In 2019 a then 26-year-old Kiara Scott, now 29, was appointed sole winemaker at Brookdale Estate – making her the youngest head female winemaker in South Africa.
Scott, who grew up in Rocklands, one of Cape Town’s roughest neighbourhoods, said she knew that alcohol was her community’s second plague (after poverty) and like many, she did not understand the art of winemaking.
Scott graduated from Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute in Viticulture and Oenology Stellenbosch and was then selected for the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Protégé Programme that up-skills young and upcoming winemakers.
It was during her three-year tenure that she worked alongside and gained valuable experience from winemakers from the country and province’s leading wine producers.
“This hasn't been an easy road, people would judge and say you making wine to feed people’s habits, but let me tell you, winemaking is a perfect combination of science and art. Just like any other living organism, its alive, it changes and it adapts.
“You don’t just sit around a table and taste wine out of a barrel, its extensive labour and long hours of work,” she said.
Scott also made full use of international opportunities to work on vintages in the Rhône Valley, Sancerre and the Russian River in Sonoma, California.
This is where winemaker Duncan Savage (Savage Wines) recognised her potential and appointed her as his assistant during his tenure as consultant winemaker to Brookdale Estate.
Brookdale was once overgrown and underused until the Rudd family purchased and turned the 67-hectare estate around in 2015.
The maiden vintage of the 2017 Brookdale Chenin Blanc received global acclaim and secured Brookdale’s reputation as a producer of a wine of character and elegance.
Now Scott has challenged herself to give back to her community by educating people about responsible drinking habits.
“A lot of young people don’t even know about this industry, that is why I believe we need to educate them, so that wine does not get abused, that way we can also break the stigma surrounding wine.
“When you learn about the art of winemaking, you begin to respect it and that way you can enjoy it responsibly,” she said.
Scott’s experience gained under her mentor, Savage, led to her appointment as winemaker at Brookdale, where she officially took the reins for the 2019 vintage.
Scott said from that very moment she kept pushing forward.
“To be honest, this is still so surreal for me, but all I tell myself is keep your head down, keep stomping and move forward because there is still a lot that needs to be done, this is just the beginning.”
Scott said her favourite Bible scripture that reads: “the lack of knowledge comes before the fall” motivates her, and she encourages young people to always educate themselves.
“That’s something no-one can take away from you. I always say write down you goals, and tick each one off as you go along, you’ll surprise yourself to see how much you can grow.
“There’s nothing you cannot do.”