Fresh (?) from editing and publishing notes on nearly 50 notable Cape wines, I’, in a South African mood. Some of the most individual and exciting wines I tasted at the vast generic tasting of South African wines held in London in October were made by Bruwer Raats, who had already impressed me on my last trip to South Africa’s winelands in 2003 (see my very long and detailed report). He specialises in the country’s most common grape Chenin and in a particularly bold Cabernet Franc, having worked initially at Delaire and followed that with consultancy for the no-expense-spared Zorgvliet.
Wines are grown and made block by block (contracted not owned) before blending and seem to me to have real integrity, though pretty reasonable prices, like most South African wines. Jasper Raats is viticulturist by the way. The Raats Original Chenin Blanc 2004 is drinking beautifully now. Its full, opulent nose followed by a surprisingly tight palate constructed from four different blocks which bring calcareous, granitic, quartz and decomposed Table Mountain sandstone elements to the party. I’d enjoy this wine any time over the next 12 to 18 months.
I would keep the riper (14.6 rather than 13.5 per cent alcohol) Raats Chenin Blanc 2004 from a single clay-rich block which is even richer than the Original bottling for a further year or so.
The Raats Cabernet Franc 2004 is a bit of a shock, so voluptuous and spicy is it that I could swear it smelt of cinnamon. Not for the faint-hearted.
Raats Family is not a big operation but it is hearteningly well distributed by the following importers:
UK – Orbital Wines
US – Cape Classic
Canada – Liberty Merchants and RKW
Germany – Natural Wine Corporation
Switzerland – Jeggli
Austria – Dr Adrian Czapek
UK stockists of Raats Family wines are said by Orbital to include:
Pont de la Tour
Handford Wines
Wimbledon Wine Cellar
Robersons
DeFine Food & Wine of Cheshire
Veritas of Cambridge
Harrogate Fine Wines
Magnum Wine of Swindon
Adnams – Cabernet Franc only
Recommended UK prices for the wines are:
Original Chenin Blanc 2004 – £7.99
Wooded Chenin Blanc 2004 – £11.99
Cabernet Franc 2003 – £17.99
But winesearcher.com currently lists one US retailer offering Original Chenin at just $9.99 – a veritable snip!
