COLOUR
White
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2023
GRAPE
Chenin Blanc
PRODUCER
Brookdale Estate
REGION
Western Cape
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium - Full
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Medium - High
Finish
Medium - Long
Intensity
Pronounced
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
The Brookdale Estate Old Vine Chenin Blanc hails from Paarl, within South Africa's Coastal Region. The estate was founded by UK-native Tim Rudd, who transformed a neglected farm into a thriving wine estate with a minimal interventionist philosophy. The heart of this wine is a single block of Chenin Blanc vines, planted in 1985, which were discovered thriving on a slope after Rudd acquired the land. These 35-year-old vines, certified as Heritage Vines by the Old Vine Project, produced the very first vintage of Brookdale Chenin Blanc. The estate's head winemaker, Kiara Scott Farmer, made history in 2019 by becoming the youngest head female winemaker in South Africa at just 26 years old.
ALCOHOL
13.0%
AVG. PRICE
€42
STYLE
Classic
SULPHITES
YES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
10-12°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Brookdale Estate's first Chenin Blanc vintage came from a single block of 35-year-old vines discovered on a neglected slope.
Fact 02
The Chenin Blanc vines are certified Heritage Vines by South Africa's Old Vine Project.
Fact 03
Kiara Scott Farmer became South Africa's youngest head female winemaker at Brookdale Estate in 2019, at age 26.
Fact 04
Grapes for this wine were hand-picked in eight different stages to ensure optimal ripeness and balance.
FOOD PAIRING
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WINE MAKING PROCESS
The 2023 vintage experienced a dry, warm winter followed by optimal growing conditions. Rain before véraison and a cool, wet ripening period allowed for a slow, balanced maturation of the grapes. Grapes were meticulously hand-picked in eight different stages to ensure optimal ripeness and balance. Minimal intervention techniques were employed in the cellar, starting with pre-cooling and gentle whole-bunch pressing. The wine underwent spontaneous fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation. It was then matured for 11 months in 500L French oak barrels, followed by an additional 11 months of aging on the lees in 2000L Stockinger (Austrian Oak) foudres. After bottling, the wine received a further four months of maturation before its release.
