Ministry of Clouds

Ministry of Clouds is the creation of Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood and it’s just on a decade since they decided to leave the security of the corporate wine world (the ministry) for the adventure (the clouds) of their own wine venture. And it’s been quite a journey thus far.

From the 2012 vintage their first five releases all rated between 94 and 97 points in the Halliday Wine Companion and earned them a spot in the Top Ten New Wineries for the year. Basing themselves in McLaren Vale, they sourced red fruit from around the Vale, securing parcels from some of the most venerable and sought-after old-vine Shiraz and Grenache vineyards.

To these plots, they added Tempranillo from the Vale, Riesling from the Clare and Chardonnay from Tasmania to broaden their portfolio. And then from the 2016 vintage came a new flagship wine, Kintsugi, named for the Japanese art of ‘golden joinery’ used to resurrect ancient, broken pottery.

The big step up though occurred in that same year with their purchase of the 9 ha Chase Vineyard and its 650 million year-old Onkaparinga Rocks geology. And thus their second single vineyard Shiraz was born, joining the original, highly lauded Blewitt Springs interpretation.

Since then they have set about augmenting their 6 hectares of Shiraz with their own plots of Tempranillo, Mencia, Carignan, Cinsault and Picpoul. In 2019 the they processed their first vintage at their small winery at the Chase, releasing a new varietal Mencia, a new Grenache Carignan and bottling a trial run of Picpoul.

Ministry of Clouds' wines show careful attention to detail; they are wines that speak of the land and reveal the essence of the season. They are wines of flavour and texture, yet wines that show artful restraint in their delicately poised balance of ripeness and tension. They are wines that beg to be shared at a convivial table and consumed with all manner of complementary foods, flavours and textures.

With new varieties in the ground, plans afoot for a winery expansion and new concrete eggs on order, the Ministry of Clouds journey is just gathering steam.

2023 Clare Valley Riesling
100 % hand-picked Riesling. In 2022 75 % was sourced from a red loam over limestone site on Watervale's 'golden mile'. The balance from the lean, rocky soils of the Penwortham Hills and a cooler, late-ripening site in the Sevenhill sub-region. The fruit is gently crushed and de-stemmed before a gentle pressing, and a cool ferment in stainless steel. 12.5 % alc/vol.

'From the third consecutive La Nina vintage we enjoyed another cool growing season, with flavour developing slowly over time, but with the chance of disease higher than previously, time walking vineyards was essential! The 2023 vintage comprises about 93% grapes from the terrarossa/ red loam laid over limestone of the renowned Watervale subregion often referred to as "The Golden Mile", with picking times staggered to retain natural acidity. The balance is sourced from the lean, hungry and rocky soils characteristic of the cooler and later ripening hills of Penwortham.
From a range of individual picks separated by more than 3 weeks, settled naturally post press, with pressings retained and transferred to oak for wild fermentation, the heart of the blend was cool fermented in stainless and aged upon fine lees from 4 months. With high natural acids present, coupled with relatively low Baumés, each parcel exhibited beautifully delicate and fine aromas, lavender and lime leaf, lemon pith, bath salts and mineral as the bedrock. Classic Clare citrus notes are complimented by the mouth-watering chalky and mineral texture on the palate, finishing with a fine and taut acid line .' Bernice and Julian.

2023 McLaren Vale Picpoul
Picpoul is an ancient variety of the Mediterranean Coast, farmed since the 1300s and famed for its lemony power and natural ability to retain acid in the sunshine!  Briny and maritime in is disposition Picpoul is renowned as the perfect Oyster wine.

‘A refreshingly zingy and aromatic wine, with lifted notes of lime, lemon myrtle, nashi pear, and white flowers. In the mouth this crisp and crunchy vibe continues with an intense fleshy verbena line, plus the minerality of limestone, brine and a subtle creaminess from the lees makes it mouthwatering!’ Bernice and Julian.

The cuvee that has grown most inexorably, impressing itself well beyond the easy-drinking mantle. Desert pear, wild fennel and a salty chalkiness, with no shortage of textural intrigue serviced by the judicious phenolic handling. Barely mid-weighted, belying a thrust of intensity, raciness and a bit of chew around the seams. A wine for everyday pounding. Drink or hold...but ageing is not the point. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2022 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
A pure and tightly wound wine showing the muscle and intensity of the low yielding Birdwood site, and the fragile acid line synonymous with fine, late ripening and deeply cool Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay. A shy and somewhat restrained nose exuding white flowers, green nectarine characters, and subtle hints of nougat and gingery wood spice. On the palate, a bedrock of chalky minerality supports a core of intense stone fruit, framing its lingering acidity.

