The biggest trend in the world of gin at the moment is flavour, and a newfound creativity with expressions of flavours and colours is driving distillers to be more experimental with what was once, a very traditional spirit.
Director and Head Distiller of the Dromana based distillery Bass & Flinders; Holly Klintworth, one of the few female distillers making waves in the world of spirits sees the current environment as an amazing opportunity for distillers to let loose with creativity and individual expression. After spending years abroad working with premium brands such as Dior, Absolut, and Havana Club, she returned to Australia with a profound understanding of both strategy and armed with hands-on knowledge of most traditional of premium distillation techniques.
“There is freedom to explore an untold number of native botanicals and draw on flavours from local produce available in the region, while still keeping gins juniper forward. Bass & Flinders’ gins are shining examples of something the French call ‘terroir’ – the grapes sourced from one single vineyard displaying their own unique regional character and expression. A dedicated distilling technique rarely seen in the craft spirits industry,” said Klintworth.
In a world where the wine spectrum is as diverse as the rainbow, where winemaking techniques challenge palates with tasting profiles ranging from forest floors to forest fruits, boutique, Bass & Flinders is twisting the lid on a pairing with a difference creating a gin from Pinot Noir… the femme fatale of the winemaking world, also known as the ‘heartbreak’ grape.
The inaugural limited release 2021 Heartbreak Pinot Noir Gin, is dedicated to those who love to sip and savour a glass of Pinot Noir but don’t want to commit to opening a whole bottle, not finishing it, and then throwing the residual away. Specifically designed to be paired with dishes traditionally matched with Pinot Noir, this Gin is best served alongside a hearty meal such as roast Lamb or Duck a l’Orange.
Bass & Flinders, have always been futuristic in their approach to innovation; from using ant pheromones for the iconic Angry Ant Gin, developed in partnership with a Melbourne University entomologist, to collaborating with world-renowned French cognac house Normandin-Mercier to develop a heralded Cuvée French-Australian blend of cognac and brandy, they focussed on very traditional foundations to ensure Heartbreak Pinot Noir Gin was not an aperitif drink, but a food-focussed spirit that would test the traditional wines it hopes to compete with.
Together with the rising popularity of consumer-driven demands for hyper locality, Bass & Flinders are pushing the boundaries of the trend for flavoured spirits. From foraging for their own seaweed for the Maritime Gin, to partnering with Mornington locals for the supply of premium truffles for the Truffle Gin, their efforts have caught the eyes of Endeavour Group (BWS/Dan Murphy’s). In the last 12 months alone, Endeavour Group has seen Australian-made craft and premium gin sales grow by over 50 percent across both Dan Murphy’s and BWS.
“We are seeing a huge trend of customers wanting to support local, Australian-made drinks across all drinks categories, but it’s most noticeable in gin,” said Endeavour Group’s Glass Spirits Category Manager Elise McNeil.
“The trend among consumers is to choose a gin that is produced as locally as possible, and with many Aussies spending more time than ever exploring their own backyard, they have been discovering Australian distilleries and gins at pace,” she added.
Klintworth understood that food has a clear effect on the perception of the accompanying beverages, and she also understands the finer nuances of what makes a food and wine pairing complimentary. “The basics of pairings revolve around food-based characteristics like salt, acidity, sweetness and fat, and from that we work out how intensity, and spice can enhance those experiences,” said Klintworth.
“Heartbreak Gin has a little more elasticity than a traditional Pinot – one of the perks of the spirit medium. Sweetness can be enhanced with mixers such as Mediterranean Tonic, intensity leveraged through just serving neat on ice, or acidity increased by serving it as a sour. All this said, the profile of this Gin is founded on those of the providence of the Pinot grape and Pinot wine profile to ensure it truly is a food-first Gin.” Klintworth continued.
With traditional Pinot flavours incorporating cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, game, mushroom, leather and toast, Heartbreak matches the light to medium body of the wine, light acidity and fruit-based flavours. Thus, like it’s traditionally made wine counterpart, the Gin is perfect to pair with lighter meats such as duck and lamb, turkey, pork and even chicken, bold red fish, and earthy vegetables, as it does not have a jammy taste, unlike other flavoured gins that rely on a saccharine finish for drinkability.
Heartbreak Gin’s natural sweetness is derived from winemaking fortification techniques, and is expertly balanced with classic juniper forward notes and fresh, fruity, floral undertones.
Klintworth described the process as a challenge, as they fortified their own Mornington-sourced Pinot in order to produc a bright and drinkable Pinot Noir Gin, and have produced just 1000 bottles.
So committed to offering this as an alternative to a bottle of Pinot, Klintworth is placing it right on the table of winemakers and wine critics, presenting it at Pinot Palooza Unplugged and the Winter Wine Weekend at Red Hill Showgrounds after having to be approved by a wine-focused panel.
Heartbreak Gin has an ABV of 38% and is presented in a 700ml bottle priced at $88.
It is available online at https://www.bassandflindersdistillery.com/products/heartbreak-gin-700ml or at selected Dan Murphy stores and online at danmurphys.com.au.
