They often say the true measure of the greatness of any winery is made by assessing how good their entry level wines are every year. The Brookdale Estate in Paarl is undoubtedly a grand venture and already owner Tim Rudd has spared no expense trying to elevate the estate’s wines to the highest level possible in the shortest amount of time possible. Ambitious indeed. However, with most of the original estate’s vines having been grubbed up after purchase out of necessity, the time scale for producing the full envisaged Brookdale Estate flagship wine range has inevitably been lengthened considerably.
But every cloud has a silver lining and in the case of all the younger vine fruit coming from the new plantings, Brookdale Estate have established a very impressive entry level range… (if you can call £15 – £16 wines entry level?). But with other similarly ambitious larger scale South African wine brands like Adi Badenhorst’s Secateurs range now hitting the shelves at a similar price level, the Mason Road range from Brookdale can only be viewed as well priced considering the plaudits the whites and reds have already garnered over the past 2 years. I recently tasted through the Mason Road 2022 new releases and was suitably impressed.
The 2022 vintage will be remembered as a cool season before harvest, followed by a sudden temperature spike from January. Good vineyard practices were followed, and canopies were managed well, which delivered exceptional grape analyses and wine quality. Temperatures rose sharply during early January and accelerated the early cultivars’ ripening dates, although Brookdale harvested more than a week later than in 2021. Frequent high temperatures during February further contributed to harvest dates shifting sooner and harvesting returned to normal timing by the end of February. Brookdale were fortunate not to experience any crop losses or mildew infections leading into harvest.
Brookdale Estate Mason Road Chenin Blanc 2022, WO Paarl, 13.56% Abv.
2.2g/l RS | 5.8g/l TA | 3.43pH
From a 30-year-old Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1993 that was picked in four separate batches at differing degrees of ripeness, has allowed winemaker Kiara Scott to create a wine with incredible depth and presence for the price. We can all name a few budget Chenin Blanc brands in South Africa, but the Mason Road has continued to impress from day one making it an incredibly savvy purchase. The 2022 shows complex aromatics of dusty dry stable hay, fynbos, pineapple pastille, lemon cordial, white citrus and a stony granitic crushed rock minerality. Classic old vine Paarl Chenin Blanc traditionally boasts rich exotic layers of peach and pineapple fruit on the palate and this vintage is positively brimming with a tangy sweet and sour concentration, bright mouth-watering acids and a long, intense, crystalline limey finish that is both salty and tart with a pleasing glycerol gloss. Simply put, this wine performs in a manner more akin to super premium expressions of Chenin Blanc from the Cape making it something very special indeed. Drink on release and over the 5 to 8+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Brookdale Estate Mason Road Serendipity Rosé 2022, WO Paarl, 12.91% Abv.
3.2g/l RS | 5/6g/l TA | 3.42pH
This is a delightful coppery salmon pink Provencal-styled Rosé made from Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah with exotic and enticing aromatics of fraise de bois wild strawberries, dried apricots, hibiscus and subtle watermelon nuances over dried herbs, fynbos and a delicate granitic minerality. The palate is cool, crisp and classical but fabulously intense and evocative with a vibrant tangy sweet-sour acidity of blood oranges, raspberries, lime cordial and sour cherries before an energetic but incredibly precise, pristine crystalline finish. An instantly attractive Rosé that looks set to continue building its growing cult following internationally. Drink on release and over 2 to 3 years.
(Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Brookdale Estate Mason Road Syrah 2022, WO Paarl, 14.56% Abv.
2.6g/l RS | 5.1g/l TA | 3.66pH
This is another impressive Mason Road Syrah release that aims for the stars and comes pretty close to hitting the bullseye! With a small percentage of the Syrah grapes fermented whole bunch without destalking, the nose reveals a complex array of aromatics led by sweet cherry kirsch liquor notes, hints of sweet coriander laced with red peppercorns, cured meats, bresaola, sappy vanilla wood spice and an undertone of salty crème de cassis. The palate is delightfully supple and fleshy showing an impressive density and textural breadth, while always remaining incredibly harmonious and balanced. The juicy acids add a fine tangy, mouthwatering frame from which delicious layers of black berry, bramble berry and spicy plum fruits are proffered for your palate pleasure, before the savoury finishing finale. A simply wonderful expression of Syrah offering sophistication, value for money and incredible drinkability.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Brookdale Estate Mason Road GSM 2022, WO Paarl, 14.68% Abv.
2.4g/l RS | 5.0g/l TA | 3.60pH
Despite the cooler vintage conditions running into the pre-harvest period in January 2022, warmer temperatures from February onwards have ensured a deliciously ripe and opulent red boasting exotic aromatics of crushed sour cherries, Parma violets, burnt bushveld, ripe cranberries, salty red liquorice and a broader inviting melange of summer berries. This really is a fabulously complex maiden release focusing on Grenache and Syrah grapes that were separately whole bunch fermented before a short maceration and then further ageing in 500 and 300 litre barrels. The energy and vibrancy revealed on the nose follow succinctly to the palate that’s packed full of spicy, peppery black currant fruit, tart bright tangy acids and a silky soft fine-grained finish showing a subtle kiss of salted caramel. I’m not sure how much more wine drinking enjoyment you can pack into a bottle!? Drink on release and over the next 3 to 5+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Brookdale Estate and Mason Road ranges are imported exclusively into the UK by South African fine wine specialist merchant Museum Wines.
