Press Releases PRESS RELEASE - For immediate release 17th November 2008 DIZZY's 'Degustation' Dinner 18th of December 2008 at 7pm DIZZY’S ‘DEGUSTATION’ DINNER WITH JASON GILLESPIE & THOMAS K. HARDY IN THE GIL LANGLEY ROOM – BRADMAN STAND ADELAIDE OVAL 7 PM THURSDAY 18th DECEMBER 2008 A ‘6 COURSE DEGUSTATION DINNER’ To celebrate Jason’s amazing feat in scoring a record breaking 201 not out in his final test appearance & to enjoy a taste of the ‘DIZZY 201’ 2005 SHIRAZ’ GUEST’S will hear ‘DIZZY’ SPEAK and receive a NUMBERED, BOXED, BOTTLE of the ‘DIZZY 201’ 2005 SHIRAZ With a RRP of $201 - Personally Signed by JASON & THOMAS K HARDY along with 6 magnificent dishes accompanied by Thomas K. Hardy’s ‘Super Premium’ wines ONLY $250 PER SEAT Secure your place - BOOK NOW:- Tel:- 08 8377 5103 fax:- 08 83775104 , or ONLINE:- Click here AT THE ‘DEGUSTATION DINNER YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK OUT ACROSS THE OVAL TO THE ‘FLOODLIT’ HISTORIC SCOREBOARD AND VIEW IT EXACTLY AS IT WAS IN BANGLADESH WHEN HE HIT HIS FINAL RUN IN THIS REMARKABLE INNINGS. THIS IS YOUR UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A HISTORIC MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF WORLD CRICKET & SOUTH AUSTRALIA, plus listen to Jason’s incredible story and enjoy a magnificent dinner with superb THOMAS K. HARDY Wines…. ‘DIZZY 201’ 2005 SHIRAZ: In June 2008 THOMAS K HARDY WINES released a 2005 Barossa Valley ‘Super Premium’ Shiraz, sourced from 80 year old dry grown vines in the heart of the valley floor at Nuriootpa, the wine was matured for 2 years in the finest new French and American oak hogsheads before bottle aging at a constant 14 degrees Celsius, deep under the Adelaide Hills in the ‘Tunnels Wine Cellars’ - the old Adelaide to Melbourne Train tunnel disused since the 1890’s. This is an opulent wine made for the ‘long haul’ in the mode of ‘Penfold’s Grange’ 2,001 Numbered Bottles and 201 numbered Magnums were made all carrying Jason’s signature 337 Numbered Bottles in individual wooden cases are still available at $201 ea. (163 have already sold) 144 Numbered Magnums in individual wooden cases are still available at $495 ea. (57 have already sold) 1,178 Numbered Bottles are still available at $99 ea. (160 have already sold) Jason Gillespie has been one of Australia's finest ever fast bowlers; Whilst he retired from official Australian International and S.A. State Cricket in early 2008. The veteran of 71 Tests certainly hasn’t hung up his boots and has just ended a season with Glamorgan in the English County Championship. He is now in India for a season with the ‘Ahmedabad Rockets’ in the ICL. The ICL series started on October 10. After the ICL tournament, Jason will be busy on two fronts; he is involved with his Grade Club ‘Adelaide’, who has offered him a ‘Testimonial Year’. The First function will be on Tuesday December 2, at the Glandore Oval where he will be "roasted" by former Australian test players Wayne Phillips, Damien Fleming and Darren Lehmann. Other functions planned include a Golf Day and a Twenty 20 match. Merchandise will also be available, including Caps, stubby holders and signed copies of his Autobiography. Jason will also be heavily involved with XXXX Gold Beach Cricket during the 2008-09 summer, he will join battle with former Aussie stars Darren Lehmann, Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming as they take on ex stars from New Zealand and South Africa. For more info go to --- http://www.xxxxgoldbeachcricket.com.au As a man who loves his red wine, Jason also has a special red wine the 2005 ‘DIZZY 201’ SHIRAZ available through Thomas K. Hardy Wines. In conjunction with Thomas, Jason has released this special Shiraz to commemorate his innings of 201 not out for Australia versus Bangladesh in 2006. There are 2400 only numbered bottles – 500 of which are in numbered wooden cases, and 201 only MAGNUMS in numbered wooden cases. For more go to --- http://www.thomashardywines.com/default.asp?screen=news Jason recently told press in the UK that he is ready to retire from ‘First Class Cricket’. He told the Western Mail he is ready to retire from first-class cricket at the end of the season; he made 11 appearances for Glamorgan this summer in between injuries, taking 21 wickets at 34.61, although he has done better in one-day cricket. Here is the article which appeared on the Cricinfo