Without having the luxury (or limitation!) of a pre-ordained family history in wine, we relish the freedom and opportunity to cast our net a little wider from our home in McLaren Vale, hoping to capture the freshness and vibrancy of the cool Adelaide Hills… Bernice and Julian.

Part came from Birdwood, but it's the Piccadilly portion that provides the quality of this beautifully cadenced Chardonnay, malolactic fermentation for 30% of the wine after fermentation in new and used French oak, plus nine months maturation. Expensive to make quality the dividend. 96 points, James Halliday’s Top 100 wines 2023, The Weekend Australian, November 2023

Flinty struck match aromas. Stone fruit allusions, almond croissant and a gentle waft of nougat across a mid-weighted lattice. A lovely, mid-weighted expression. To be churlish, this could use a little more stuffing but it bodes well for future releases. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2022 Grenache Carignan
70 % Grenache from 80+ year-old vines planted in a northerly block atop the Onkaparinga Gorge; 30 % Carignan from the adjacent MoC Chase Vineyard. All hand-picked and fermented in open vats, with 85 % whole berries and 15 % whole bunches. Carignan typically retains good natural acidity and it amongst the last to pick each harvest. Long, slow ferment to build tannin complexity, followed by maturation in a mix of inert tanks and old French oak puncheons for 16 months. 14.4 % alc/vol.

The heart of this wine is a 1940’s planted bush vine Grenache block planted into a northerly slope atop the Onkaparinga Gorge, which we blend with Carignan off our own adjacent estate. Both parcels were hand harvested, fermented in traditional open vats, and gently basket pressed. An assemblage of 6 separate open ferments ranging from 2 – 6 weeks on skins, all fermented wild, and worked very gently with daily hand plunging to preserve freshness, but allowed the relatively long maceration necessary to build tannin line and mineral complexity. After basket pressing the parcels were matured in old french oak puncheons upon their gross lees for about 6 months to provide maturation but not oak flavour. Bernice and Julian.

Always a delicious wine, this. Often the best cuvee of the range, with the carignan (30%) delivering a thirst-slaking kit of gristly tannic mettle, mitigating any sense of floozy fruit. Full-weighted, although as with so much of the range, a little lighter and fresher of feel. A subtle hint of reduction confers tension and floral lift, before dried raspberry, lilac, orange balm and tea tree splay broad and long. Excellent drinking. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 94 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2022 McLaren Vale Tempranillo Grenache
75 % Tempranillo, 25 % Grenache. Based upon four vineyards of Tempranillo (Ribera del Douro clones), from cool sites in Blewitt Springs and McLaren Foothills and our own estate vineyard atop the Onkaparinga Ridge. Blended with old vine Grenache from a range of blocks up to a 100 years of age. We destemmed and fermented in large open vats, with daily pump overs of the 18 different ferments. All ferments were from indigenous yeasts and worked gently to preserve delicacy, but time on skins was extended in 2022 up to 3 weeks to further build tannin line. After basket pressing the wine was matured in a mixture of stainless steel, old French oak puncheons, and a large 5000 litre old oak foudre for maturation before bottling in December 2022… 14.4 % alc/vol.

'This wine combines lifted notes of pomegranate, sarsaparilla, violets and nutmeg typical of McLaren Vale Tempranillo, with the red berried perfume and succulence of old vine Grenache. This medium bodied wine is pretty, but deeply flavoured, and deliberately moreish. A lithe and juicy wine, it errs on the blood orange, cherry, red berry spectrum on the palate supported by a long line of ferrous tannin.' Bernice and Julian.

2022 McLaren Vale Grenache
It comprises 8 different Grenache ferments with varying amounts of whole bunch ranging from a couple of whole berry ferments to the highest being 28% whole bunch, skin time varying between 3 to 6 weeks. The 8 ferments are off 4 vineyards… 3 of which all neighbour each other in Blewitt Springs… one planted in 1930, another in 1939 and the last we believe was planted in 1940s. These 3 vineyards make up 82% of the blend. The last is from the oldest part of the Smart vineyard in Clarendon planted in 1920. So super cool to be able to work with these amazing vineyard sites.

‘Showing old vine intensity without heaviness, fragrant cranberry and wild cherry fruit lift, violets, earth, and garrigue herbs: the palate is pure with calming depth and intensity, but kept necessarily fresh by grainy tannins and a bright line of natural acid.’ Bernice and Julian.

