Raats Family Wines, Eden High Density Chenin Blanc, Polkadraii Hills, 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

Decomposed Granite soils planted at 8000 vines per hectare planted in 2009 and trained in an individually staked trellis system at 8000 vines per hectare. Grapes were hand harvest during the second week of February. All grapes are from the Raats Eden High Density single vineyard block in Polkadraai, Stellenbosch.

Winemaking

Grapes were whole bunch pressed to tank, where natural cold settling took place, from here the juice was racked to its fermentation vessel. The natural fermentation took place in concrete egg, about 65% of the wine, while the balance fermented in French oak barrels. The wine was kept on its lees for 11 months in concrete and oak barrels, before the wine was prepared for bottling.

Oak Ageing

Time: 11 Months
Type: French
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 45

Tasting Note

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

Food Matching

Enjoy with oysters, bouillabaisse, scallops or other seafood, or even slow roasted pork belly.