In 1981 the Australian Wine Industry was in bad shape. Classic old vines, used to make fortified and red wines, were being removed. Big companies were pulling out of the industry. Twenty four year old Geoff Hardy had recently graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College and had seen how the Californians were grafting old vines over to new varieties such as Chardonnay. Geoff formed a partnership with Ian Leask who already had a solid history in viticulture and was then managing the Ryecroft Vineyards. The vineyard was available for sale and this is how Pertaringa, an Aboriginal name meaning Belonging to the Hills, was born. Pertaringa»