Wine Advisor
Cloudburst, Chardonnay 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Cloudburst's 2018 Chardonnay was fermented and aged in 50% new French oak, but you'd hardly know it from tasting the wine. Gentle toast and crème brûlée aromas appear on the nose alongside intense pineapple and white peach notes, while the medium to full-bodied palate is plump and silky in feel, with a long, mouthwatering finish. Impeccably balanced, with barely noticeable oak, it can be drunk anytime over the next 5-6 years.
About the Producer
Cloudburst is a small project by New Yorker Will Berliner who started making wine in his 'backyard' in Margaret River, Australia. Because the vineyards only cover 1.25 hectares, Berliner can manage his vineyards with great dedication. The very small vineyards are all organic and mainly worked by hand. If he can find reliable help, one of his main tasks is to weed out among his densely planted, almost bonsai-like vines. He planted the first vines in 2005, but the process still continues as he continually fills holes in the vineyard. No supplemental water is used, so some vines invariably don't take root well and need to be replaced the following year - and sometimes the year after. The wines are super-terroir wines and have achieved cult status in knowledgeable circles. The price reflects the scarcity and intensive labor that Berliner devotes to the vineyard.
