Ministry of Clouds, Grenache McLaren Vale, 2019

Hand harvested from 2 vineyards (80 year old vines and 22 year old vines) the fruit was lightly de-stemmed to ensure whole berries remained. A 5 day cold soak preceded open fermentation with a combination of hand plunging and gentle pump over to retain freshness and aromatics. The wine was basket pressed and aged in a combination of old French oak and large format oak tanks for 11 months.

Ministry of Clouds is a partnership between wine industry 'veterans' Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood, who set up the venture in 2013, with first releases coming in 2015. Having worked for some of Australia's leading wineries such as Yalumba and Wirra Wirra, the duo began sourcing outstanding fruit from Tasmania and Clare Valley for white wines, and McLaren Vale for reds. McLaren Vale is their home, and as well as their own 11ha plot, they seek out old vineyards around the peninsula, with a focus on Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz and Tempranillo, along with the occasional foray into Carignan and Picpoul.