Raats Family Wines, Eden High Density Cabernet Franc, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2022

Producer Profile

After making wine around the world and honing his craft in the Cape, Bruwer Raats established Raats Family Wines in 2000, based on a policy of ‘excellence through specialisation’, focusing on two unfashionable grapes varieties at the time, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Purchasing the only land he could afford, some relatively cheap and ‘undesirable’ plots in the Polkadraai Hills, it soon became apparent that the unique granite-based terroir was producing some incredible wines, and is now recognised as one of the finest wards in Stellenbosch. His Eden High Density Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, and the iconic MR de Compostella hold a place as some of South Africa’s finest wines and sit comfortably amongst the best expressions of the varieties on the planet.

Viticulture

All grapes are from the Raats Eden High density single vineyard block in Polkadraai comprising of decomposed dolomite granite. Grapes were hand-picked at 22, 8⁰ Balling during the third week in February.

Winemaking

Bunches were hand-sorted. 20% went whole into an open-tank fermenter. The rest were destemmed and lightly crushed on top of the bunches. One punch down was done per day for a very gentle extraction. Natural fermentation took place after which grapes were basket-pressed. The wine spent 12 months in a new 300 L French oak barrel and a further 6 months in a fourth fill French oak barrel.

Tasting Note

The nose shows lively dark berry fruit and Morello cherries with hints of star anise, ground fennel seeds and cedar. The wine is exceptionally linear and precise, yet lithe and 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 yielding single vineyard.

Food Matching

Roast lamb, loin of venison, ostrich carpaccio, beef fillet with a red wine reduction, duck with plum sauce and game fish.

Awards

Tim Atkin South Africa Report 2024 94 Points
Densely planted and just a few metres from Bruwer Raats' back door, the Eden vineyard is a 0.2-hectare block planted with the 214 clone. Aged in new wood, it's a compact, firm, slightly reserved wine with layers of green herbs, coffee bean, blackberry and damson and the tannic backbone to age in bottle. Needs time. 2025-35. 94 Points, TA, 2024.
Greg Sherwood MW 98 Points.
The Eden 2022 is another ultra confident showstopper from Bruwer Raats’ tiny 0.2-hectare vineyard. This pristine Eden Cabernet Franc displays the most tantalising intensity and florality on the nose with a notable depth, seductive power and a piercing perfume focus. High toned, lifted and utterly beguiling, the aromatics display an exotic fanned peacock’s tail of pressed violets, cherry blossom and dried lavender over notes of oregano, dried thyme, sweet cherry compote, saline crème de cassis, oystershell, pencil shavings and delicate blueberry rock candy nuances. The palate is always underpinned by incredibly fine tannins but with this 2022, the vivacity, concentration and freshness of the accompanying acids bring immeasurable joy to the palate, seamlessly counterbalancing the complex red and black berry fruit intensity. This wine is all about purity, precision, and persistence, with a mouthfeel texture of silk and the most polished fine-grained granitic mineral tannins imaginable. This is surely as close as you are going to get to perfection with a young, energetic, premium Cabernet Franc in South Africa? Drink on release an over the next 10 to 15+ years. (598 bottles produced.) 98 Points, GS, July 2024.