Accolade Wines has partnered with Gebr. Heinemann and JR/Duty Free to launch three Hardys wines – the 165th Anniversary Cabernet Shiraz and Eileen Hardy Shiraz 2015 and Chardonnay 2016 – in selected airports in Australia and India.
The wines were presented at tastings at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.
Accolade Wines Commercial Director Global Travel Retail Rupert Firbank said: “A key objective of our premium vertical tasting at Cannes was to showcase the breadth and depth of wine within the Hardys portfolio.
“We also wanted to highlight the premium credentials that this brand brings to the category within the travel retail channel. Many consumers are familiar with the entry price point selection – which plays an important role in driving penetration – but Hardys has a lot more to offer than that.”
Firbank said Hardys offers a selection of varieties and price points which range from £15 (US$20) to £150 (US$200) in global travel retail.
“These accessible new wine styles reflect the pioneering nature of the brand, and also have a key role to play in attracting new consumers to the category,” Firbank concluded.
The 165th Anniversary Cabernet Shiraz celebrates Hardys’ 165 years of winemaking. Hardys Chief Winemaker Paul Lapsley noted that company Founder Thomas Hardy pioneered a winemaking philosophy that blended varieties and regions. “This tradition and innovative spirit continues today and this Cabernet Shiraz is the pinnacle of our winemaking ethos,” Lapsley said.
“It’s about passion and a fierce determination to produce the very best and find the finest vineyards. This is matched by an interpretation of what to do in the winery but also an inherent understanding of what not to do. These are the fundamentals of our winemaking mantra.”
The wine combines fruit grown in McLaren Vale, Frankland River and Coonawarra to produce “a quintessential Australian red blend”. It is limited to 2,148 bottles (RRP AU$250, €159) and 234 magnums (AU$500, €318). The label features artwork designed by celebrated Australian artist John Olsen.
165th Anniversary Cabernet Shiraz is available at Brisbane and Sydney airports, with JR/Duty Free and Gebr. Heinemann respectively. Accolade Wines said discussions were underway with other retailers.
Hardys’ flagship Eileen Hardy wines take their name from the company’s matriarch, Eileen Hardy, an “indomitable spirit and the first lady of Australian wine”.
“It’s about passion and a fierce determination to produce the very best and find the finest vineyards,” said Lapsley. “This is matched by an interpretation of what to do in the winery but also an inherent understanding of what not to do. These are the fundamentals of our winemaking mantra.”
Eileen Hardy Chardonnay (RRP AU$95, €60) and Shiraz (AU$124, €79) are available in Australian airports and in Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in India. Accolade said the wines will also be featured in selected airports in the Middle East and the UK.
