Articles / NewsOn Broadway
James Halliday, January 31, 2010It’s an ill wind which blows no one any good. When Slow Food doyen James Broadway’s parents sold their beautiful home at Castlemaine it meant he had to move the wines he had stored in its ideal cellars. Among many, this included six vintages of Giaconda chardonnays, including the fabled ’96, five of Bass Phillip Premium pinots and four of Reserve pinots.
Not being certain how the wines would respond to their rude awakening, and less perfect future storage, Broadway decided to hold a showcase dinner at his Gertrude Street Enoteca, with co-owner Brigitte Hafner providing the food. The wind then blew perfectly for the lucky few (including myself) invited to attend.
The Giaconda chardonnays started with the ’95, offering a lovely contrast of honey and peach set against a powerful counterfoil of acidity; the ’96 had marginally better (greener) colour and greater intensity, focus and line. Quite superb. The ’98 was, by a small margin, the most four-square, faltering slightly on the finish; the acidity of the ’00 was the cornerstone of its excellent structure, its flavours built on mid-ripe citrus. The first bottle of ’02 was corked, the second linear yet supple, with stone fruit, mineral and citrus coalescing. The ’05, under screwcap, is still loping along in first gear, floral, juicy and fine.
Phillip Jones was guest of honour at the dinner, and was hesitant about the ’91 and ’92 Bass Phillip vintages. He needn’t have worried. The ’91 had great balance between black/red fruits and savoury notes running through to an elegant finish. The ’92 abounded with rich, plummy fruit, a great example of a great vintage. The ’94 and ’96 overshadowed the ’95 and ’97: the ’94 had a glorious bouquet, the supple red and black fruits promised by the bouquet there in spades on the palate; the ’96 was all about red fruits and spices, the palate with rare structural finesse.
The ’95 and ’97 Reserves were both immeasurably superior to the Premiums of those years, and the ’96 took things to another level with its cascade of red fruits, cherries and plums.
All these wines have a trademark sinewy length, and the Reserves really need 20 years in bottle to reach full maturity. The recently released ’08s will surely add to Bass Phillip’s lustrous reputation, particularly given the decision
to make no Reserve in that year.
’08 Bass Phillip Crown Prince Pinot Noir
The wine comes from the 12-year-old vines on Bass Phillip’s Village Vineyard; very good depth and hue to the colour; fragrant plum and spice aromas flow onto the palate, which has excellent length and intensity, finishing with a savoury flourish. 13.8% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 94 points
Drink: to 2018
Price: $65
’08 Bass Phillip The Estate Pinot Noir
Little difference in the colour; the family plum and spice fruit core is here on the bouquet and entry to the palate, but it is at this stage that the surge and thrust to the finish puts it in a class above the Crown Prince. 13.5% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 95 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $85
’08 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir
Once again, very good colour; small wonder the price is where it is; this has exceptional structure and intensity, the dark plum fruit lancing in its purity and extreme length. No Reserve was made this vintage, and the Premium was the beneficiary of the components that might otherwise have gone to make the Reserve. 13.8% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2025
Price: $150
Not being certain how the wines would respond to their rude awakening, and less perfect future storage, Broadway decided to hold a showcase dinner at his Gertrude Street Enoteca, with co-owner Brigitte Hafner providing the food. The wind then blew perfectly for the lucky few (including myself) invited to attend.
The Giaconda chardonnays started with the ’95, offering a lovely contrast of honey and peach set against a powerful counterfoil of acidity; the ’96 had marginally better (greener) colour and greater intensity, focus and line. Quite superb. The ’98 was, by a small margin, the most four-square, faltering slightly on the finish; the acidity of the ’00 was the cornerstone of its excellent structure, its flavours built on mid-ripe citrus. The first bottle of ’02 was corked, the second linear yet supple, with stone fruit, mineral and citrus coalescing. The ’05, under screwcap, is still loping along in first gear, floral, juicy and fine.
Phillip Jones was guest of honour at the dinner, and was hesitant about the ’91 and ’92 Bass Phillip vintages. He needn’t have worried. The ’91 had great balance between black/red fruits and savoury notes running through to an elegant finish. The ’92 abounded with rich, plummy fruit, a great example of a great vintage. The ’94 and ’96 overshadowed the ’95 and ’97: the ’94 had a glorious bouquet, the supple red and black fruits promised by the bouquet there in spades on the palate; the ’96 was all about red fruits and spices, the palate with rare structural finesse.
The ’95 and ’97 Reserves were both immeasurably superior to the Premiums of those years, and the ’96 took things to another level with its cascade of red fruits, cherries and plums.
All these wines have a trademark sinewy length, and the Reserves really need 20 years in bottle to reach full maturity. The recently released ’08s will surely add to Bass Phillip’s lustrous reputation, particularly given the decision
to make no Reserve in that year.
’08 Bass Phillip Crown Prince Pinot Noir
The wine comes from the 12-year-old vines on Bass Phillip’s Village Vineyard; very good depth and hue to the colour; fragrant plum and spice aromas flow onto the palate, which has excellent length and intensity, finishing with a savoury flourish. 13.8% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 94 points
Drink: to 2018
Price: $65
’08 Bass Phillip The Estate Pinot Noir
Little difference in the colour; the family plum and spice fruit core is here on the bouquet and entry to the palate, but it is at this stage that the surge and thrust to the finish puts it in a class above the Crown Prince. 13.5% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 95 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $85
’08 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir
Once again, very good colour; small wonder the price is where it is; this has exceptional structure and intensity, the dark plum fruit lancing in its purity and extreme length. No Reserve was made this vintage, and the Premium was the beneficiary of the components that might otherwise have gone to make the Reserve. 13.8% alc/vol; ProCork
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2025
Price: $150
