Since it first hit the shelves back in 2015, Four Pillars’ rich and syrupy Bloody Shiraz Gin has become a guaranteed bestseller. The base for many a delicious winter cocktail and a bar cart staple, it’s been an all-round good booze story (get it?) for the Melbourne-born distillery.
Last year, the distillers released a Bloody Pinot Noir that sold out in under a week. This year, they’re bringing it back from August 13.
Like the Bloody Shiraz gin, the Bloody Pinot Noir is made using grapes from Yarra Valley wineries. It’s a rich ruby in colour, but brighter than its shiraz counterpart, and has a fruity profile with rhubarb, rose petals and strawberry notes.
Four Pillars head distiller Cameron Mackenzie said in a statement: “We had some rain early in the season. We weren’t quite sure we’d be able to pull it off but lo and behold, 2024 is pretty bloody good pinot.
“It also helps that we don’t just get grapes from one place. We source from a couple of vineyards and use multiple cones to get a more complex gin.”
The fruit for this year was largely handpicked from Yarra Station, with a small portion of additional grapes from Upper Ngumby. Whole bunches of grapes are harvested and then Four Pillars’ high-proof Rare Dry Gin is poured over the fruit and left to steep for around seven weeks, over which time the gin leeches the fruit’s flavour, colour and natural sweetness. The grapes are then pressed to make sure all their flavour is captured and then blended with more gin.
The release is limited due to the number of grapes able to be picked each season – and it’s sure to sell out.
The pinot noir gin can be served straight or mixed with soda and a squeeze of lemon. Or you can follow Four Pillars cocktail suggestions and make a take on a Pina Colada or a Ron Burgundy with vermouth, Campari and chocolate bitters.
Four Pillars Bloody Pinot Noir Gin ($88) will be available for purchase from Tuesday August 13, 2024. Find it online or at the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Four Pillars Laboratory Sydney.
