About the Wine

Recently we came across Raats winery from Stellenbosch and the wines were eye-opening, to say the least. We've traveled and tasted through South Africa. We've tasted hundreds of South African wines over the years. These wines stand out as the BEST Bordeaux blends we've ever tasted from the region. If you love Bordeaux, you'll love these wines. If you love Cabernet Franc in particular, this winery has catapulted to the top of BHW's list as one of the global masters of this varietal. 

Upon further exploration, we learned there is a fantastic story behind this winery. You can find out more by watching this four minute video about the family.

We also learned we were not the only ones who were impressed with the quality of the bottle. The winery has already been recognized by Platter's guide as the winery of the year in 2018 and by major US critics with numerous 94-96pt scores. I suppose like most wine lovers, I'm guilty of overlooking this winery and this region. Wine lovers in the know are already aware that there are some stunning wines in South Africa. These wines sit atop the pyramid and are not to be missed.

Tasting Notes: 100% Cabernet Franc. The nose entices with its perfume and a garrigue character of Cape fynbos, rosemary, lavender, and thyme with spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves, and star anise. Intense brooding blackberry fruit, graphite, and a streak of minerality add to the complexity of the nose.

Reviews

Red-fruited on the nose, the 2017 Family Cabernet Franc has a juicy core of dark cherry and black raspberry with subtly spiced herbs. On the palate, the wine still shows tight but has good complexity and freshness, showing a subtle dusty rose sensation that is persistent. The finish is spicy, mineral-driven, and ends with a soft herbal flavor. Medium-bodied, it's a tasty expression of Cabernet Franc. ~90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

~90 Tim Atkin, Master of Wine

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