Monday, June 16, 2025

Brookdale Estate introduces their new Twenty Field Blend with lunch

We are always appreciative when we are blessed with transport to functions
If John drives, he cannot drink and petrol prices nowadays have to be taken into account, our account
 This handsome white bus took us all the way to Paarl and back

It was good to see some old and young media friends again

The function was in the Bistro restaurant where we were to meet the two new winemakers

Welcomed with a glass of Brookdale 2023 Bradbourne,
a white blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Picpoul and Marsanne
It has richness on the nose, complex stone fruit with depth and length
Apricot, peach, lime lemon zest give long flavours and it calls loudly for food

The entrance to the Bistro

It was a bitterly cold day, so we headed for the fireplace
The two winemakers were there to introduce themselves and we had a good chance to chat to them
Winemaker Xander Sadie was chatting to a guest

Shanice du Preez, pictured here with the long dark hair, says she is the shortest winemaker ever
Lynne and she compared heights!  Not much in it

Chef Gary Coetzee with Terence van der Walt of Siris Vintners


Two vintage journalists, Melvin Minnaar and Greg Landman



Brookdale 2023 Sixteen Field Blend was served next. A field blend is something that is often grown in France
The two hectare vineyard is interplanted with several different varietals in each row, with just white grapes
There is another just with red varietals
They are all mixed in each row and harvested together to make one amorphous blend
Xander told us that some of the difficulties are season, position and climate
as some of the varietals ripen at different stages. To even them out,
they pick every fourth row with its mixture of varietals
so they have to vinify those first and pick the other rows at later intervals

The restaurant all set for our wine tasting. Lunch was to follow

General manager Yvonne Coetzee with some of the restaurant staff

The  Brookdale wine selection set out on the tables for tasting

All seated for the tasting and lunch

We were there to meet winemakers Xander Sadie and Shanice du Preez and they introduced themselves
They are very sparky together, Xander knows a lot about the terroir and the vines at Brookdale
Shanice is also competent about this subject and knows her winemaking so she is in the cellar



Shanice du Preez qualified with her degree in winemaking and oenology at Stellenbosch University
and was then invited onto the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé programme
You have to be good to be admitted to the programme. She did stages with Abrie Beeslaar at Kanonkop, 
with Charles Hopkins at de Grendel and with Duncan Savage at his Salt River winery
What a training, with three of the best winemakers in the business
She also has participated in two overseas harvests, one in France and one in Portugal

Xander spoke about the farm and its terroir
Backed by the Klein Drakenstein Mountains, they have sandstone formations and granite soils with schist at the base
Owner Tim Rudd saw the potential of the farm and what Brookdale might become,
even though it was covered by invasive aliens which all had to be uprooted
He bought it in 2016 and the work began
Paarl is a hot area with high winter rainfall  and the farm is North facing, so it is fully dry land in the summer
No mulch or dry material can be used in the vineyards because of the risk of mountain fires

They stand together Xander spends most of the time in the vineyards, Shanice in the wine cellar

Studies in concentration

Brookdale Sales manager Jacus Marais was able to supply much more information about the wine and the vineyards

Maryna Calow, WOSA Communications manager

Terence van der Walt of Siris Vintners

Smiles from Chef Gary Coetzee and one of his assistants

GM of the Brookdale Hotel (and wife of the Chef) Yvonne Coetzee





















The wines for the tasting



All set to taste the wines, guided by the winemakers

The 2023 Chenin is made from old vines which have been carefully nurtured. They get 6.5 tons a hectare
There are three blocks which are harvested separately and vinified for 11 months on the lees
and 11 months in Foudres, which add some oak to the Chenin, then the two lots are blended
Golden on the nose from oak and fruit, quite attractive.  Perfumed with jasmine, quince and citrus
The wine is rounded on the palate, with many layers of complex fruits
The oak is just supporting and doing it well. Quince appears again on the palate

The next wine was the Bradbourne 2024 a blend of Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne
Aromatic on the nose, with a strange whiff of brandy
It's a bit shy at first, then complex fruit like white peach, gooseberry and marmalade appear
On the palate, full and waxy,  lots of fruit shouting for attention then lovely citrus takes over
The wine has lovely texture and long flavours. It needs time

