($250): Will Berliner, owner/winemaker at Cloudburst says he cares “about clarity and purity.”  He found both in his 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, an extraordinary wine.  In keeping with the Cloudburst style, Berliner squeezes incredible flavor and nuances out of his grapes without imparting heaviness.   The initial impact of this mid-weight 13.2% stated alcohol is herbs and ash — an earthy minerality — rather than fruit.  It’s a seductive and immediately appealing introduction.  A plethora of red and black fruitiness then fills in around the edges making for a spectacular Cabernet.  The tannins are fine, but not so highly polished that they don’t provide support. Not a cookie cutter style of Cabernet, it retains charms and character, qualities rarely found in wines from new producers. There is a classic — not over ripe — Bordeaux-like sensibility to this Margaret River wine.
97 Michael Apstein Oct 28, 2014