Cloudburst, Chardonnay, 2024
Cloudburst, Chardonnay, 2024
- 75cl
- 13%
- White Still
- Chardonnay
- Organic
- Biodynamic
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Drinking window: 2026 - 2040
Est. delivery in 2027
Cloudburst Chardonnay is one of those rare wines that manages to be both hedonistic and utterly pure. From Margaret River’s wild, coastal landscape, this small-production gem is farmed biodynamically and made with almost obsessive attention to detail.
Founded by American Will Berliner in 2005, this tiny Margaret River estate has become a cult producer for a reason: tiny quantities, exceptional care, and a style that combines Margaret River generosity with Burgundian elegance.
What the critics say:
"A ripe, perfumed chardonnay with aromas of tarte tartin, toasted oak and hints of stones and flint, following through to a medium-body with density and intensity on the palate that give it presence and depth. At the same time it has liveliness and energy. Racy and rather endless, with flavors of honey, nuts and a hint of nougat. One of the best Australian chardonnays and competing with the best in the world. Stunning. Very drinkable now, but will age beautifully. Screw cap."
"Hazelnuts, vanilla, toasted lemons, lemon patisserie and buttery popcorn aromas. Thick and viscous, this has real presence in the mouth, less electric and zingy than previous vintages that have been more vibrant, but this has beautiful density and depth - slightly toasted, ginger root, preserved lemon and creme caramel. Mouthwatering acidity but at the back, less upfront with some lime, peach and pear aspects all softened by a salty, stony minerality. A great, gourmet wine and another stunning vintage from winemaker Will Berliner."
The Cloudburst vineyard sits in Wilyabrup, generally considered the finest sub-region of Margaret River, on gravelly loam soils over granite and ironstone. The proximity to the Indian Ocean moderates summer heat and brings regular sea breezes, which preserve natural acidity in the fruit. Biodynamic farming keeps the soils alive and the yields deliberately low, concentrating flavour without sacrificing freshness. The combination of moderate warmth, cool afternoons, and well-drained ancient soils is what gives the wine its balance of richness and tension.
Margaret River is a coastal wine region in Western Australia, roughly 270 kilometres south of Perth, that punches spectacularly above its weight given how little land is actually under vine. It is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and consistently produces some of Australia's most refined examples of both. The climate is strongly maritime, with the Southern and Indian Oceans acting as natural moderators — warm enough to ripen fully, cool enough to retain real freshness. There is no formal appellation system in Australia equivalent to France's AOC, but Margaret River is effectively self-regulating through its reputation and the dominance of estate-grown fruit.
Margaret River's 2024 vintage arrived after a growing season that, by Western Australian standards, kept growers reasonably honest. A dry, warm summer with well-timed rainfall through the critical ripening window helped avoid the disease pressure and dilution that can dog cooler, wetter years. Picking conditions were largely favourable, and the region's natural advantage — that moderating Indian Ocean influence keeping temperatures in check — did its usual quiet work. Nothing dramatic to report, which in Margaret River is often exactly the point.
The wines that have come through show the hallmarks of a confident, well-structured vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon looks particularly assured — the tannins are fine-grained and purposeful rather than grippy, and the fruit has that characteristic cassis and graphite precision rather than the jamminess that warmer years can push towards. Chardonnay is taut and mineral, with genuine freshness in the backbone. These are wines built to age, and most of the serious reds will benefit from patience until at least 2028, though the whites are drinking very well now.
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Cloudburst