We next tasted the maiden release of the 2024 Twenty Field Blend
The field blend even has five Pinotage vines, and Portuguese varietals which add tannins, fruit flavours and body
Cinsault adds colour and others the alcohol
Vanilla oak comes first, sweetness of fruit too; it's very forward and complex
Bitter tannins on the lips, mouth puckering tannins, tobacco, cherry, plum, blackberry, deep dark fruit
There is some excitement and a hint of what it might be
Spice on the end with black pepper then dark oak and the fruit returns
This needs time but has potential

The Brookdale 2024 Sixteen Field Blend was next
An intriguing nose with lots of complexity and interest
Hints of Viognier and some Semillon fat on the palate, which opens with fruit and grows to a crescendo of flavours,
stone fruit, citrus keeping the acidity in balance with guava on the end
The wines are fermented in a concrete amphora  

The aim is to produce three or maybe four white Field blends and four reds

After the tasting, we did a quick cellar tour to see the barrels and huge oak foudres

They farm a variety of Mediterranean and Rhône varietals with some Spanish and Portuguese as well

Two not very tall ladies with the amphorae in the background







and we saw the immaculate tank cellar


A highly polished ceramic egg fermentation vessel

Two shorties discussing their favourite subject, wine

Brooding sky presaging the coming weekend's rain

Preparing to plate in the kitchen as we end the tasting



The lunch menu

Pouring the wines for lunch












An appetiser of farm olives, good breads and herb butter

Spinach and Ricotta Mezzaluna pasta with burnt sage butter
An inspired dish made superb by the joy of the burnt butter, crisp sage leaves and the hazelnuts


Braised oxtail in a rosemary and red wine sauce with creamed samp and vegetables,
a rich dish perfect for a cold winter's day


Brookdale Snickers bar!
Chef Gary recreated this triumph of a dish, a dark chocolate bar
filled with caramel and honeycomb, peanuts and chocolate mousse
accompanied by a great peanut butter gelato and some squidgy meringue


Chef Gary Coetzee

Management and guests (bar the photographer) all together


The start of a wet weekend

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Wine Concepts Grape Escape 2025 at Moyo, Kirstenbosch

Held again at Moyo restaurant at the edge of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
We like the Guardian angels








It's a very classy venue

We decided that, as there were so many wines on show and our time would be limited,
we would have to be very selective
We tasted the most unusual wines. There were many excellent Chenin blancs and Shirazes,
but we concentrated on the "niche" varietals




We tasted Bruce Jack's  The Drift Estate Reserve Viognier 2023 and it is true to  type, full of stone fruit

Great to see Tanya Beutler of the Cape Wine Hub with her simply named Red and White wines
The Hub Red is a Rhône-style blend of 60%, Shiraz and 40% Grenache Noir,
each matured separately in small French oak barrels for 6 months, then aged in bottle for a further 9 months
The Hub White is a Rhône-style White blend, composed of 85%, Verdelho, 8% Marsanne and 7% Grenache Blanc
Matured on the lees for 6 months in a concrete egg

Dornier 2022 Semillon is special
Perfumed and this follows through with layers of fruit on the nose and palate, but good Semillon fatness
Lynne really liked the 2022 Petit Verdot too

Happy faces at Arbeidsgenot stand. 
Jaco Brand showed his Grenache Blanc 2024, Verdelho 2024, Roussanne 2024, Premium Grenache Rosé 2024
and Grenache Noir 2022
The Arbeidsgenot Verdelho 2024 we tasted is smooth and full, lively and different 

Natasha Jacka is the founder and winemaker of Alinea Wines
We liked the Viura 2023. dusty citrus blossom and elderflower on the nose
Rich citrus and melon are present on the palate. There is a long mineral finish
We ran out of time and could not taste the Grenache Noir 2023

Darling Cellars Black Granite Reserve 2023 So enjoyable, good dark berry fruit

Dave Nel with the Carinus wines

He showed Carinus Swartland Chenin blanc 2023, Colombard 2024, Rooidraai Chenin blanc and Polkadraai Syrah 2022
We like seeing how Colombard has progressed from being a "box" wine staple and is now being taken seriously
Apple, pear and a little citrus on the nose. Fresh on the palate acidity finishes with a light salinity


Donkiesbaai Grenache Noir 2023 showed a hint of violets on the nose, really enticing fruit

