Cloudburst - Chardonnay - Margaret River 2019
Cloudburst wines are new comers among our september releases. It is the second release.
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.
2288 bts only were produced for this vintage. Every bottle has a number on the back label.
Janes Anson interviews Will Berliner : https://youtu.be/QyMKuvlgtmw
About the the vineyard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfsRyIWixW4Australia’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 ofcareful 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.
WinemakingCloudburst Chardonnay is hand harvested and sorted in small batches and fermented as microcuvées. Grapes are whole bunch pressed directly into barrel without mixing or settling. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation occur naturally. Once secondary fermentation is complete, the barrels are minimally sulphured. There is some lees-stirring during fermentation, but not obsessive.