History
At 20 years of age, Thomas Hardy arrived in South Australia after sailing from the English county of Devon in 1850. He spent three years working at Reynella Farm, as a gold miner in the Victorian goldfields and driving cattle. Hardy used the money he had earned to purchase a property on the banks of the River Torrens, which he named 'Bankside'.
Vines were planted on the Bankside property and as soon as they were bearing fruit, wine making commenced. The vineyard became so successful, with its wines sold both locally and in England, that Hardy was able to purchase the Tintara Vineyard Company in 1876.
Hardy steadily expanded the company over the years, purchasing a bottling plant at Mile End, champagne cellars on Currie Street in Adelaide, and a disused flour mill in McLaren Vale. The company established extensive vineyards in the Padthaway area in 1968. In 1976 Thomas Hardy & Sons made its first corporate acquisition by purchasing the London-based Emu Wine Company, which included Houghton (Western Australia's largest winery) and Morphett Vale. The company purchased Chateau Reynella in 1982, where Thomas Hardy had commenced his employment some 130 years before, and converted it to its headquarters.
Further expansion came in 1992, when Thomas Hardy & Sons merged with Berri Renmano Limited to form what then became Australia's second largest wine group, BRL Hardy Limited. In 2003, the brands of BRL Hardy and those of Constellation Brands were merged to create the world's largest international wine business. BRL Hardy Limited was renamed the Hardy Wine Company. In 2006 Constellation Brands acquired Vincor International, adding the West Australian brands of Amberley and Goundrey to the Hardy portfolio.
On 31 March 2008, the Hardy Wine Company changed its name to Constellation Wines Australia.
On 31st January 2011 Constellation Brands Inc divested 80% of Constellation Wines Australia along with its sister company, Constellation Europe, to the Australian private equity company, CHAMP. On 27th June 2011 Constellation Wines Australia and Constellation Europe were jointly renamed Accolade Wines, which retains its 50% share in Matthew Clark, in joint owenership with Punch Taverns.
Read more about this topic: Accolade Wines
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