A VINE ROMANCE
Sophia Constant falls for the charms of the Brookdale private winery, a place of unabashed yet understated luxury, with a private pool, fine food and breathtaking mountain views
I’m sitting with my feet dangling in the pool, the satisfying sound of ice tinkling in my G&T, and nodding along to the conversation around me. But I’m not really listening; I’m far too preoccupied by the extraordinary sunset that is turning the landscape around us a scorched orange and sending streaks of soft pink across the sky. We are in the heart of South Africa’s winelands, among the first to stay at the magnificent Brookdale Estate, a brand-new private rental nestled in a valley of vines that stretch to the base of the Drakenstein Mountains’ towering granite peaks.
Brookdale is the creation of the Englishman Tim Rudd, an aficionado of South Africa with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for wine. After discovering the Cape lifestyle and dreaming of sharing it with others, he spent two years searching for the perfect piece of land with the right soil for growing grapes. He purchased the property in 2015, before renovating the dilapidated farm, rebuilding the house from scratch and starting a thriving wine operation. The result is a luxury retreat that guarantees unrivalled privacy, thanks to a policy of no day visitors for wine tours or tastings. Guests take over the entire estate, with exclusive use of the five-bedroom house, plus the services of a chef, concierge and butler.
Having found blueprints of the original 1760s farmhouse, which was torn down in the 1950s, Rudd set about recreating its historic splendour – complete with Cape Dutch façade, whitewashed walls dotted with iron lanterns, gambrel windows and shutters, and a neat layer of thatch roofing – while finishing the interiors to the highest modern
standards. The ground floor encompasses a drawing-room, a sitting-room with a growing library, extra-deep sofas, open fireplaces, and both formal and casual dining-rooms. One downstairs bedroom opens onto a floral garden, while a grand staircase leads to four remaining suites, all with their own walk-in dressing-rooms, bathrooms with tubs you can stretch out in, and magnificent views. Rudd credits his mother as the creative mind behind Brookdale’s soothing colour palette and soft fabrics, while his own efforts to source superb local furniture-makers have helped fill the house with bespoke pieces and eye-catching artworks.
During our sojourn, Brookdale’s charming team of staff catered generously to our every need. The chef served us comforting home-cooked dishes, including fennel potato dauphinoise and West Coast mussels alongside a fillet of local sole, drizzled with a creamy Chenin Blanc and lemon sauce. The plan is for Brookdale to become as self-sufficient as possible; herbs, salads and fruit from the orchard are incorporated into every meal, and soon the estate hopes to produce its own olive oil, honey and preserves.
When not filling up on delicious food, we spent happy days fishing, biking or simply lazing on sunloungers by the swimming pool, next to which was a conveniently located help-yourself wine fridge. There was so much to explore on the estate: we strolled through the vineyards, picnicked beneath olive-trees and watched eagles and buzzards patrolling the skies. Time spent in nature without interruption is rare, and I’d forgotten its restorative power.
Our stay fell during the harvest season, which runs from January to March; we watched in fascination as 10 tonnes of Chenin Blanc and Shiraz grapes were plucked by hand, piled into crates and deposited onto a trailer dripping with juice to be taken to the press. Brookdale’s head winemaker Kiara Scott invited us to taste the estate’s 2017 and 2018 vintages, which we did with great relish, enjoying her magical descriptions: ‘This one is like a pretty girl in a summer’s dress; light, floral, with upfront fruit candy on the nose…’
For an even deeper immersion into the local wine scene, day trips are available to nearby Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, and Rudd can arrange exclusive access to a number of private wineries. We chose to embark on an eco-wine safari at Avondale, learning about biodynamic production, exploring the vineyards with a glass in hand and watching a flock of ducks, otherwise known as ‘pest control’, dutifully tending to their vines.
Over the coming years, Rudd’s priority is to share some of Brookdale’s success with the wider community, by providing work for local people and rehabilitating the land. ‘The ultimate legacy would be to have wine-makers and vineyard managers all over the Cape who have benefited from training at the estate,’ he says. And of course, every guest will leave feeling enriched; Brookdale is the dream setting for a family reunion or a celebration trip with friends, and ties in perfectly with a safari or a Cape Town citybreak, promising winter sun, sensational wine and beautiful scenery you’ll remember for ever. Brookdale Estate (www.brookdale -estate.com), from about £4,640 a night (sleeps 10), including all meals and activities, a concierge, a chef and a butler.