On a high with Hardys

Fans of Hardys wine from Australia enjoyed dinner with brand ambassador Bill Hardy recently at Hamilton’s Steak House at the Dusit Thani.
The great-great-grandson of Thomas Hardy –who started the vineyard outside Adelaide in 1853 – trained at university in Bordeaux and the renowned chateaux Bouscauf and Haut Brion in Graves.
“When I got back from France I had a different approach to winemaking,” he said. “My old friends were using technology to make wine, but I had more of a philosophical approach, as the French do.”
The French have since adopted many technical processes, Hardy said, but still not to the same extent as in Australia.
He regards wine as a living organism that “can change itself – you don’t need to manipulate it, to push it this way or that. It’s like a difficult young boy turning out to be a fine gentleman.”
Guests were welcomed with Hardys VR Classic Cuvee, an uncomplicated sparkling wine made from shiraz. Hardy guided them through the five-course dinner and tastings with his characteristic humour and enthusiasm.
There were two whites and a red from Hardys Nottage Hill range, so named for Thomas Nottage, the long-time vineyard manager.
The first course of sweet Caledonian prawns and smoked ham terrine was lovingly paired with Nottage Hill Pinot Grigio 2009. The wine’s acidity cleansed the palate of the ham and made the prawns even sweeter.
US scallop, crabmeat and a pea potage crab bisque were served with Nottage Hill Chardonnay 2010, with its aromas of citrus blossom, melon and peach. Its creamy rich texture complemented the scallop and crabmeat nicely.
The first red of the evening – Nottage Hill Cabernet Shiraz 2010 – came with stewed pigeon and roulade ballotine of the breast. This sauvignon-shiraz blend was too young to drink and could age for another two to five years, but it still showed aromas of sweet raspberry, cherry and cassis from the Sauvignon and was spicy, white pepper, plumy on the nose from the shiraz.
The fourth course of beef wellington with truffle sauce and shimeji mushrooms was paired with Eileen Hardys Shiraz 1996, named after Bill Hardy’s grandmother, who Queen Elizabeth made a Grand Dame.
Eileen’s shiraz was the star of the night with its aromas of blackberry, mulberry, spearmint and cracked black pepper, made complex by spice and herbal aromas of rosemary, nutmeg, cloves and musk on the nose.
It was full-bodied with juicy and ripe currant and mulberry character, which made the beef sweeter and smoother. The beef in turn made the wine rounder.
Most of the guests asked for more Eileen, happy to forget the dessert of chocolate, red berries with pistachio ice cream and meringue.
Asked about the difficulty in keeping up with trends, Hardy said the firm is making wines that appeal to newcomers. They’re “friendly to drink, with fruit character, soft, round and a hint of sweet, which would make a good impression on a new drinker, not too complicated in the tannins, acidity and structure”.
Despite Thailand’s high import duty and tax on wine, he noted, the wine-drinking community is growing here just like everywhere else.
“But wine consumption here is very, very low compared to other countries, so I am now challenging all Thais!”