website Gillespie poised to retire from first-class cricket Cricinfo staff - September 17, 2008 --- http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/370001.html For more on ‘Dizzy’s Cricketing Adventures & Insight into cricket today’, his ‘TESTIMONIAL YEAR’ and activities or to purchase your 2005 ‘DIZZY 201’ SHIRAZ or BOOK YOUR SEAT at the ‘DIZZY 201 ‘DEGUSTATION DINNER’ go to www.dizzy201.com.au PRESS RELEASE - For immediate release 4th March 2008 ‘DIZZY 201’ SHIRAZ Vintage 2005 In his last ‘Test Match’, the final test of the ‘Tour of Bangladesh’ in 2006 on his 31st birthday Jason Gillespie became the first Australian batsman to score a double century in his final Test, with an unbeaten score of 201 runs, facing 425 deliveries over 9 ½ hours. This was all the more amazing coming from one of Australia’s finest ever strike bowlers and ‘tail end’ batsmen. Later that same year I approached Jason with the idea to select and bottle a ‘super premium’ Shiraz to commemorate this momentous event and his fine career, to be released on his retirement. Jason loves good red wine, so I despatched samples of some excellent wines I made in the 2005 vintage to England, where he was playing County Cricket. He made his selection, a 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz from low yielding 80 year old vines in the heart of the valley at Nuriootpa. The wine was aged in new French and American oak hogsheads, then 2001 individually numbered bottles bearing Jason’s signature and 201 individually numbered and signed Magnums in their own hand signed wooden boxes were bottled. For the last 17 months the wine has been quietly maturing at a constant 14 degrees Celsius deep in the hills at Panorama in the ‘Wine Tunnels’ built in the 1880’s for the first Adelaide to Melbourne Train Line. The wine will improve for many years with careful cellaring. Jason’s sudden retirement announced this week has meant that the 2005 DIZZY 201 SHIRAZ can now be released. Whilst Jason is off to India in a couple of day’s time for the ICL Series, then on to England to play for Glamorgan in County Cricket, you can now secure your signed numbered bottles @ A$201 each or signed numbered & boxed Magnums @ A$495 each. To order; just go to my website www.thomashardywines.com and you can place your order for immediate delivery, just click on ‘our cellar’ on the main menu, you can order ‘online’ Or email your order to tkh@picwine.com.au or Tel/fax your order to 08 83775104. Contact Tom Hardy: 0411191043 or 08 83775103 email tkh@picwine.com.au FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11/11/2003 'The Thomas Hardy Tradition' Thomas K. Hardy is the great great grandson of wine pioneer Thomas Hardy who arrived on the shores of South Australia in 1850. On the 16th May 2000 he founded Thomas Hardy Wines Pty Ltd and commenced producing a range of wines to launch his own branch of the family back into the mainstream Australian wine industry. Today these wines are being released. The original Thomas Hardy from Devon in England, founded his own wine enterprise on the banks of the Torrens River at Hindmarsh, an Adelaide suburb, in 1853 and by 1894 he had become Australia's largest wine producer. Recently well known and respected environmentalist Doctor Barbara Hardy, Thomas K. Hardy's mother discovered a plaque honouring the original Thomas Hardy as a long time sydnodsman in the now disused All Saints Anglican church right behind the Hindmarsh stadium. This came to light when Doctor Hardy was assisting the Nature Foundation of South Australia to re-establish their offices in the rectory next door to the church. Thomas Hardy was forever the optimist, entrepreneur and a very community spirited person. During his lifetime he overcame many setbacks in the true Christian spirit. This was amply shown when his beloved Bankside cellars were destroyed by fire in October 1905, ironically the fire started on the Sunday of the Adelaide fire service picnic. Finally the fire was extinguished by the pumping of Thomas's precious wines on to the flames. Undaunted, although he didn't rebuilt the cellars, he immediately expanded his growing enterprises at McLaren Vale and built a new 'winehouse' at Mile End. Thomas K. Hardy and his great great grandfather share a number of things in common. Both have written major books on various wine and wine related industries around the