Cloudburst Wine Lunch with founder and winemaker Will Berliner

Cloudburst was not designed in any conventional sense; in fact, the origin story of one of Australia’s most admired producers is one of chance…

In the early 2000s, Will Berliner and wife Alison discovered ‘the most beautiful site in the world’ – a place they decided they wanted to call home. Set in the remote coastal reaches of Western Australia alongside the wild coastline of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, wine was never part of the plan. But an encounter with a soil scientist, who advised the ground was well suited to vines, led to one of the most remarkable accidental careers in the history of Australian fine wine.

Enrolling in a long-distance oenology course through UC Davis, Will planted his first vines in 2005 and immediately began applying biodynamic preparations to build microbial life in the soil. The vineyard was cleared by hand and close-planted with an extreme, obsessive, hands-on level of attention: entirely dry-grown, own-rooted and cultivated without chemicals, integrated with its surrounding bushland.

Cloudburst’s inaugural releases in 2010 wowed critics and collectors alike with their expressive, fruit-driven style and precision, married with a singular clarity, energy and a saline, mineral edge. Yielding just a small number of wines each year – often fewer than a thousand cases in total – these have come to be among Australia’s most coveted expressions of Chardonnay and Cabernet. All made by a man with no prior winemaking experience, from a small, unknown two-acre plot in Willyabrup, Margaret River.

We are delighted to welcome Will on a brief visit to Sydney, where Members can hear this and other stories from the man himself over lunch at Flaminia. Members will taste a rarely seen line-up of Cabernet Sauvignon dating back to 2012 – a chance to encounter the full arc of this remarkable vineyard, guided by its founder.

Four course menu:

On arrival
Baccala Mantecato - Whipped salt cod and polenta fritta
Piccolo Fritto Misto - Deep fried seafood, bottarga mayonnaise
NV Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France

First course
Ravioli De Margo - Ricotta and asiago, lemon, zucchini flowers
2024 Cloudburst Chardonnay, Margaret River

Second course
Antipastino Classico - Capocollo, Caciocavallo, Cerignola olives, tarrali
Focaccia Pugliese - Tomato, olive, herbs
2012 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2014 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Third course
Braciole alla Barese - Veal involtini, pinenuts, pancetta, Pecorino
Insalata verde, egg, Parmigiano Reggiano
Roast potatoes, garlic, rosemary
2018 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2020 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2022 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Fourth course
Seven Veils Cake - chocolate sponge, hazelnut, chocolate mousse
2018 Cloudburst Malbec, Margaret River

*Please note, all wines served throughout the lunch will be poured as 120ml serves

Sunday 13th September
Flaminia 
61 Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000
(Pulman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour)
12:30 — Welcome drink and canapés on arrival
13:00 — Lunch and hosted tasting begins
15:00 — Lunch ends
15:30 — Event ends

Member tickets - $495 per person
Non-member tickets - $540 per person 

Menu items are subject to change; we will notify you should there be any replacements.

General Notes
67 Pall Mall Melbourne reserves the right to amend the Terms and Conditions without prior notice. Ticket holders are advised to check the event page for the latest updates. Cancellations made within five business days of the event are unfortunately not eligible for a refund. In the event the cancelled ticket can be reallocated/ reissued to waitlisted Member, a refund may be issued at the Club’s discretion.

• The Club reserves the right to postpone or cancel an event due to insufficient attendance, forces of nature, accidents or emergencies. In such cases, we will either refund the full cost of the course, or arrange an alternative date.
• If any substitutions become necessary, we will ensure the value and quality of the replacements are equivalent.
• All Members and guests are required to maintain an appropriate standard of dress. As a rule of thumb, smart casual dress code applies, unless otherwise specified by the event.
• The legal drinking age is 18 years old in accordance with the NSW law.

Dietary Requirements

• 67 Pall Mall will make every effort to accommodate dietary requirements; however, we cannot guarantee the complete absence of allergens, including dairy, nuts, wheat, soy, egg and gluten. Due to the set-menu format, vegan alternatives cannot be accommodated. Guests with other dietary requirements are kindly asked to check with the Membership team prior to purchasing tickets, as advance notice is required and requests made on the day may not be possible to accommodate.

Other Notes

• On the rare occasions when the speakers become unavailable, we will endeavour to reschedule the event. However, if there is less than 72 hours notice, we will in most cases proceed as planned.