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2012 Ox Hardy 1891 Ancestor Vine Shiraz - 3x75cl
15B2OH1981AVS3PK _ 2012 - Ox Hardy 1891 Ancestor Vine Shiraz - 3x75cl
  • Colour Red
  • Producer Ox Hardy
  • Region McLaren Vale
  • Drinking 2022 - 2040
  • Case size 3x75cl
  • Available Now

2012 - Ox Hardy 1891 Ancestor Vine Shiraz - 3x75cl

  • Colour Red
  • Producer Ox Hardy
  • Region McLaren Vale
  • Drinking 2022 - 2040
  • Case size 3x75cl
  • Available Now
Select pricing type
Pricing Info
Case price: £371.53 Duty Paid inc VAT
Equivalent Bottle Price: £123.84 Duty Paid inc VAT
Case price: £300.00 In Bond
Case price: £300.00 In Bond
Please note: This wine is available for immediate delivery.
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Pricing

  • IN BOND prices exclude UK Duty and VAT. Wines can be purchased In Bond for storage in Private Reserves or another bonded warehouse, or for export to non-EU countries. Duty and VAT must be paid before delivery can take place.

  • RETAIL prices include UK Duty and VAT. Wines for UK delivery can only be purchased this way.

Additional Information

  • Duty Paid wines have been removed from Bond and cannot subsequently be returned to Bond.  VAT is payable on Duty Paid wines. These wines must remain Duty Paid but can be purchased as such for storage subject to VAT.

  • En Primeur wines can only be purchased In Bond. On arrival in the UK these wines can either be stored In Bond in Private Reserves or another bonded warehouse or delivered directly to you. When you decide to take delivery, Duty and VAT at the prevailing rate become payable.
  • Wine Advocate, August 2021, Score: 94+

    The current release of this rarity, the 2012 Upper Tintara Vineyard 1891 Ancestor Vines Shiraz was produced in minute quantities (under 1,000 bottles) from a vineyard block planted by Thomas Hardy in 1891. Matured two years in second-fill barriques from DJ, it was then aged in bottle another seven years prior to release. It's still remarkably dark and youthful, with pungent scents of camphor, asphalt, star anise and blackberries emanating from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it's dense and packed with substance, still tannic to some extent, with years ahead of it. Yes, it's 100% Shiraz, but in some ways, it's built more like a Cabernet, with a sense of reserve and coolness, accentuated by the lingering licorice notes on the long finish. Drink 2023-2040.

  • Wine Advocate, August 2021, Score: 94+

    The current release of this rarity, the 2012 Upper Tintara Vineyard 1891 Ancestor Vines Shiraz was produced in minute quantities (under 1,000 bottles) from a vineyard block planted by Thomas Hardy in 1891. Matured two years in second-fill barriques from DJ, it was then aged in bottle another seven years prior to release. It's still remarkably dark and youthful, with pungent scents of camphor, asphalt, star anise and blackberries emanating from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it's dense and packed with substance, still tannic to some extent, with years ahead of it. Yes, it's 100% Shiraz, but in some ways, it's built more like a Cabernet, with a sense of reserve and coolness, accentuated by the lingering licorice notes on the long finish. Drink 2023-2040.


  • Matthew Jukes, December 2020, Score: 20+

    I was very fortunate to taste the only bottle of this vintage in the country and I understand that it is not yet released in Australia, so this is somewhat of a scoop. Given I only had a tasting sample-sized glass with which to make my notes so this is a somewhat cramped review, but I can tell you that this is yet another stellar interpretation of the vines which Thomas Hardy planted back in 1891. So deep, so closed and yet so refreshing, the power-to-weight ratio here is mind-blowing and the monastic control on the palate confounds any form of devotion I have ever heard of. By far the most introverted and centred AVS to date, at eight years old, this wine is refusing to budge, but there is so much potential here it is staggering. We are witnessing the birth of a vinous superstar, and with 2008 and 2010 in the back catalogue, and knowing just how serious the great 2012s are from other wineries in South Australia, I can safely say that I expect this wine to unfurl over the next two or three years into one of the finest Shiraz/Syrahs on the planet. As far as experiences go, my sip and a half took me on an even more fascinating journey than the near-perfect 2010 but, of course, I didn’t reach the destination. Nevertheless, I was overwhelmed with just how expressive and also how distinguished this wine felt on my palate and so it would be remiss of me to give it anything less than a perfect score. Drink 2024 – 2045


