By the late 1880s, his 3 sons were running the business with him, and expanding rapidly. The business prospered and Thomas Hardy became known as ‘the father of the South Australian wine industry’, an ambitious visionary, who was the first to focus on high quality wines, blended from different areas, which would be prized all over the world. He died in 1882, but his legacy was secure. Hardys Crest is a popular range of wines, well known in supermarket ranges, Crest is well known for its sparkling wines, as well as its still wines. Top favourites are Crest Shiraz Cabernet Merlot and Chardonnay Semillon.

From the approachable, easy drinking Hardys VR range, through to the jewels in the crown, Thomas Hardy and Eileen Hardy, the range covers a wide variety of price points and styles, including white, Rose, red and sparkling. Hardys Bin 53 are full flavoured, spicy, flavoursome wines – Shiraz and Chardonnay are the best known styles.For over 150 years, the Hardys philosophy has been to encourage the creation of quality wines, pushing the boundaries, looking to pioneer new styles and produce wines of interest, balance and structure. One of the most surprising facts about the origins of the Australian Hardys brand, is that it was created and established by an Englishman, Thomas Hardy, who set off from Plymouth in 1850, for the colony in Australia, and in so doing, became a legend. After working on farms and vineyards for 2 years, he fulfilled his aim to set up his own business and bought his first vineyard in South Australia, near Adelaide. He planted mainly Shiraz and Grenache. This beauty is the face of the new wave of Aussie Chardonnay. Full bodied, delicious tropical fruits and ripe melons combine with leaner, fresher oak flavours. Confident, elegant, gorgeous: if this wine were a super model, it would be Elle Mcpherson. years after Thomas Hardy & Sons was started, the business had several different wineries, and was exporting all over the world. Over time a number of different brands within the Hardys family evolved, from easy drinking, great value style, to some iconic top quality wines. When the Australian wine boom happened in the UK, Hardy’s was poised to maximise the opportunity, and the rest is almost history. It had sealed its place as one of the most important wine brands in the world.

Whilst many brands have expanded their range into different countries, the Hardys brand stays firmly rooted in Australia.