2023 Brookdale Estate Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Paarl, South Africa (750ml)

When Tim Rudd first acquired the land of Brookdale, it was overgrown and underused. As Tim and the team began to clear the land, replant indigenous trees and shrubs, and plant new vines, they happened across something remarkable… A single block of Chenin Blanc had been quietly thriving on one of the slopes at Brookdale Estate and held immense potential.

The block was to yield the first vintage of Brookdale Chenin Blanc from the then 35-year-old vines. The Chenin Blanc stands proudly as a wine of outstanding character made in a large format, especially for a marriage with food on the palate. It is spoken about lovingly by wine aficionados and casual drinkers alike. With exquisite detail, nuanced balance, and an impactful flavor profile, the Brookdale Chenin Blanc rivals the classic white wines of Burgundy.

The 2023 season will be remembered for the dry and warmer winter, generally good growing conditions during the vegetative growth phase, good rain shortly before véraison, which benefitted quality, and a cool and wet ripening period, which gave grapes a chance to ripen optimally at a slower rate. Cooler conditions slowed the ripening of grapes, but the harvest commenced at the usual time in early February. Excellent flavor, as well as color profiles, were observed.

The scent of gold: earthy, mineral, yet charged with sun. Powerful, complex aromatics unwind; ripe citrus, fresh honey, and orchard apples and pears all pour forth with bay leaf and lemon buchu highlights. Underpinning this are roasted nuts and a line of cream. A concentrated yet fresh core of apple, pear, and lime is wrapped in silky ribbons of golden citrus tapering to nutty and honeyed edges. The long line of liquid minerality weaves right through for a stony, vibrant finish, echoing with citrus.

From old vine Chenin Blanc (1985) grown on decomposed shale and granite, minimal winemaking was employed to allow this stony terroir to shine through. The grapes were hand-picked at 8 different stages to achieve optimal ripeness and balance. The fruit was pre-cooled and gently whole-bunch pressed before spontaneous fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation for added elegance and complexity. Matured for 11 months in 500L French oak barrels, the wine was then aged on the lees for eleven months in 2000L Stockinger (Austrian oak) foudres. Once bottled, the wine was left to mature for a further four months before release.