Cloudburst’s Malbec represents one of the most unusual and intriguing expressions of this variety produced anywhere in the world, occupying a space quite distinct from both Argentine Malbec and the occasionally austere Malbec expressions found in parts of France. Will Berliner, who identifies himself more as a farmer than a winemaker, brought to his Malbec the same biodynamic viticulture, wild yeast fermentation, no-additions philosophy and gentle, non-extractive approach that has made the Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon one of Australia’s most celebrated cult wines. The result is a Malbec that surprises with its restraint, purity and aromatic detail.

The Cloudburst estate in Wilyabrup encompasses a small quantity of Malbec vines that Berliner treats with the same meticulous care as the Cabernet Sauvignon, farming biodynamically and harvesting at low alcohol levels compared to most Australian and Argentine examples. Margaret River’s maritime climate, particularly in the Wilyabrup district closest to the Indian Ocean, provides a natural moderation of temperatures and a freshness of atmosphere that allows Malbec to retain the floral, violet-forward aromatic character for which the variety is celebrated without the jammy, over-ripe quality that warmer climates can impart. Production is extremely small, typically a few hundred cases at most.

Cloudburst Malbec is among the rarest wines in the estate’s already limited range, produced only when conditions and the quality of fruit meet Berliner’s exacting standards. The wine occupies a genuinely unusual position in the Australian fine wine market: Malbec at this level of ambition and price point has essentially no Australian comparator, and its closest stylistic references are the finest examples from Argentina’s Mendoza province. The 2020 vintage, which produced such exceptional results for the Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, also yielded a Malbec of notable elegance and site character.