It was one of those wet, chilly Cape Town winter days, the kind that makes you want to curl up under a blanket. Yet the real comfort lies in visiting the wine farms that welcome you with hospitality as warm as their fireplaces.
In Paarl, with the Klein Drakenstein mountains creating a dramatic backdrop, Brookdale Estate is a place that draws you in. From the friendly greetings at the door to the glow of the fireplaces, the elegant wines and their Bistro restaurant that serves food with heart, it is somewhere you want to linger, no matter the weather.
The tasting room at Brookdale is warm and welcoming, as Assistant Winemaker Shanice du Preez brings the wines to life with her stories and knowledge. Brookdale is owned by Tim Rudd, a passionate proprietor originally from Brookdale in Derbyshire, which is where the estate takes its name. His vision has been to create fine, distinctive blends from unusual varietals, giving them a truly South African expression.
He cleared the estate of overgrown alien vegetation, uprooted and planted new vines alongside indigenous flora. The farm stretches across 67 hectares, with nearly half planted to trellised vines while the rest grow as bush vines. One of the fun facts shared is that there are exactly 78,189 vines!
Wines:
We tasted 4 wines which included the maiden release of their much-anticipated Twenty Field Blend, as well as their Sixteen Field Blend which was first released in 2022, Bradbourne White Blend and their certified Old Vine Chenin Blanc, sourced from a single block planted around 40 years ago.
Brookdale Sixteen Field Blend 2024
Sixteen white varietals were inter-planted as bush vines on decomposed shale and granite and the grapes were picked at four different stages due to the ripening variation of the varietals and met the wines speak for themselves. 40% of the wine was fermented and aged in concrete egg and 60% in clay amphora for 12 months on lees prior to bottling and spent 4 months in bottle before release.
Brookdale Bradbourne White Blend 2024
This is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne with a splash of Piquepoul Blanc and Marsanne, picked at different stages during harvest. The wine was barrel fermented and aged in 500L French oak barrels. The wines were aged for 12 months in barrel prior to blending and bottling, followed by four months in bottle before release.
Brookdale Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023
It was planted in 1985 and grown on decomposed shale and granite, combined with minimal winemaking have created Brookdale’s flagship wine. Matured for 11 months in 500L French oak barrels, the wine was then aged on the lees for eleven months in Stockinger (Austrian Oak) foudres. Once bottled, the wine was left to mature for a further four months before release.
Brookdale Twenty Field Blend 2024
Maiden release. A young wine as the bines are still young and has been planted in 2021. The twenty red varietals were inter-planted and the grapes were picked at two different stages due to the variability of the grapes. After fermentation, the wine spent seven days on skins before being basket pressed into a concrete egg and 500L French Oak barrels. The wine stayed in barrel for 12 months and was then blended and spent four months in bottle before release.
Bistro at Brookdale
There’s no better way to round off a wine tasting than with a delicious lunch at the Bistro. Set in a relaxed, contemporary space with views of the vineyards, the bistro offers seasonal dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients that pair beautifully with the estate’s wines.
We enjoyed a Dukkha Crusted Pork Chop with Braised Baby Cabbage, Crispy Baby Potatoes, Apple Gel, Bacon & Cider Jus as well as Tallow Aged Bonsmara Sirloin, Fried Potato Anna Crisp, Roast Garlic Purée, Braaied Carrot, Green Peppercorn & Brandy Jus. It was the perfect way to end a rainy, cold day on a high note. It was the perfect way to end a rainy, cold day on a high note. Dessert was a delicious Almond Custard Slice.
It was the perfect way to end a rainy, cold day on a high note. Be sure to put Brookdale Estate on your list of wine farms to visit where fine wines, warm hospitality and beautiful food come together in Paarl.
Categories: Brookdale Estate
