A CLOSE WALK WITH nature

Meet Kiara Scott-Farmer, the woman behind the elegant wines of Brookdale Estate in Paarl.

- LIESL ROBERTSON

When Kiara Scott told her family that she wanted to become a winemaker, they were taken aback. ‘My mom and my grandmother and my family were like, “No, no, no, why do you want to do something like this?” In Mitchell’s Plain where I grew up, you don’t really see people enjoying a glass of wine. Generally, people drink until they end up fighting. That’s what we saw and that’s what their association was with alcohol in general. I think they were concerned, and their first instinct was to protect me.’

Kiara grew up in a household of strong women. ‘My mom was basically a single parent, so I grew up with my grandmother, who is just the most warm, kind and discerning person. Mitchell’s Plain isn’t the safest area, so my sister and I spent a lot of time with her. My mom worked and did her best for us, to put my sister and me through school.’

She got into Elsenburg Agricultural College, where she studied viticulture, oenology and cellar management. In her final year, she applied for the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme. It was a rigorous interviewing process, Kiara says. Only four people are chosen every year – from both Elsenburg and Stellenbosch University, and Kiara was one of them. ‘For three years, I spent time with three mentors from the Cape Winemakers Guild: a year with David Nieuwoudt of Cederberg Wines, a year with Charles Hopkins at De Grendel Wine Estate and another with Carl van der Merwe at DeMorgenzon.

‘David taught me that you cannot expect someone to do something you haven’t done yourself.