Brookdale

Brookdale Winery Coming of Age With Their Stunning new 2020 Chenin Blanc Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

Brookdale is an impressive winery owned by Englishman Tim Rudd that is planted with 20+ year old Chenin Blanc vines as well as several other special Chenin Blanc blocks that are now fully certified as 37 year old Old Vines planted in 1985, situated at the foot of the lofty Du Toitskloof Pass in Paarl.

The property was bought by the Rudd family who instantly kick started a widespread replanting programme where sustainable viticulture and farming for the future generations were at the centre of their ethos. The first vintage of their new field blend white was recently released and will be reviewed on the Fine Wine Safari in coming weeks. With most of the previous vineyards acquired with the original estate very neglected, most were uprooted with only the old vine Chenin Blanc blocks retained. This exceptional site offers altitude and granitic soils rich in clay and schist that are perfectly suited for Chenin Blanc and in their 4th vintage, the true pedigree of the Brookdale terroir is finally being revealed with an exceptional white wine.

The Paarl Old Vine certified Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1985.

With winemaker Kiara Scott taking Brookdale forward from the 2019 vintage, Kiara is a young winemaker who studied at Elsenberg before being selected to join the Cape Winemakers Guild Protege Programme. Kiara has worked vintages in the Rhône Valley, Sancerre and the Russian River in Sonoma, California. Duncan Savage, who produced the first two vintages, still acts as a consultant to the ambitious Brookdale project helping them to meet their lofty aspirations.

Brookdale Chenin Blanc Single Vineyard 2020, WO Paarl, 13.5% Abv.

Now a designated single vineyard Chenin Blanc, and newly labelled as such, the 2020 certainly rises to the challenge to offer an old vine intensity and quality that exceeds anything released from Brookdale previously. Everything is text book here and assembled with absolute precision. The aromatics burst forth with lofty notes of tangy sweet and sour yellow citrus, wet straw, hints of pineapple pastille and sweet herbal notes of fynbos and dried thyme. Fabulous lift and intensity continue to the opulent palate that shows an impressive concentration of white peach and citrus fruits with a tangerine kiss underpinned by fabulously tangy acids and a pronounced stony wet river pebble minerality on the long, unctuous finish. A wine with a revved up complexity and intensity but also a delightfully sophisticated balance. This is top level Tetris where all the blocks have slotted in together seamlessly to create a wine of beauty. Enjoy on release and over the next 10 to 12+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Kiara Scott Releases Her 2019 Brookdale Winery Chenin Blanc…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Brookdale is an impressive winery owned by Englishman Tim Rudd that is planted with 20+ year old Chenin Blanc vines as well as several other special Chenin Blanc blocks that are now almost 35 years old situated at the foot of the lofty Du Toitskloof Pass in Paarl.

The property was bought by the Rudd family which kick started a widespread replanting programme where sustainable viticulture and farming for the future generations are at the centre of their ethos. Most of the previous vineyards acquired with the original estate were very neglected and so uprooted with only the old vine Chenin Blanc blocks retained. The site is regularly exposed to strong winds that often reduce yields but also offer much-needed cooling breezes in Paarl’s warm inland climate. This site offers altitude and granitic soils rich in clay and schist that are perfectly suited for Chenin Blanc.

Taking Brookdale forward from the 2019 vintage is Kiara Scott, a young 28 year old winemaker who studied at Elsenberg before being selected to join the Cape Winemakers Guild Protege Programme. Kiara has worked vintages in the Rhône Valley, Sancerre and the Russian River in Sonoma, California. The future at Brookdale is looking super exciting with Kiara at the day to day winemaking helm and Duncan Savage, who produced the first two vintages, acting as a consultant.

Brookdale Chenin Blanc 2019, WO Paarl, 13.5% Abv.

The third vintage of the Brookdale Chenin Blanc sees Kiara Scott firmly in the winemaking driving seat with the majority of the vineyards employed starting the near the magical 35 year old mark making them eligible for Old Vine certification. With the use of large 500 litre oak barrels, the oak imprint on the wine is sensitive but complimentary, allowing lovely complex aromatics of white flowers, wet straw, white toast, tangerine peel and stem ginger to mingle effortlessly with notes of leesy biscuits and savoury vanilla pod spice. While the palate has a beautiful textural feel with mouth coating concentration, you can feel the pineapple pastille and smoky yellow orchard fruit notes are underpinned by the classical, stony mineral notes of the 2019 vintage. Showing an opulence and an attractive overt appeal already, this wines is once again a superb counterfoil to the overpriced, heady whites of Burgundy. Yes, I know its Chenin Blanc, but that is of course the wonder of this versatile premium white grape that reaches extra levels of intricacy when harvested from old vines and aged in oak. A delicious white wine that will drink well on release but should age and improve in the cellar comfortably for another 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Brookdale Winery Prepares to Preview their Noteworthy Second Chenin Blanc Vintage at the New Wave 2019 Tasting in London…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Brookdale is a fabulous new winery owned by Englishman Tim Rudd that is planted with 20+ year old Chenin Blanc vines as well as several other special Chenin Blanc blocks that are almost 35 years old situated at the foot of the lofty Du Toitskloof Pass in Paarl.

The property was bought by the Rudd family which kick started a widespread replanting programme where sustainable viticulture and farming for the future generations are at the centre of their ethos. Most of the previous vineyards acquired with the estate have already been uprooted and only the old vine Chenin Blanc blocks were retained. The site is regularly exposed to strong winds that often reduce yields and offer much-needed cooling in Paarl’s warm inland climate. This site offers altitude and granitic soils rich in clay and schist that are ideal for Chenin Blanc.

