Bernice Ong and Julian Forwood are the duo behind Ministry of Clouds. A partnership in every sense of the word, and with an experience in the wine industry working for renowned Australian wineries the likes of Wirra Wirra, Woodstock, Mountadam, Yalumba and Moët Hennessy, in 2012 the pair decided to take fate into their own hands.
An idea conceived with the support of extraordinary friends saw the pair leave their jobs and chance fate on a beguiling, exhilarating obsession that would take them from McLaren Vale for their reds, to Clare and Tasmania for their whites.
An entity of opposites – methodical and organic, thoughtful and brash, East and West, yin to yang – this is an amalgam of style and soul, and the reflection of a shared vision for the future.
Launching in late 2013, all six wines from their first release rated between 94 and 97 points in James Halliday’s 2015 Wine Companion, with Halliday also featuring Ministry of Clouds in his ‘Top 10 New Wineries’ list.
Since then, the label has enjoyed organic growth, with Ministry of Clouds’ wines featured in many of the great eating houses around the country, as well as internationally in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
Bernice and Julian say their lives have been enriched by the eccentricities of the wine world: the places they’ve travelled to, the diverse cuisines, and the interesting people they’ve met along the way.
They continue to learn, discover and refine their craft, making wines they love to drink – and hope you will too, paired with delicious and unexpected flavours, and best relished, sipped, savoured or swigged in good company.
