Cloudburst - Cabernet Sauvignon - Margaret River 2017

Cloudburst - Cabernet Sauvignon - Margaret River 2017

Cloudburst wines are new comers among our september releases. We loved the story told by Will Berliner, we loved the wines, which have an impressive energy, surely thanks to the way Will Berliner manages his tiny vineyard : no use of chemicals, own rooted vines, high density plantation.

3004 bts only were produced for this vintage. Every bottle has a number on the back label.

About the the vineyard

Australia’s leading cult wine was created by American biologist Will Berliner, on the wild and isolated southwestern corner of Australia in a biodiversity paradise.

The one-hectare vineyard was planted in 2005, and has never been cultivated nor chemically sprayed. It is close-planted, own-rooted and non-irrigated, and has been farmed using biodynamic principles from inception. The vineyard benefits from the presence of well-drained ironstone gravel soils, and a supremely untainted natural environment within sound of the Indian Ocean.

Speaking of the Cloudburst ethos, owner and vigneron Will says “Our practice of
careful observation begins in the vineyard and continues in the winery. We work with nature and offer only minimal interference in natural processes. The whole farm is an integrated, living system, with its foundation in the soil. It is an exceptionally isolated and pristine place, unmarred in any way. The grapes have nothing standing in the way of their full expression.”

As Phylloxera is not a threat in the region, Cloudburst vines are planted on their own rootstocks, accentuating both the varietal expression and sense of place. Planted with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and a tiny amount of Malbec, Will hand tends the vines, as well as hand weeds - never using chemicals or machines. The vineyard has never been irrigated, it’s entirely dry grown and is neither cultivated nor tilled. Trellising utilises vertical shoot positioning with a very low cordon. All of the estate work is not only done by hand, but largely by Will alone - embodying artisanal focus, true craftsmanship and the estate’s deserved cult status and reputation.

Vintage 
The cooler 2017 vintage resulted in physiologically ripe grapes at moderate sugar levels and abundant acidity. Fruit quality was remarkable - the long slow ripening resulted in ripe skins and seeds, deep vibrant colour and amazing perfume at lower than usual potential alcohol. These wines have great ageing potential.

Winemaking 
Red grapes are hand-picked, hand-sorted, de-stemmed, crushed and hand-carried into open fermenters. Punch downs are also by hand. After fermentation, there is no extended maceration. Wine is pressed directly into barrel where it spontaneously and naturally undergoes malolactic fermentation, after which it receives a minimal dose of sulphur.