  • MJ1, January 2023, Score: 20+

    Andrew Hardy is a winemaking superstar in Australia. He is also a very experienced wine judge, having Chaired the Royal Adelaide Wine Show many times and my own, The Great Australian Red Show. Aside from his family’s famous vinous heritage, Andrew is most wellknown for crafting Petaluma (Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra and Clare Valley) and Knappstein (Clare Valley) wines, receiving extraordinary acclaim. Andrew is also among Australia’s most respected and influential wine industry leaders. A fifth-generation winemaker, he is the greatgreat-grandson of Thomas Hardy - the ‘Father of the South Australian Wine Industry’. Andrew is now into his fourth decade (he won’t thank me for this!) of making elite wine, and yet I think he is finally managing to craft near-perfect wines with every label he releases. Exacting standards and epic raw materials, coupled with a burning desire to encourage his vineyards to express themselves fully in the glass, make these wines which speak from the heart as well as from the elemental soils in his family vineyards. Interestingly, I tasted a handful of these wines with David Robert MW. Two of his expressions/impressions stood out – “You won’t taste a better bottle of wine this year” and also, “I was lucky to taste some ’82 and ’96 First Growths the other day, and this wine gives them a run for their money” (both comments refer to the 2010 vintage of Ancestor Vines Shiraz)! No self-respecting wine collector can declare their cellar complete without a few cases of these wines in their racks. I was very fortunate to taste the only bottle of this 2012 vintage in the country, and I understand that it is not yet released in Australia, so this is somewhat of a scoop. Given that I only had a tasting sample-sized glass with which to make my notes, this is a slightly cramped review, but I can tell you that this is yet another stellar interpretation of the vines that Thomas Hardy planted back in 1891. So deep, so closed and yet so refreshing, the power-to-weight ratio here is mind-blowing, and the monastic control on the palate confounds any form of devotion I have ever heard of. By far the most introverted and centred AVS to date, this wine is refusing to budge at ten years old, but there is so much potential here it is staggering. We are witnessing the birth of a vinous superstar, and with 2008 and 2010 in the back catalogue and knowing just how serious the great 2012s are from other wineries in South Australia, I can safely say that I expect this wine to unfurl over the next two or three years into one of the finest Shiraz/Syrahs on the planet. As far as experiences go, my sip and a half took me on an even more fascinating journey than the near-perfect 2010 vintage, but I didn’t reach the destination. Nevertheless, I was overwhelmed with just how expressive and also how distinguished this wine felt on my palate, so it would be remiss of me to give it anything less than a perfect score 20+/20 score.

Producer

Ox Hardy

Ox Hardy is the personal passion project of winemaker Andrew ‘Ox’ Hardy, formerly chief winemaker at cult estate Petaluma in the Adelaide Hills. Twenty years ago, he began making tiny amounts of wine for the family to drink from cherished old vines, some first planted in the 1800s by his great great grandfather Thomas Hardy. This McLaren Vale estate has become revered for its small-production Shiraz. They are deeply impress...Read more

Ox Hardy is the personal passion project of winemaker Andrew ‘Ox’ Hardy, formerly chief winemaker at cult estate Petaluma in the Adelaide Hills. Twenty years ago, he began making tiny amounts of wine for the family to drink from cherished old vines, some first planted in the 1800s by his great great grandfather Thomas Hardy. This McLaren Vale estate has become revered for its small-production Shiraz. They are deeply impressive wines, and as leading wine critic Matthew Jukes says, “No self-respecting wine collector can declare their cellar complete without a few cases of these wines in their racks”. Goedhuis CEO Tom Stopford Sackville first met Andrew Hardy, while harvesting the 1989 vintage at Petaluma in the Adelaide Hills. Roll forward 32 years, Tom and the whole Goedhuis team are understandably excited and honoured to represent Ox Hardy as exclusive UK importer. Ox shares our enthusiasm: "I am delighted and honoured that Goedhuis Co. are importing and distributing my wines in the UK. I worked with Tom at Petaluma in 1989 when we were both young fellas. How fortuitous that 32 years later we are linked through wines that I have been making for some years from the Upper Tintara Vineyard my great-great grandfather bought in 1871. The wines are true expressions of this grand old vineyard and I feel the Goedhuis team is an ideal fit. The portfolio is tight and excellent, representing many of the worlds' great estates, and it is wonderful to be in such company. I look forward to many happy years with Goedhuis Co."Read less

Region

McLaren Vale

McLaren Vale's vineyards can be found in South Australia on the rolling hills stretching from southof Adelaide to south of Morphett Vale. The region produces big red wines of excellent quality from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon mainly. These rich reds, especially the Shiraz, can often be distinguished by their dark chocolate, warm-earth character. The complex range of soils in the region also means that many other grape varieties can be seen to grow, such as old-vine Grenache, Chardonnay, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.