Lily's Legacy

/

Hadyn’s mum Lily was a huge contributor to the development of Hounds Run, providing invaluable support and major hard yakka when owners Lucy and Hadyn first purchased the property in 2016. She undertook an enormous amount of pruning and painstakingly helping the couple reinvigorate the neglected vines. Lily also rolled up her sleeves to paint the farmhouse and helped with hand picking the vineyard’s first Shiraz crop in March 2017. Lily unexpectedly passed away in April 2017.

Lily and Lucy pruning the shiraz in 2016

Lily’s legacy is represented across Hounds Run. The boots and hat she wore while working in the vineyard now hang in tribute on the immense and beautiful gumtree which stands overlooking the vines. It was Lily’s favourite tree. She, Hadyn and Lucy often ate lunch in the shade here, sitting on the back of the Land cruiser while taking a break from working in the vineyard. Her ashes were later spread at this site.  

Lily’s hat and boots hanging on the trunk of her favourite tree

Lily’s hat and boots hang on the trunk of her favourite tree

In 2017, Hadyn created a deeply personal wine from the Shiraz grapes hand picked by Lily, naming it Lily’s Block. Produced under his wine label Black & Ginger, Lily’s Block subsequently received a score of 94 points in the internationally renowned Halliday Wine Companion. Black & Ginger also received a 5 star rating on debut in the the definitive guide to Australian wine which published the below entry for Lily’s Block in its 2020 edition.

Hadyn and Lily, together celebrating Hadyn’s 30th Birthday

 Lily’s Block Hounds Run Vineyard Great Western Shiraz 2017

Hand picked, open-fermented with 100% whole bunches and minimal working of the cap. Deep colour. Black cherry/berry fruit comes readymade with black pepper, spice and licorice adding interest to a medium to full-bodied wine with plenty of attitude. It has been allowed to express itself without being over-extracted. 50 dozen made. Screwcap. 14% alcohol . Rating 94

Source: Halliday, James. Halliday Wine Companion 2020. Hardie Grant Books, 2019

Black and Ginger Wines scored highly in their inaugural entry for the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion

Black and Ginger Wines scored highly in their inaugural entry for the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion

Achieving a five star rating from their first vintage as grape growers was an incredible honour for Lucy and Hadyn. It’s not often that a first vintage produces such an impressive result. The couple wish Lily could have enjoyed the wine she worked so hard to produce and her contribution to the establishment of Hounds Run inspires them every day.

 Thank you Lily. Love you mum.

Introducing Hadyn and Lucy

/

Hounds Run owners Lucy and Hadyn first met in Melbourne and became housemates in 2013. Hadyn had just returned to the city after working a vintage in California’s Napa Valley and Lucy had returned after several years working in advertising and production in Sydney. 

The two developed an instant rapport and what started as a friendship quickly developed further. They began dating but it wasn’t long before Hadyn was offered a vintage job in the picturesque town of Great Western, in the iconic Grampians wine region 220kms northwest of Melbourne. He fell in love with the area during vintage, and after multiple contract extensions decided to move there semi-permanently. Lucy was now firmly based in Melbourne working for her family business Kazari, importing antique and vintage furniture from Japan, China and Indonesia and travelling frequently to source pieces for Kazari’s retail stores.

Lucy was also spending more and more time in Great Western, visiting whenever she could and finding it harder and harder to leave the beautiful surroundings. As the couple fell in love, they hoped for a way to overcome the challenges of a long distance relationship. In 2016, after receiving photos of a property for sale and a half-joking text from Hadyn asking if she wanted to buy a vineyard, Lucy’s answer was a resounding yes.

Hounds Run Vineyard October 2016

Hounds Run Vineyard October 2016

What started as a joke and a dream quickly turned into a serious proposition. After viewing the property in July 2016, the couple couldn’t contain their excitement. Captivated by the stunning views of the Grampians ranges and the potential of the farmhouse, vineyard and surrounding land, Lucy and Haydn put in an offer. It was accepted and by December 2016 they were the proud owners of the property in Great Western. Hadyn moved in straight away however it would be two years of weekly commuting from Melbourne until Lucy was able to secure a suitable job in the area and move permanently.

Hounds Run July 2016

Two others were equally excited about the move - Hadyn’s dog Paddy (a slender greyhound whippet cross) and Lucy’s dog Hunter (an enormous Irish wolfhound x stag-hound). Hadyn acquired Paddy as a pup after moving to Great Western, and Hunter was a Christmas present from Hadyn to Lucy while she was still living in Melbourne. As a puppy, he spent his days sleeping in a washing basket in Lucy’s office (until he promptly outgrew it) and now weighs 63 kilos at full size. The dogs had become best friends during Lucy’s many visits to Great Western, and were overjoyed to become a family and start racing around the 230 acres (96 hectares) of the property. Hadyn soon came up with the name Hounds Run and Lucy agreed it was the natural choice for their new home.

The couple were granted access prior to settlement and the realities of owning a vineyard quickly became apparent. As the vines had been neglected and poorly maintained they spent every weekend before settlement hard at work. Pruning the overgrown 30 acres (12 hectares) of half merlot, half shiraz vines was no mean feat. The vineyard had originally been established for bulk grape production but the couple were determined to reinvigorate the vines and continue producing with a focus on quality rather than quantity.

Realising this vision was and continues to be a learning curve for the couple (especially city girl Lucy), as it takes a full year between vintages to determine what has or hasn’t worked. They have embraced the challenge and learned a great deal about the lifecycle of grapevines (and the many other tasks required to maintain and develop a large property) since taking over in 2016. Currently, the grapes from Hounds Run are sold to multiple producers in the Grampians region and the property features a tiny house available to rent for quiet getaways via Airbnb and Riparide with more accommodation options on the way, including a converted vintage Melbourne tram.

Written By Catherine Seccombe