1996 Bass Phillip Crown Prince Pinot Noir, 1.5ltr

Bass Phillip is a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producer in South Gippsland, a part of Australia better known for dairy and beef cattle than winemaking. Nevertheless, since 1979 this estate has been growing grapes. Its debut release was a 1984 Pinot Noir. Phillip Jones, winemaker and owner, was an electrical engineer before he decided to try his hand at winemaking, and he has become one of the better known personalities in Australian winemaking. James Halliday, Australia’s leading reviewer, has written that “Phillip Jones handcrafts tiny quantities of superlative Pinot Noir which, at its best, has no equal in Australia…” Halliday chose the 2010 Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir as the 2014 Wine of the Year. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Bass Phillips Pinot Noir “beautifully concentrated with superb purity, creamy big, thick Burgundian-like texture…”

Victoria is one of Australia’s smallest and coolest wine regions, yet one of the nation’s most dynamic and quality-oriented. Unlike many of Australia’s wine regions, which include many large, industrial producers, most Victoria producers are small, independently owned and crush fewer than 25 tons of grapes per year. With more than 600 wineries, Victoria has more producers than any other state, though it ranks third in production. Winemaking started in Victoria in the 1850s when Swiss immigrant Hubert de Castella recognized the area’s winemaking potential. There are many climates and topographies in Victoria, from dry, irrigated inland terroirs to cooler, higher regions. Top sub-appellations include Heathcote, Rutherglen and the Yarra Valley. Shiraz and Chardonnay are the principal grapes grown, though Viognier, Pinot Noir and Tannant are also grown. Of special note is the region’s history with sweet dessert wines made of Muscat. Some are called “Tokay” and are made from the Muscadelle grape. Red dessert, Madeira-style wines are also produced.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.