Andrew Hardy
UNITING HISTORY AND INNOVATION
Fifth-generation winemaker Andrew Hardy has helped shaped modern Australian wine. Through his latest project, he’s making wine from his great, great grandfather’s vineyard.
One of Australia’s most successful and respected winemakers, Andrew has worked in some of Australia’s best wineries and most important wine regions. In the Clare Valley, he won a trophy for best Cabernet in the world. Now the Cabernet King is living in Australia’s most famous Cabernet region, Coonawarra. But Cabernet isn’t his only triumph.
Red wine and revolution
Andrew has seen a lot change in the Australian wine scene since he joined the industry almost 40 years ago. Born into wine aristocracy – he’s the son of renowned wine producer Bob Hardy who was cousin to winemaker Sir James Hardy – he started his career at Petaluma, one of Australia’s most important wineries.
Working at Knappstein Wines in the Clare Valley, Andrew played a pivotal role in the industry-wide adoption of the screw cap closure – a revolution in Australian wine. He also won the Warren Winiarski Trophy for Best Cabernet in the World and the Trophy for the Best Australian Red Wine.
In 2018, the King of Cabernet moved to Australia’s best-known home of Cabernet, Coonawarra, to join WD Wines.
Fifth-generation winemaker Andrew Hardy has helped shaped modern Australian wine. Through his latest project, he’s making wine from his great, great grandfather’s vineyard.
“I think Cabernet is one of the great varieties of the world,” says Andrew. “Coonawarra is 80 kilometres from the Southern Ocean, which is like a giant refrigerator, and it just makes beautiful Cabernet. You can see the region in the bottle, which I think is really special.”
As director of winemaking for the group, Andrew oversees the wines made under four brands, including Parker Coonawarra Estate and Hesketh Wine Company. In collaboration with CEO Jonathon Hesketh, he’s just added another brand to the list – his own label, Ox Hardy (‘Ox’ being his enduring childhood nickname).
One of his flagship wines is a Shiraz made from a vineyard in McLaren Vale that his great, great grandfather, Thomas Hardy – known as the father of the South Australian wine industry – acquired in 1871.
Andrew’s winemaking philosophy is about letting the region and vineyard shine through. He also places great importance on the more creative, intangible side of making wine.
“I think the art and craft of wine is vital,” he says. “We all learn the science, which is very important, but the art and craft of wine is really about what we see out there in the vineyard and how we bring that into the winery … hopefully showing what the region has given you.”
“The art and craft of wine is about what we see out there in the vineyard and how we bring that into the winery, hopefully showing what the region has given you.” – Andrew Hardy
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