Wine of Origin: Paarl 

The middle of the year marks competition season. International shows and awards garner the most attention but there are significant local ones which deserve mention too. Among them, the Investec Trophy Wine Show (TWS) is prime – and one result or award in particular had eyebrows raised and tongues wagging… for all the right reasons.
The result in question was the performance of Nederburg at the 2024 staging of the Trophy Show. One wine, Nederburg’s Winemasters Shiraz 2022 walked off with no fewer than three trophies!

It was awarded the trophy for the best shiraz overall – and then went on to trump all the other red wines entered by being adjudged the best red wine in the competition, and added to its lustre by getting the trophy for the discovery of the show, an award made to the wine which exemplifies most “bang for buck” by delivering the best value and quality.
To say that the Nederburg team were thrilled would be understating the case, but red wine team head Zinaschke Steyn said it meant a massive amount to her team.
Sadly, as the largest wine producer in the country, Nederburg is such a ubiquitous wine brand that it’s somewhat overlooked. Its wines are on almost every restaurant wine list, available in every supermarket and liquor outlet nationwide – and why not, because they offer dependability, reliability and drinkability at good price points. But do they excite the wine geeks the way a miniscule bottling of a skin-fermented, amphora aged, biodynamic whatever made by a Swartland “Young Gun” does? The answer is sadly, no. 
But when a wine retails for less than R120 and is clanking with medals and trophies, even the most snooty wine lover has to at least give it a try… 

Then there’s the question of its address: wine of origin – Paarl. 
Paarl doesn’t get enough airtime – or column inches or just generally as much attention or love as it possibly should. Somehow day trippers and tourists seem more inclined to visit Stellenbosch and Franschhoek than Paarl. And when they do make a jaunt to Paarl, they seem to focus on the Agter-Paarl area. Why wouldn’t they? It’s where Vondeling opened its new restaurant and tasting venue, Vrymansfontein, just a proverbial stone’s throw away from where Charles Back created the ultimate tourist haven, offering everything to everyone. Between Fairview and neighbouring Spice Route, there’s a bakery, multiple restaurants, a brewery, gelateria, charcuterie, distillery and cheese galore with the goats an attraction on their own – and always seem to concoct some April Fool caper each year. And wine…

But with Nederburg being back on the radar, there’s more incentive to explore further afield – and the area immediately below the Du Toitskloof mountains is a good spot. It’s where the Rudd family are slowly but steadily turning Brookdale into an attractive drawcard and must-visit destination. 

With the talented Kiara Scott Farmer in the cellar and Duncan Savage as a hands-on consultant, the wine continues to go from strength to strength. One of the most exciting wines in the range is a 16 component white field blend, with all the grapes physically interplanted, not simply blended. And with so many new property developments springing up to join the sprawling Val de Vie estate not far away, Brookdale’s excellent restaurant with chef Gary Coetzee behind the pots, has a good catchment area.

It’s worth driving a little further afield than Agter-Paarl to experience the many charms of Paarl.

Fiona McDonald

Captions:
Kiara Scott Farmer is the woman behind the barrels and tanks at Brookdale

A treasure trove of oak in a variety of formats, along with egg-shaped concrete vessels as well as stainless steel tanks allows Kiara Scott Farmer freedom to experiment with maturation

Mason Road, Brookdale’s alternative range of wines, is attracting a growing following

A winter’s tale – a distant waterfall plunges down a cliff face after heavy rain on the Du Toitskloof slopes

Recognisable at 100 paces – Nederburg