The benchmark for Chenin Blanc from South Africa, this is the 4th consecutive vintage to score over 90 points in the Wine Spectator magazine. Grapes are sourced from old vines from three vineyards in Stellenbosch, all characterised by their complex soils. Somehow both rich & intense yet elegant & delicate on the palate. Honeyed pear, butterscotch, citrus flavours complemented by a firm minerality & spicy edge. A profound wine that changes perspectives. A soil-specific wine from both vertical hedge & bush vines. From three specific vineyards in Stellenbosch, average 40-years or older, grown in soil that is a natural combination of decomposed granite & Table Mountain sandstone. Yield is 5-6 tons per hectare. This wine will mature well over the next 5
- 8 years. Pairs well with a variety of foods, but we recommend oysters, game fish & Duck LOrange particularly. Accolades... Scored 89 from Wine Spectator February 2010 & is included in the 17 Most Impressive White Wines from the Cape region of South Africa that deliver consistency, diversity & value. Decanter Magazine December 2009
- chosen as one of the top 25 wines from South Africa 2010 John Platter
- 4.5 Stars Harpers Wine & Spirit UK (June 2009)
- Rated Top 5 Chenins from South Africa. Allan Mullins, Cape Wine Master selected Raats Family Chenin Blanc 2008 as one of the 10 Best white wines from South Africa
- Taste magazine, April 2010.




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Dolomite wines express great purity of fruit & balanced elegance. The nose shows dark & red cherry. Dark berries, spiciness & herbs linger on the palate. The wine has great purity of fruit with a hint of wet-stone minerality & a velvet soft finish. ...

Dolomite wines express great purity of fruit & balanced elegance. The nose shows dark & red cherry. Dark berries, spiciness & herbs linger on the palate. The wine has great purity of fruit with a hint of wet-stone minerality & a velvet soft finish. ...

The nose shows lively dark berry fruit & Morello cherries with hints of star anise, ground fennel seeds & cedar. The wine is exceptionally linear & precise, yet lithe & elegant. The complex dark berry fruit follows through from nose to finish with a minerality that reflects the 100% decomposed dolomite granite of the soil. The wine is characterized by its amazing concentration derived from the extremely low yield of 1.5 tons per hectare. ...

The wines fresh & delicate yet inviting nose displays peach blossom, greengage, lime, green apple, white peach, pineapple, ginger, angelica & peppery spiciness. The palate shows notes of quince, granadilla, kumquat, mandarin orange, melon, pear & lemon-meringue against a backdrop of steely minerality. Hints of roasted hazelnuts & almonds add to the complexity of the palate. The wine is exceptionally linear & fresh with a fine texture & finishes with notes of fennel & the ginger spiciness promised by the nose. ...

Exceptionally intense & complex on the nose with blackberry, black cherry & bramble in abundance & subtle hints of forest floor, dark chocolate, aniseed & spicy tobacco. The walk in the Black Forest continues with blue & blackberry dancing on a tight rope with focus & concentration, following through onto a perfectly balanced, fine-grained, velvety palate. The finish lingers with hints of fresh mint, cinnamon & perfume. ...

This Pinot Noir holds a transparent ruby color foreshadowing the high-toned fruit & mineral-driven wine that is to follow. Red cherry, ripe red raspberry, & fresh plum harmonise with well-established minerality. Savory fruits counterbalanced with the mineral character keep the acidity well rounded & lend the wine a velvety mouthfeel. A second sip further reveals lavender notes, & a slight smokiness adds to the wine intrigue & the site from which it is sourced. ...

Strong red fruit character, fresh cranberry, red cherry, & tart strawberry are revealed by nose & palate, along with a directed minerality. The complexity of this wine continues to develop as pomegranate emerges. A secondary floral tone of tealeaf counterbalances the fruit characters first observed. ...

This snapshot of Sonoma Coast Syrahhas an intriguing nose that begins with dark & blue fruit. Blueberries, black raspberries, & blackberries abound with further hints of black olive. A potpourri of violets emerge upon tasting, while graphite & char tones lend this wine a mineral character & further heighten the complexity. ...

Simultaneously driven by its fruit & mineral character, notes of lemon rind, fresh grapefruit, & ripe pear can initially be picked out on the nose along with a slight flintiness. While the fruit tones remain on the palate, the mineral flintiness gives way to chalkiness, adding to the complexity. Additional elements of citrus blossom, white pepper & parsley round out the nose & palate of this wine. ...