Brookdale Estate Bradbourne White Blend 2024
Complex, smooth and silky with rich aromatics of honeyed peach, hazelnut and racy lime balancing the luscious stone fruits through to a mineral finish.
A blend of Mediterranean varietals, grown in Paarl. The vineyard is planted at the foot of the Du Toitskloof Pass in granite-rich soils with clay and quartz. The clay element offers high water retention properties and releases much needed water during the warm summer months. The lowest part of the estate is at 220 metres above sea level, climbing to 330m at the highest part. At this altitude, the vines are exposed to strong winds that naturally reduce yields and offer a much-needed cooling influence in Paarl's warm, dry climate. The vines are planted in a combination of bush and trellised methods; the Roussanne vines are trained on echalas. The vineyard is manually cultivated, with a commitment to sustainable farming. Natural predators are used in place of pesticides and the vines are hand-harvested.
Each variety was picked at a different stage to ensure optimal ripeness. The fruit was cooled and whole bunch pressed, before spontaneous fermentation took place with wild yeasts. The wine was barrel-fermented and aged in old 500-litre French oak barrels. A portion of the Grenache was whole bunch fermented for added texture and complexity. The components went through 80% malolactic conversion. The wines were aged for one year in barrel, and in bottle for six months.
| RRP | £31.25 |
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Western Cape |
| Subregion | Paarl |
| Grapes | Grenache Blanc 62%, Piquepoul 17%, Roussanne 14%, Marsanne 7% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 3.2 |
| Dry/Sweet value | 1 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Diam |
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Klein Drakenstein Mountains in Paarl, Brookdale Estate produces wines as unexpected as they are enchanting. A true Cinderella story, Brookdale was once overgrown until the Rudd family recognised the potential and acquired the 67-hectare estate in 2015. Their vision was to produce fine, world-class wines, including interesting blends crafted from varietals that are somewhat ‘unusual’ in South Africa. These Mediterranean varietals, the distinctive Paarl terroir and creative winemaking techniques come together under the visionary hand of Tim Rudd and talented young winemaker Kiara Scott. Born on the Cape Flats, Kiara graduated from Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute in Viticulture and Oenology and was selected for the prestigious CWG Protégé Programme. Consultant winemaker Duncan Savage recognised Kiara’s potential and appointed her as his assistant. Together, they created the maiden vintage of the Brookdale Chenin Blanc in 2017 which received global acclaim. Kiara officially took over the reins in 2019.