This is a delicious grenache, sourced from prodigious sites. Sandy Blewitt Springs and ferrous Clarendon, smattered with extremely old vines. This full-weighted expression delivers the low pH-infused grittiness of the vintage. The aromas are sumptuous, encompassing kirsch, peony, lilac, juniper and anise. The time on skins has been extended in recent years, as have the picking windows, necessitating separate ferments. Just a little candied rose water, detracting. The attention to detail, however, is manifest in the growing stature and beauty of this cuvee. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 94 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2022 McLaren Vale Mencia
100 % Mencia from the ancient rocks at the Chase Vineyard at Onkaparinga Gorge. Hand picked, with 12% whole-bunches retained, the balance lightly de-stemmed to whole-berries, then cold soaked for 3 days to capture aromatics. Fermented wild in a traditional open vat, with very gentle plunging twice daily, then basket pressed after 9 days on skins to old French oak vessels for 12 months maturation. 13.9 % alc/vol.

‘Deeply purple in colour, this wine has the lifted floral aromatics of Mencía showing sour cherry, pomegranate, and black liquorice. On the palate, the layered succulent fruit characters that Mencía is known for come to the fore, showing mid-weight blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, built upon a bedrock of mineral laced tannin.’ Bernice and Julian.

Partial carbonic, complemented by fully fledged extractive fermentation. Reminiscent of cool climate syrah. Aromatic violet punch. Underlying flecks of tomato leaf, dill and garden herb, but nothing untoward. Purple fruits and iodine, all taut and crunchy and gently saline, as a scape of gritty astringency reaches broadly across the mid-weighted palate. A gorgeous wine to drink in great drafts. Preferably on a daily basis. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2022 McLaren Vale Shiraz
2021 was a relatively cool vintage which allowed gradual flavour development and incidentally the longest period between flowering and picking since the famed 2002 vintage. We combined four separate picks from our own Onkaparinga Rocks vineyard, and two sandy dry grown Blewitt Springs sites. Approximately 27% whole bunches were retained in the total blend, the rest gently de-stemmed to preserve whole berries for balance. All the ferments were wild, caps were wet twice daily to assess flavour and colour extraction. Maceration on skins was extended up to 6 weeks for some parcels to build complexity and tannin line. After a gentle basket press, the wine was matured in a mixture of new and old French oak foudres, the smallest being 3500 litre, and a selection of 500 litre puncheons.

'An exercise in slender power, bringing early picked McLaren Vale Shiraz characters exhibited by cool blue and red fruit with layers of coal dust and earth to entice, supported by a gentle oak creaminess, which progresses to the palate exhibiting a deep fruit weight kept bright, nervy, and fleshy and filed down nicely by a fine and mineral tannin line.' Bernice and Julian.

Clove, star anise, mace, blueberry and smoked charcuterie kick off proceedings. The tannins roll across the mouth with a signature of peppery refinement, nicely astringent. The whole-bunch element, used to good effect. This is a classy, fuller expression of shiraz, with all efforts made to rein in any excess. The result is mid-weighted of feel and immensely savory. A long, jittery finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Jamessuckling.com, September 2023

2021 Single Vineyard Blewitt Springs Shiraz
All fruit is sourced from a single vineyard, a 53 year old Blewitt Springs block owned by the Patritti family. All fruit is hand harvested and gently de-stemmed to enure some whole berries remain during the ferment. Cold soaked for 4 days before fermentation some whole bunches remain. The ferment is plunged gently daily before basket pressing into old Francois Frères and Saury barriques for 11 months maturation.

'A surprisingly cool fruited, but dense and bright expression of Blewitt Springs Shiraz. Gently complex, with spicy blue and black berries, layers of nutmeg, violets, and a gentle creamy nuttiness from French oak. On the palate, it exhibits a finely wrought core of dark berried fruit, framed by persistent sandy tannins, and kept taut by a line of natural acidity.' Bernice and Julian.

Possibly the best vintage ever in these parts. Mild and drawn out, ensuring that every seam and rivet serves the greater weld with a mellifluous cool. Grenache is king in the Vale, to be sure. But shiraz can be brighter, more aromatic and savory than warmer zones further north. Here, a good example. Iodine, violet and blueberry to start. Peppery freshness and a cuddle of silty, gritty tannins compress the fruit, although ripeness can't help but spill across the structural corset. This is a full-weighted wine that will appease those after big flavors, as much as those who relish more restraint. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin M.W., JamesSuckling.com, October 2023

2021 Single Vineyard Onkaparinga Rocks Shiraz
Planted into a steep southerly facing slope, The Chase Vineyard is characterised by a very thin veneer of grey loam, supported by a deep bedrock of sandstone, slaty siltstone and ancient rocks. Dating back to 650 million years of age this geology is some of the oldest planted to wine grapes anywhere in the world.
100% Shiraz, hand-picked in the cool of the night to retain freshness and delicacy. Destemmed but not crushed to retain 100 % whole-berries, open-fermented, plunged daily and then basket-pressed to a mix of old and new French oak puncheons for 18 months maturation. 14.5 % alc/vol.