world. Thomas Hardy's best known wine publication was published in 1885 on 'The Vineyards and Wine Cellars of California' following the fact finding and promotional trip around the world in 1883. The book was republished by the book club of California in 1994. In 1989 Thomas K. Hardy published a large book, the 'Pictorial Atlas of North American Wines', following his 'Pictorial Atlas of Australian Wine' a landmark publication on the Australian Wine Industry, published in 1986. Thomas K. has since published a number of major wine books. On the 6th May 2003 Thomas Jack Hardy was born to Thomas William Hardy, the son of Thomas K. Hardy, marking the commencement of the seventh generation of the Hardy family in Australia. The new Thomas K. Hardy wine enterprise has just released six wines. Three Super Premium vintages under 'IMPRIMATUR by Thomas K. Hardy' label. A 2002 Shiraz, a 2003 Chardonnay and a 1999 Cuvee Methode Traditionelle. Plus three Premium wines under the 'FAMILY TRADITION' label. A 2002 Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, a 2001 Cabernet/Merlot and a 2001 Shiraz. Thomas K. Hardy has also founded an innovative Wines Society. You can find out more about the wines and the society on the website www.thomashardywines.com PHOTOGRAPHS ATTACHED 1. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy, the first born of the fifth, sixth and seventh generations of their family in Australia. Pictured in front of the plaque to Thomas Hardy their ancestor, in the All Saints Anglican Church in Hindmarsh. 2. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy at the grave of their ancestor Thomas Hardy in the Hindmarsh cemetery, rediscovered and restored some years ago by Doctor Barbara Hardy. 3. The site of the original Bankside cellars, at the end of Hardy's Road, on the banks of the Torrens River at Underdale only a few kilometres from the centre of Adelaide. 4. Doctor Barbara Hardy with Thomas J. Hardy, her great grandson FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11/11/2003 'Another Thomas Hardy Tradition begins' Thomas K. Hardy great great grandson of wine pioneer Thomas Hardy, his son Thomas W. Hardy and his newly arrived grandson Thomas J. Hardy, the first of the seventh generation of the family, are pictured amongst the remains of the famous Tintara cellars in the hills above McLaren Vale. These famous cellars and vineyards were bought at auction in 1876 by the extraordinary wine pioneer Thomas Hardy from Devon in England. Thomas Hardy put McLaren Vale back on the road to success through vines, olives and almonds when the region had foundered through the over cropping of cereals. 26 years after his death, the district paid him a special tribute by building a stone monument to him in the main street, bearing the inscription "To the memory of Thomas Hardy, pioneer vigneron", this is the only memorial to be erected in honour of a winemaker in Australia. Thomas K. Hardy founded a new wine company, Thomas Hardy Wines Pty Ltd in May 2000 to re-launch his own branch of the family back into the mainstream of the Australian Wine Industry. Thomas Hardy Wines Pty Ltd has just released 6 wines under the Thomas K. Hardy banner. Three super premium wines carrying the 'IMPRIMATUR by Thomas K. Hardy' label and three premium wines under the 'FAMILY TRADITION' label. Thomas K. has also launched an innovative wine society, which will appeal to the wine and food enthusiast. You can find out more about the wines and the wine society by going to the website www.thomashardywines.com.au. PHOTOGRAPHS ATTACHED 1. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy in front of the original Tintara cellars 2. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy in front of the Thomas Hardy memorial in McLaren Vale 3. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy looking out over McLaren Vales with its wines olives and almonds. