Known as the ‘Heartbreak grape’ due to its fragility, Bass and Flinders Distillery have risen to the challenge of an interesting ingredient to produce a gin that could replace a bottle of pinot at the dinner table, or be served after food as a treat for tipplers.
Having previously caused a stir when they used ant pheromones during the distillation process of producing its Angry Ant Gin, Bass and Flinders Distillery now shares ‘Heartbreak Gin’.
Pinot Noir consistently ranks amongst the world’s most prestigious drops. Finesse and grace are its strengths but it’s well known as a fickle variety to grow. In the vineyard it breaks the heart of many growers, and, once in the winery, pinot noir is the most honest of all wines, leaving zero tolerance for mistakes, which is why Pinot Noir is known as the Heartbreak grape.
Production manager Dan Calvert and head distiller Kelly Klintworth tackled the challenge of working with fragile ingredients to produce a winning gin that features notes of strawberries, raspberries, juniper and sage. It has a sweetness to it, as well as a distinctive berry flavour, like the strawberry jam notes of excellent pinot.
Try the red-hued gin neat over ice as an aperitif for the boldest flavour, or pair it with a tonic to bring out more of the herbal flavours. If you feel especially adventurous, it can also be used to make tasty variants of classic cocktails, like the Old Fashioned or a New York Sour. When it comes to food, pair with traditional pinot noir dishes such as roast lamb or duck a l’orange.
Drinkers down under can order a bottle online directory from the Bass and Flinders official website or pick it up from select Dan Murphy’s locations. The gin is priced at AU$88 per 700ml bottle.