit that has been massaged expertly. The mouth-feel is excellent while the finish is long and savoury. An excellent wine with life, energy and drive. Deserves the Eileen Hardy name. (Made from MV6 clone and had partial whole bunch fermentation and 25% new oak).

Hardys – Cabernet Sauvignon – Thomas Hardy – 2010 (18.5). Wow, I like this. Another elegant and refined wine with real class. This is tight and restrained, but the balance and texture is superb. The perfectly ripe fruit has been given royal treatment. The balance makes this near seamless in the mouth. Gorgeous fruit, expertly handled.

Hardys – Shiraz – HRB/D646 – 2008 (17.7). Lovely nose here. The refinement and balance really stand out. The palate is flooded by ripe fruit, though the finish is quite tight, lean and savoury. Really long in the palate, the fruit, oak and tannins meld really well. This just needs a few years for the fruit to fully express itself.

Hardys – Shiraz – Eileen Hardy – 2007 (18.3). Lovely fruit, though this is a touch leaner than other vintages. Again, balance and refinement are the key to this wine. Delicate aniseed and coffee over subtle black fruits and hints of forest floor. This builds in the glass and gets really interesting. As with all the wines under the Eileen Hardy banner, the tannin management is superb! The length on the finish is exceptional.