This month saw the launch of a £12m marketing campaign for Hardys, the flagship brand of Constellation Europe, which will run throughout the summer and encompasses TV advertising, promotions, sponsorship and events.
Hardys Nottage Hill brand celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, and the wines include Nottage Hill Chardonnay (13.5% abv), a ripe, typically tropical fruit-driven Chardonnay sourced mainly from Riverland and Murray-Darling.
Twenty-five per cent of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, which gives the palate a soft, creamy mouthfeel. Judicious use of oak during vinification adds a dimension of toasty-vanilla nuances.
The grapes for the Nottage Hill Cabernet Shiraz (14% abv) are harvested at night to retain maximum freshness and varietal character. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, after which a portion of the blend is transferred to oak barrels.
The blend, 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest predominantly Shiraz, produces a rich, full-flavoured wine which combines the spicy Shiraz character with the rich blackcurranty fruit of the Cabernet.
To buy it, call 0870 600 0640
Matthew Clark