Brookdale Estate’s Sixteen White Blend 2022 has received a 5-star rating in the prestigious Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2024.
The award-winning Brookdale Sixteen exemplifies the revival of field blend winemaking, which combines 16 different varietals grown as bush vines in a seemingly random pattern.
Rather than blending separately vinified grapes in the cellar, this method allows for a natural blend in the vineyard itself.
Also read: Brookdale Estate shines in the Best of Wine Tourism Awards 2024
The 2022 vintage of Brookdale Sixteen has been described as a luxurious and intricate composition, offering a symphony of aromas and flavours.
From the initial notes of thatch, heather and white blossom, it transitions to a richer palette of green pineapple, lemon balm and fresh honey.
The taste evolves further, presenting layers of peach, apricot and peardrop, balanced by a limey acidity and a mineral-saltiness finish.
Behind Brookdale Estate’s success are owner Tim Rudd and winemaker Kiara Scott Farmer, who have combined their passion for Mediterranean varietals, unique Paarl terroir and innovative techniques.
Kiara explains: ‘We seek to explore our terroir not only with a site-specific approach but also a vintage-specific one. The Brookdale Sixteen Field Blend exemplifies our mission to explore the naturally occurring microclimates, which has produced a true South African field blend, as nature might have intended if she were a winemaker.’
The estate’s range also includes other highly-rated wines like the Brookdale Chenin Blanc Old Vine 2021 and the Brookdale Bradbourne White Blend 2022, both awarded 4½ stars.
Additionally, the Mason Road Chenin Blanc 2022 and the Mason Road GSM 2022 from Brookdale’s lifestyle range have each earned a respectable 4-star rating.