De Krans showed Free Run Chenin 2024, A Twist of Fate 2024, Tritonia Calitzdorp Red 2022 from Portuguese varietals,
Cape Vintage Port 2021 and Cape Tawny Limited Release Port NV
We tasted A Twist of Fate 2024, a delicious white blend of Tinta amarela and Tinta barocca with spicy red berry flavour

Fram 2022 Grenache Gris is tinted pink with good fruit and good depth

Leon Coetzee showed The Fledge Elgin Viognier 2023 and Red Blend 2021
made at Boplaas in Calitzdorp with his wife Margaux Nel
The Viognier has characteristic bright stone fruit character with citrus notes
and will go well with spicy dishes like Cape Malay curry

We had to taste the Fairview Charles Back 2022 Brut
Made by Anthony de Jager from a blend of Viognier, Grenache blanc and Grenache noir
It sounds bonkers but we always trust him, and this works
It’s crisp and dry with lively acidity, a dry fruitiness and a fine mousse, linear and zesty, a find
Should be on many restaurant lists

They also showed the Tannat 2022, Petite Sirah 2022 and Caldera 2022, a Rhône style red blend

Iona Solace Syrah, just released, the new 2022 has smoke on the nose and lots of surprise with complexity, smoothness, acidity in balance and good fruit with pepper and spice on the end

Keermont Terrasse 2023 was made from 46% Chenin blanc with Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc
and small amounts of Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier
It shows elegant minerality with crisp melon and citrus flavours

Mike Froud chatting to Lynne .. about wine!



Jasper Raats showed his Olindo 2023 Verdelho
We are fond of this grape; it's different and enchanting and it goes so well with food

Avocado canapés


La Bri showed Irene de Fleuriot's Double Door Roussanne 2024, Viognier 2024 and Syrah 2022
La Bri 2024 Double Door Roussanne was excellent.  Perfume on the nose, long, crisp and clean on the palate
with quince and stone fruit and acid in perfect balance
The Viognier has peach and litchi flavours, good mouthfeel from a dash of oak and bright acidity

Kleine Zalze had Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2024 and
Kleine Zalze 2023 Vineyard selection Grenache on show 
Lynne chose the room temperature version of the Grenache; they had both
Perfumed, red fruit, complexity at first. It should improve with time
They also showed Vineyard Selection Syrah 2021

Dornier 2022 Semillon is special
Perfumed and this follows through with layers of fruit on the nose and palate, but good Semillon fatness
Lynne really liked the 2022 Petit Verdot too

Emy Mathews showed the Welgegund Heritage Wines
Old Vine Cinsault 2021, Providence 2021 and Rosé 2025
Providence is made from 60% Syrah and 20% each Cinsault and Grenache noir
Each varietal is fermented separately, mostly whole bunch
The Rosé is a Rhône-style blend from Grenache noir, Cinsault and Carignan

Painted Wolf, which is now in partnership with Jordan, showed their Teardrop Viognier 2024, Solo Roussanne 2023,
Lycaon Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023, Darius Carignan 2023 and Black Tip Mourvèdre 2022
Jeremy and Emma Borg devote much of the profit from their wine to conservation,
especially the endangered African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), also called painted wolf and Cape hunting dog

Carsten Migliarina's 2023 Stellenbosch Albarinho is rather sophisticated for this grape with an attractive nose
It draws you in to a lovely mouthful of carefully handled fruit and earns a high score

Nick Gebers showed his excellent basket pressed and barrel fermented Post House Stamp of Chenin 2024
and Raithby Road 2023, a Bordeaux blend of 25% each Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and 12.5% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot

 

Roodekrantz presented three excellent Chenins:
Brand se Berg Chenin Blanc 2023, 1983 Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024, Somerkind Chenin Blanc 2024
as well as Die Filosoof Shiraz 2022

John Collins with Bev Murray

Bev showed the Strandveld Viognier 2024, Grenache 2022 and The Navigator 2022 Syrah
The Viognier has flavours of yellow stone fruit, honey, the acidity toned down by 8 months oak fermentation 



John showed Springfield's Albariño and Miss Lucy,
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Gris blend which we enjoy with fish
The Albariño has flavours of nectarine and apricot with gentle acidity
It matures very well and is delicious when young

Mike and Renee Duggan of Wine Concepts. Mike and his team always put on a very good show

Lynne was recovering from a hip replacement operation
Sadly, the show took place a bit soon after the op and we had to leave before the official end

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