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2023 Ministry of Clouds Grenache McLaren Vale South Australia

2023 Ministry of Clouds Grenache McLaren Vale South Australia

95JH
95RP
94JS
91VN

95

James Halliday

Review Date: 08/2024

From three growers in Blewitt Springs (58%) and the oldest vines on the Smart Vineyard in Clarendon (42%); some parcels destemmed, the others all whole bunch, with up to five weeks on skins; maturation in old French oak and concrete eggs for seven months. This is so composed and poised at this early stage – fragrant, refined yet expressive. Dried cranberry, rose, bergamot, carraway, raspberry leaf tea and pomegranate, with savoury dried herbs, warm spice and a ferrous note complexing. The balance between fruit sweetness and tannic drive is pitched keenly. It’s the very picture of modern Vale grenache. (ME_

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Professional Reviews

95

Wine Advocate

Review Date: 09/2024
The 2023 Grenache comprises a blend of vineyards from McLaren Vale, three in Blewitt Springs (aournd 60% of the blend), and one in Clarendon (the balance). The picking dates cross over a wider aperture of time given the breadth of vineyards; in 2023, this spanned approximately three weeks, and to give some context, in 2024, that aperture was significantly contracted. In the mouth, the tannins are chalky and finely grippy. This is perhaps aided and abetted by the maturation vessels: these are demi-muid, old puncheons and concrete. The wine is racked only when absolutely necessary, and the total is comprised of nine different batches. It was made with 19% whole bunches. The wine was blended right at the end prior to bottling. This is less floral than the Grenache Carignan tasted prior, but it has more textural complexity and stamina through the finish. This is a beautiful wine, an eloquent message of McLaren Vale Grenache. It is light in the glass, intense in the mouth, saturating and sapid. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. (EL)

94

James Suckling

Review Date: 03/2025
Pure, refined aromas of summer raspberries, cherries, fresh herbs, blackcurrants and citrus peel. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy tannins and bright acidity that lead into flavors of dried strawberries, pencil shavings and blood oranges. Juicy, structured and delicious.

91

Vinous

Review Date: 04/2025
The juicy and expressive 2023 Grenache is pretty and approachable, with spicy dark cherry aromas and touches of cola and earth in the mix. Whole bunch influences add savory detail and sophistication to a supple package while sandy tannins draw out the finish. (AH)

Staff Reviews

Rachael Ryan
K&L Buyer
Review Date: 08/2025
Email Rachael
Grenache is always a bit of a chameleon, ranging from delicate and perfumed to dense and heady. The 2023 Ministry of Clouds Grenache is most definitely the former. Like all the wines produced by this small winery, harvest dates are on the earlier side and the ferments are handled gently to produce wines of great aromatic intensity, yet with moderate alcohol and a light-footed, lively mouthfeel. The fruit for this wine was hand-harvested from four very old bush vine vineyards — 58% from three neighboring Blewitt Springs vineyards planted in the 1930s and the balance from a vineyard in Clarendon planted in 1920. The wine was fermented in nine small lots, hand plunged and pumped over for gentle extraction of color and tannin, with some whole clusters included. Maturation was in neutral oak puncheons and concrete eggs for seven months. Medium garnet in the glass, the wine shows almost Pinot-esque aromas of Bing cherry and strawberry, complemented by wild fennel, faint cedar and garrigue on the palate. Old vine Grenache is one of the calling cards of McLaren Vale and this is such a sophisticated expression that showcases the terroir without overpowering the palate.

Notes

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.”

Product Details

Origin: McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia

Type/Varietal: Grenache

SKU: #1847272

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