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11/11/2003 'The Hardy Family Yachting Tradition continues' Thomas K. Hardy great great grandson of Thomas Hardy the wine pioneer, often referred to as 'The Father of the South Australian Wine Industry' is also part of a strong yachting tradition. This commenced with his grand father Tom Mayfield Hardy in the early part of the last century. In 1925 Tom Mayfield Hardy was issued with Australia's first 'Master Yachtsman's Certificate'. A science graduate from the Adelaide University he also demonstrated his innovative skills in jointly designing a method of indirect fire for machine guns during the first world war, when he was an officer in the 3rd Machine Gun Section of the 9th Light Horse Regiment fighting in France. This special machine gun plotter, the 'Wingham-Hardy Plotter' jointly bearing his name is still in use today. Around 1920 he built a beautiful bungalow home on the cliff tops at Seacliff, an Adelaide suburb, this home is now heritage listed. It overlooks the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, Tom Mayfield founded and was commodore until his untimely death in the Kyeema air disaster in 1938. This, Australia's first major air disaster, in the Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne, also claimed the lives of Sydney Hill-Smith Managing Director of Yalumba Wines and Hugo Group Managing Director of Orlando Wines. In these waters off Seacliff, Jim Hardy (now Sir James) won the world 505 Yachting Championship, in 1966, as well as a number of other Australian Yachting Championships. Thomas K. Hardy has also won the 1967-68 Stonehaven Cup, the Australian Cadet Dingy Championship and the 1974 Australian Flying Dutchman Championship on these waters sometimes referred to as 'Hardy's Pond'. Thomas K. Hardy Wines has just released 6 wines. Three under the 'IMPRIMATUR by Thomas K. Hardy' and three premium wines under the 'FAMILY TRADITION' label. Thomas has also created a unique innovative wine society, which will enable keen wine enthusiasts and the average wine drinker to expand their wine and food horizons. You can find out more about the Thomas K. Hardy wine society and the new Thomas Hardy wines on their website www.thomashardywines.com.au. PHOTOGRAPH ATTACHED 1. Thomas K. Hardy, his son Thomas W. Hardy and grand son Thomas J. Hardy, on the cliff tops at Seacliff in front of the heritage listed family home 'Nunkeri' built in 1920 by their ancestor Tom Mayfield Hardy. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11/11/2003 'Thomas K. Hardy, the author turns again to wine.' Thomas Hardy is a name famous in the literary world. Who in their school years did not slog through one of his classic novels. 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles', 'The Mayor of Casterbridge', 'Far from the Madding Crowd' or many others. In 1850, Thomas Hardy the wine pioneer came to South Australia from the same 'Hardy country' in the fictionary 'Wessex' of his namesake's novels. Thomas K. Hardy, now in his fifties, great, great grandson of Thomas Hardy the wine pioneer worked in his family's wine company for fourteen years, before embarking on a career as a wine and food author. He created Australia's first Pictorial Wine Atlas, with renowned photographer Milan Roden in 1985. During the last eighteen years he has written and published five major wine and food books. The most recent a 608 page work on Australian and New Zealand wine and food. In all, in 5 editions he has published 173,000 copies with a retail value of 7.8 million Australian dollars. During the latter part of his publishing career he has been helped by his son Thomas William Hardy, now 29 years old, in the production of his last 2 major wine books. On the 6th May 2003 the seventh generation of the Hardy family in Australia was ushered in when Thomas Jack Hardy was born. In May the year 2000 Thomas K. Hardy commenced the re-launching of his branch of the family into the mainstream of the Australian wine industry, when he founded Thomas Hardy Wines Pty Ltd. The company has just released 6 wines. Three under the 'IMPRIMATUR by Thomas K. Hardy' and three premium wines under the 'FAMILY TRADITION' label. He has also created a unique innovative wine society, which will enable keen wine enthusiasts and the average wine drinker to expand their wine and food horizons. You can find out more about the Thomas K. Hardy wine society and the new Thomas Hardy wines on their website www.thomashardywines.com.au. PHOTOGRAPHS ATTACHED 1. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy peruse their latest Pictorial publication in the ' Thomas Hardy Tower at the ' McLaren vale & Fleurieu Wine centre '. 2. Thomas K. Hardy, Thomas W. Hardy, Thomas J. Hardy in the award winning Kuitpo Vineyards of Thomas K.'s brother Geoffrey from where they source some of their grapes.