Brookdale is also very excited about its unique blends. There will be a white blend in future from a 16 varietal field blend that will be fermented and aged in amphorae. The red wines will consist of a Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Petit Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Petit Manseng and also a 20 varietal red field blend. The reds will be aged in older barrels and a small percent of new oak will be used for the Touriga Nacional.

While the first two Chenin Blanc vintages were made under the close guidance of winemaker rock star Duncan Savage, he was also instrumental in bringing in their new full time winemaker who was previously Duncan’s assistant winemaker at Savage Wines.

Taking Brookdale forward from 2019 is Kiara Scott, a young 27 year old winemaker who studied at Elsenberg before being selected to join the Cape Winemakers Guild Protege Programme. Kiara has worked vintages in the Rhône Valley, Sancerre and the Russian River in Sonoma, California. The future at Brookdale is super exciting and this is most definitely an estate to follow closely.

Brookdale Chenin Blanc 2018, 13.5 Abv.

Like the maiden 2017 release, the 2018 Brookdale is a blend of Chenin Blanc Block 2, Block 5 and Block 10.1 using 50% new oak (1 x new 500 litre and 1 x 10 year old 500 litre barrel). The aromatics are slightly more restrained and subtle coming together to yield a classical Paarl Chenin melange of gravelly pineapple pastille, warm buttered croissants, sweet orange citrus zest and wet thatch herbal spice. On the palate the wine shows impressive oak spice, fruit and savoury leesy lemon biscuit integration and complexity but also superb fleshy, stony yellow orchard fruit notes, bruised green apples and acids that are bright and tangy but finely balanced by a fleshy glycerol texture. Ultimately, it’s the wine’s harmony and intensity with finely judged balance that really leaves a long lasting impression. Thoroughly seductive and captivating, this wine is a total show stopper and a new icon Chenin Blanc in the growing ranks of South Africa’s new wave producers.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Great Minds, Great Vision and Great Terroir Meet at Brookdale Wines in Paarl – Tasting the 2018 Vintages with Tim Rudd and Winemaker Duncan Savage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Since Duncan Savage left Cape Point Vineyards, he has been fully absorbed and focused on taking his Savage brand to the next level and bedding Down his new urban winery in Salt River, Cape Town. But as I discovered when I visited him recently, he does consult to one client, Englishman Tim Rudd at his beautiful Brookdale Winery in Paarl.

Named after the hamlet in Derbyshire where Tim originates from, Brookdale is a fabulous winery planted with 20+ year old Chenin Blanc as well as other Chenin Blanc blocks that are almost 35 years old.

At first I thought Duncan made the acquaintance by buying fruit from Tim, but Duncan was quick to point out that this was not the case and that he just simply discovered that he really clicked with Tim and his ambitious vision to make Brookdale one of South Africa’s top quality focused wine labels… and so the collaboration started.

Owner Tim Rudd and consultant winemaker Duncan Savage.

Old Vine Chenin Blanc almost 35 years old.

It’s all still very early days with few people having even tasted the finished 2017 wines let alone the new barrel samples from 2018. But I believe Neal Martin did manage to taste the 2017s on a recent trip and scored the wines very positively. Much of the day to day work at the winery still involves the ongoing rejuvenation of all current vineyards, many of which were badly neglected over the years before Tim bought the estate, but also now includes a massive replanting programme.

Some of the new plantings of Grenache Noir hidden in the cover crop.

As usual, Duncan is spinning his own kind of winemaking magic with some very fine fruit and with all the ongoing investment being poured into the winery and vineyards, this is definitely a hot name to watch.

Brookdale Block 2 Chenin Blanc 2018, 13.5 Abv.

From a 25 year old block of Chenin Blanc, took 6 months to ferment in 500 litre barrels with full malolactic in barrel. Due to be bottled end Jan / early Feb 2019. Classic Paarl Chenin aromatics of white peach, pineapple pastille, orange citrus and dusty notes of granite and fynbos spice. Palate full and bold, broad textured coating the palate with layers of green apple, white peach, pineapple, finishing with a subtle restrained, piquant mineral gravel note. The wine is deceptively classical with more reserved phenolics than the luscious, opulent nose suggests. A work in progress but already showing excellent pedigree and potential.

(Wine Safari Score: 90-92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Brookdale Block 10.1 Chenin Blanc 2018, 13.5 Abv.

From a block planted in 1985, the aromatics show more pronounced notes of vanilla and oak spice that embraces white citrus, white peach, green apple, thatch, fynbos and peach tea nuances. Palate shows wonderful intensity and tension, focus and textural tautness that is more mineral laden, gravelly and restrained. Quite a grown up expression of old vine Chenin Blanc.

(Wine Safari Score: 93-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Brookdale 3 Block Blend Chenin Blanc 2018, 13.5 Abv.

With various components of block 2, block 5 and block 10.1 blended together, the aromatics come together in a more restrained, subtle melange of gravelly pineapple pastille, orange citrus, wet thatch and fynbos spice. In converse to the single block expressions in isolation, this wine shows more opulence and sweet flesh on the entry and fine palate texture and reach. Attractive oak spice and peach tea complexity but also lovely elegance and harmony on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92-93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Brookdale Chenin Blanc 2017, 13.5 Abv.

Blend of all the blocks, only 1000 bottles produced from 50% new oak (1 x new 500 litre and 1 x 10 year old 500 litre barrel). No malolactic, the ferment was much quicker than 2018 lasting 4 weeks. The nose shows dusty, earthy, savoury leesy notes of buttered warm baguette, vanilla spice and delicious yellow orchard fruits. Palate is already very expressive with explosive concentration of pineapple pastille, yellow peach, green apple and pithy citrus peel. The acids are bright and vibrant but finely balanced by a generous fleshy glycerol texture that is succinctly punctuated on the finish. An impressive debut.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Retasted in bottle on 15th May 2019:

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)