A lifted but deep expression of McLaren Vale shiraz, tending towards blue and back fruits, Garrigue herbs, picked necessarily early to retain freshness, and layered in shyly supporting French Oak. Powerful on the palate, this wine is an interplay between the waves of intense crunchy plumlike fruit, and the tensile strength of the mineral and tannin laden structure beneath. Bernice and Julian.

Pretty aromas of damson, kirsch, black olive, brine and blue fruit. The tannins, a scrunch of pepper, clove, nori and pepper grind. Firm, fibrous tannins, doing their best to ensure that the typical regional sweetness does not spill over their seams. Great tannins! Licorice root and earthen Indian spice lathered across the seamless, full-weighted finish. Very good warm-climate shiraz, for those who appreciate the idiom. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 95 points, Ned Goodwin M.W., JamesSuckling.com, September 2023

2020 Single Vineyard Onkaparinga Rocks Shiraz
Planted into a steep southerly facing slope, The Chase Vineyard is characterised by a very thin veneer of grey loam, supported by a deep bedrock of sandstone, slaty siltstone and ancient rocks. Dating back to 650 million years of age this geology is some of the oldest planted to wine grapes anywhere in the world.
100% Shiraz, hand-picked in the cool of the night to retain freshness and delicacy. Destemmed but not crushed to retain 100 % whole-berries, open-fermented, plunged daily and then basket-pressed to a mix of old and new French oak puncheons for 18 months maturation. 14.5 % alc/vol.

'Lots of tobacco leaf, dried herbs and an array of red berry aromas give this cool and elegant medium-bodied McLaren Vale shiraz good complexity. Lovely freshness at the long but light-footed finish. Hard to believe this has 14.5% alcohol.’ 93 points, Ned Goodwin M.W., JamesSuckling.com, October 2022

2020 Kintsugi
Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of ‘golden joinery’, the creation of enduring beauty from broken fragments of ancient pottery as they are pieced together with lacquer laced with gold. It befits a desire to meticulously blend only the very best parcels of old vine fruit from a single year. Kintsugi is thus the best Southern Rhone inspired wine that Bernice and Julian can create each year, no matter its components.

‘An elegant, but deeply fruited wine, showing aromatic floral red fruit lift, and spice from old vine Grenache, built upon intense blue fruits and violets of dry grown Mataro and Shiraz. Layered and long this wine exhibits a tightly wound core of dense red berried crunchy fruit, framed by persistent sandy tannins, and bright acidity.’ Bernice and Julian.

Aromas of crushed red fruit, white pepper and black tea. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Juicy and fresh on the palate with some lovely stemmy spice. Lingering finish. A crowd pleaser. Drink now. Screw cap. 93 points, Ned Goodwin M.W., jamessuckling.com, October 2022

2018 Kintsugi
One parcel of 85 % Grenache, 10 % Mataro and a splash of Shiraz, hand-picked on 16 March 2018 and co-fermented. 40 % whole bunches, the balance destemmed but not crushed to retain whole berries. Native yeast ferment under a submerged cap for 21 days. This parcel was then blended with a second small parcel of bush-vine Grenache from 87 year-old vines and matured on fine lees in a mix of inert tanks and old oak for 18 months. 14.2 % alc/vol.

‘85/10/5% grenache/mataro/shiraz; 40% whole bunches, the balance whole berries. Submerged for 3 weeks (not plunged or pumped over) and fermented wild. Matured on fine lees for 18 months in mix of inert tanks and used oak. A deliciously spicy and lively bouquet, and a medium-bodied palate travelling along the same pathway to a long and juicy finish. To be gulped, not sipped, thanks to its modest alcohol.’ 97 points, James Halliday.

‘Grenache, mataro, shiraz and carignan. A fine nose: brooding dark fruits sluiced with clove, smoked game, charcoal, thyme, lavender, tapenade, graphite and the foreboding intrigue that brings 1–3 glasses before the bottle is extinguished. Fresh, yet dense. A chiaroscuro of dark fruit and a lighter shade of florals. Excellent wine, echoing great southern Rhône blends. The salt-bush tannins drive long. The (older) oak regime, vinosity and comprehension of soulful Mediterranean French styles, define this as a keeper.’ 96+ points, Ned Goodwin M.W., The Wine Advocate, July 2022