Project Description
Bruwer Raats of Raats Family Wines of South Africa joined founder of A Life Well Drunk John Sporing for a virtual tasting on December 17, 2020.
Raats Old Vine Chenin Blanc – 93pts Tim Atkin
Raats Jasper Red Blend – 93pts Tim Atkin
Raats Family Cabernet Franc – 93pts Wine Spectator
Meet the Maker
Bruwer joined Blaauwklippen Vineyards in 1996 as assistant winemaker. At the age of 26 he was appointed as Cellar Master at Delaire Graff Estate in the Banghoek Valley of Stellenbosch, making him the youngest cellar master in South Africa at the time.
In 2000 Bruwer decided to start his own winemaking company, Raats Family Wines, specialising in two grape varieties only, namely the white grape Chenin Blanc and the red grape Cabernet Franc. Today he is internationally known as the Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc specialist from South Africa.
Raats Family Wines are specialists in the crafting of exceptional wines from Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. It is their mission to consistently produce Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc of outstanding quality from South Africa and to establish these wines as international benchmarks. The Raats family lives and dreams about these two varieties and passionately produces wines they believe are truly distinct from old vineyards in the Stellenbosch area east of Cape Town. They have earned a reputation internationally as a New World leader in the production of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
John has visited Bruwer several times over the years (and we will be back in 2021…interested in joining us?), and his wines are among our favorites. We trust they will be some of your favorites as well.
