2024 Ministry of Clouds Picpoul

Lip-smacking, racy version of this lovely emerging white variety in McLaren Vale.

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Sale price$36.00
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Description

Picpoul might be a newcomer to Australian soils, but it’s been a Mediterranean favourite for centuries, and with this 2024 vintage, Ministry of Clouds has nailed it!

Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood, the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Clouds, have put their decade of winemaking expertise to great use here. Sourced from their own McLaren Vale vineyard, this Picpoul is zesty, fresh, and seriously slurpable. 

The citrus-driven acidity keeps it light on its feet, while the extra time on lees adds a lovely creaminess that gives it a little more substance. It’s all nashi pear, lime blossom, and a whiff of white flowers on the nose, while the palate is pure, salty goodness with a minerally finish that leaves you wanting another glass.

Picpoul may mean "lip stinger" in French, but this bottle is all about smooth, summer sipping, best paired with a plate of freshly shucked oysters. If you’re a fan of crisp, high-acid whites like Riesling, this Picpoul will be your new go-to.

Picpoul translates as Lip Stinger in French but is our new summer sipper - the ancient white
variety of the Mediterranean Coast farmed since the 1300’s and famed for its lemony power and natural ability to retain acid in the sunshine! Briny and maritime in its disposition Picpoul is renowned as the perfect Oyster wine

CREATION

The fruit for this wine is 100% estate grown, planted into the ancient Onkaparinga Rocks of our vineyard - The Chase. Perched high atop the range overlooking McLaren Vale our lean and rocky site is perfect for limiting Picpoul's potential yield. To provide further intensity we both shoot thinned and dropped bunches to ensure perfectly even ripening, then hand picked to retain delicacy. Whole bunch pressed, settled by gravity, and rough racked to stainless for a cool ferment on light solids with wild yeast. 20% of the blend was treated more oxidatively and fermented wild in neutral old wood to build further complexity. Post ferment the wine was left on fine lees for a further 5 months to build mid palate texture and
depth.

COMPOSITION

A refreshingly sherbet-like and gently aromatic wine, with lifted notes of white flowers, wax, nashi pear, and lime blossom. In the mouth this crisp and crunchy vibe continues with an intense fleshy verbena line, plus the minerality of limestone, brine and a subtle creaminess from the lees makes it mouthwatering!

CONSUMPTION

Ideal serving temperature is 10°C, drink with South Australian oysters from Pristine or Gazander - freshly shucked - served natural or with a splash of Picpoul

Ministry of Clouds

Ministry of Clouds is a partnership between wine industry 'veterans' Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood, who set up the venture in 2013, with their first releases coming in 2015.

Having worked for some of Australia's leading wineries such as Yalumba and Wirra Wirra, the duo began sourcing outstanding fruit from Tasmania and Clare Valley for white wines, and McLaren Vale for reds.

McLaren Vale is their home, and as well as their own 11ha plot, they seek out old vineyards around the peninsula, with a focus on Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz and Tempranillo, along with the occasional foray into Carignan and Picpoul.

Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood Discover Ministry of Clouds

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