Cloudburst Malbec 2018

Product info about Cloudburst Malbec 2018

Cloudburst Malbec 2018 is a Margaret River red wine with a story built around very small scale and careful vineyard work. It comes from a tiny malbec parcel within the Cloudburst vineyard: 0.10 hectares planted with 1,000 vines. Only 1,200 bottles were produced in 2018, so each bottle represents a very limited piece of that site.

Cloudburst was founded by Will Berliner and Alison Jobson near Wilyabrup. The vineyard is managed by hand, according to biodynamic principles, without irrigation and close to the influence of the Indian Ocean. The vines are on their own roots, and pruning, tying and harvesting are all done manually. That detail matters here, because this is not a large-production wine shaped to a formula; it is a small parcel treated with unusual attention.

The 2018 Malbec was destemmed and hand-sorted before open-top fermentation. After that, the wine was pressed to barrel without extended maceration or additional skin contact, then matured mainly in new French oak for 18 to 21 months. The descriptions point to a wine with clear structure, yet also freshness and energy, which gives this Malbec a distinctive presence.

At Drankenshop Broekmans, this is the kind of bottle we like to place in context: a scarce Australian Malbec from an exceptionally small plot, now down to the last bottles, and recognised by several critics, including a 96-point score from Decanter. It is a wine for someone who wants to see how precise and concentrated malbec can become when the production is this focused.

Cloudburst Malbec 2018 is described as dark purple to medium-deep crimson in colour. The aromatic centre is dark fruit: dark plum, blackberry, black cherry and blueberry, with some notes also mentioning cassis and mulberry. Around that fruit sit violet and rose petal, followed by liquorice, black pepper, cinnamon, clove and allspice.

The French oak maturation adds dark chocolate, mocha, roasted chestnut and praline, while graphite-like and mineral tones bring a more savoury depth. It is described as full-bodied, yet fresh and energetic for a Malbec.

On the palate, the texture is velvety, juicy and concentrated. The tannins are firm but refined, supported by lively, mouthwatering acidity. The finish brings back chocolate, spice and mineral notes.