Ministry of Clouds is a relatively new winery, launched in 2012 by Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood, who previously worked on the wine business side of the industry before pivoting to production. In 2016, the pair purchased an 11-hectare vineyard in the Seaview subregion of McLaren Vale, planted primarily to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, though they also continue to source fruit from prime vineyards in other regions of South Australia. As the couple describes, their goal is to create “gastronomic” wines with a leaner profile that pair well with a variety of foods. In their words, Ministry of Clouds crafts “modern Australian wines made simply and traditionally, with complexity derived from many small ferments, either in traditional open vats or concrete eggs, with indigenous yeasts, multiple picking passes to retain acid, and a mosaic of distinguished vineyards to provide layers of flavour and tannin. The goal is transparency, balance and elegance, recognition of site and season, sustainable farming, contemporary yet classic wines from the ancient vines and geology of McLaren Vale.”