We're Preaching the Ministry of Clouds

When I first started buying Australian wines for K&L, boutique wine producer Ministry of Clouds kept showing up wherever I looked. Critics raved about them, blogs poured praise, and customers returning from Australia told me they were the best wines they had tasted on their trips. The more I heard about them, the more I wanted to try them, which, to my dismay, was impossible. Although you can find these wines as far as Hong Kong and London, there was absolutely none in the U.S. Ministry makes wines in small quantities and not enough for an American importer to invest in bringing the wines over. Even in Australia you are more likely to find them on the wine list of a top restaurant than in a specialty wine retailer. So when I bumped into an Australian wine broker who offered to arrange an introduction, I thought K&L’s Direct Imports program might be a perfect fit.

Ministry of Clouds is the husband-and-wife team of Julian Forwood and Bernice Ong, who are both Australian wine-industry veterans. From their very first vintage in 2013, this couple blew up on the Australian wine scene. James Halliday, Australia’s most influential wine critic, named them one of the best new wineries of the year in 2013 and gave them a “Red” five-star rating, his highest rating possible, just three years later.

So what makes their wines so compelling? Ministry of Clouds’ winemaking philosophy is to source the best grapes possible, regardless of locality. Sources range from Tasmania’s Derwent Valley to the Eastern Hills of Penwortham in Clare Valley, where they have been able to convince the absolute best growers that they can make profound wines from their vineyards. In the cellar, they craft their wines with a light touch, simply letting the quality of their fruit shine through. There is a common thread to these wines: brilliant acidity, low alcohol, and a transparency of fruit that reflects place. This is one of the best examples of the new guard of emerging Australian winemakers in Australia.  

I’m incredibly excited to announce that we were able to purchase a small lot of their wines and directly import them to the U.S. for K&L customers. We are premiering four Ministry of Clouds wines in the U.S. for the first time this month. The first of which is the 2018 Ministry of Clouds McLaren Vale Grenache ($24.99) is sourced from an epic, 98-year-old vineyard in McLaren Vale. With almost no new oak, it manages to convey power and grace in a lean frame. Dipping your nose into the glass is like walking through a strawberry field. With aromatic depth and notes of raspberry jam and orange blossom, this is bright and effortless Grenache. The tannin profile is restrained, soft, and full. It earns high praise from critic James Halliday stating: “It is a Grenache with the potential longevity of a top class Rhône producer.” A remarkable feat for a $24.99 Grenache.

With its extraordinarily cool climate, Tasmania has become a hot spot for Australian sparkling wine, as well as some of its most racy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2018 Ministry of Clouds Chardonnay ($29.99) is sourced from the low-yielding Meadowbank vineyard in the Derwent Valley for muscle and intensity, while a parcel from the Tamar River Valley brings a backbone of acidity and minerality. Aging in neutral oak with batonnage gives this wine an intense purity and electric verve. The aromas here are incredibly delicate, with lots of edges and details, brimming with flint stone and white flowers. The palate follows up with delicious flavors of peaches and lemon zest. This is gorgeous Chardonnay with all the quality you would find in top Premier Cru Burgundy.

The 2018 Ministry of Clouds Shiraz ($19.99) comes from a parcel of 72-year-old dry-farmed Shiraz from Blewitt Springs in the heart of McLaren Vale, with a second, younger block from one of Clarendon’s most well-known vineyards. This is 35 percent whole cluster, which lends structure and refinement. I’m surprised that they have chosen to call this Shiraz. Lately, Australian producers who have been making Syrah in the fashion of the Northern Rhône are choosing its European name over the local Shiraz—and there is clear inspiration from the Northern Rhône in this wine: full of black pepper spice and blackberries on the nose, the palate displays a rich, concentrated texture balanced by bright acid. With additional flavors of savory and charred meat, I was impressed by the exceptional craftsmanship on display here. A phenomenal wine, and at its price, even more remarkable.

The 2018 Ministry of Clouds Grenache-Tempranillo ($19.99) is by far the most unexpected surprise of the lineup. There are plenty of people making odd blends in South Australia these days, often for no other reason than the novelty of it. Most of them are pretty bad. This, on the other hand, is extraordinary. The Grenache is sourced from 90-year-old dry-farmed bush vines, and both varieties are destemmed. The Grenache undergoes carbonic maceration and then a three month extended maceration on skins. It’s a remarkable likeness to Châteauneuf-du-Pape with a sanguine nose of blue fruits and iron. The tannin profile here is the broadest of the line up, giving a full bodied expression that sizzles through the finish.

Beyond the great value across this line up, there is something truly special about Ministry of Clouds. It’s a testament to how our Direct Imports program can bring new, exciting wines to K&L that you can’t find anywhere else. We’re thrilled to have them.

- Thomas Smith