“What our industry has been lacking in the past is telling the story. I have travelled endless amounts all over the world to tell the story about what makes South Africa, through Raats Family Wines, through Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Blanc, what makes us unique.”
Award-winning winemaker Bruwer has received international and local acclaim during his highly acclaimed career as a cellarmaster and winemaker par excellence. After several successful stints at prestigious wine estates in the Banhoek Valley in Stellenbosch, Bruwer established his own brand in 2000 – Raats Family Wines, situated in the ward of Polkadraai, Stellenbosch.
Raats Family Wines specialises in two varieties – Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Raats is passionate about these two single varieties and firmly believes that South African winemakers are sitting on an untapped goldmine when it comes to Chenin. Raats has received recognition from top international and local wine writers such as Neal Martin (then of The Wine Advocate), Tim Atkin MW, Wine Spectator and Christian Eedes.
100% Cabernet Franc
Wine of Origin Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch
This wine reflects the lifelong passion and focus of Bruwer Raats for Cabernet Franc. It is a benchmark Cabernet Franc sourced from a cool southern-facing block located high up on Vlaeberg Mountain in Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch. The wine intricately tells the story of the unique terroir of the Polkadraai Hills, characterized by decomposed Dolomite Granite soil. From this block, only a small portion, consistently identified as the best, is selected to craft one barrel exclusively for CWG. The maiden vintage of Stella Nova Cabernet Franc was produced in 2017.
Tasting Notes: The nose entices with its perfume and a garrigue character of Cape fynbos, rosemary, lavender, and thyme with spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves, star anise and intense brooding blackberry fruit. The palate is medium- bodied with supple tannins and a harmonious finish. There is a beguiling purity to this wine and it will age supremely well.
Ready for drinking in the next 10 years.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Chenin Blanc
Wine of Origin Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch
Tasting Notes: The aromatics are opulent, showing quince, yellow apple and mandarin orange, with ginger spice adding dimension alongside intensity.
Ready for drinking in 4 to 8 years.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Cabernet Franc
Wine of Origin Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch
Tasting Notes: The nose shows lively dark berry fruit and Morello cherries with hints of star anise and ground fennel seeds. From here, a floral top note of violets further lifts the nose of the wine.
Ready for drinking in 5 to 10 years.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Cabernet Franc
This wine is an expression of Bruwer Raats’ lifelong passion for, sustained focus on and commitment to master Cabernet Franc.
This single barrel was selected exclusively for the CWG Auction from sustainably farmed vines dominated by fruit from a block high on the granite slopes of Vlaeberg Mountain in Polkadraai Hills Stellenbosch. The block overlooks both Table Bay on the north side and False Bay on the south side of the mountain, allowing for cool air to circulate the vines continuously. Hand-harvested with vinification in small batches using optimally ripe grapes, we select the best barrel from the vintage to represent what we consider our finest expression of this variety. The grapes are hand-sorted three times, crushed and left to cold soak on the skins for five days, before we basket press the grapes and allow the wine to undergo malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then aged for 18 months in 225 litre French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: A superbly refined Cabernet Franc, the wine has a very engaging nose which entices with its perfume of rosemary, spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves, star anise and an intense brooding blackberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a harmonious finish. There is a beguiling purity to this wine and it will age supremely well.
Drink 2024 until 2030 and beyond.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Chenin Blanc
This wine is an expression of Bruwer Raats’ lifelong passion for, sustained focus on and commitment to master Chenin Blanc.
This single barrel was created exclusively for the CWG Auction, using sustainably farmed vines from our premier trellised Chenin Blanc block in Stellenbosch’s Polkadraai Hills. Hand-harvested, we reserve the best three rows from our Volstruisfontein vineyard, grown on decomposed dolomite granite, to produce three barrels. From these three barrels we select the best barrel to represent what we consider our finest expression of Chenin Blanc. Vinification is done in small batches using minimum intervention. The wine is fermented and matured in 300 litre French oak barrels (third fill) for 11 months to accentuate soft and luscious flavours.
Tasting Notes: The aromatics are opulent, showing quince, yellow apple and mandarin orange, with ginger spice adding dimension alongside mineral intensity. The stone fruit character follows through, adding balance, chalky minerality and great acidity to give incredible intensity, a harmonious balance and long piercing finish.
Drink now to 2026+
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Cabernet Franc
The Raats Stella Nova Cabernet Franc reflects the lifelong passion Bruwer Raats has for the unique variety – a benchmark for Cabernet Franc.
This is the first Cabernet Franc on the CWG Auction for Raats, hence the name Stella Nova, a new star is born.
Soil type: 100% Decomposed Dolomite Granite.
Tasting Notes: 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
Ready for drinking in 2026.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Chenin Blanc
Raats The Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc is the best barrel of Chenin Blanc that Raats Family Wines produces each year. It is reserved annually for the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction.
Tasting Notes: The wine has an exquisite nose of quince and yellow apple, whilst fragrant spices and honeysuckle give more dimension alongside the mineral intensity of the wine.
Ready for drinking between 2022 and 2027.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
100% Chenin Blanc
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
The wine offers a complex nose showing quince, peach and apple, whilst fenugreek spices give more dimension alongside the mineral intensity of the wine. The stone fruit core follows through onto an exceptionally balanced, very delicate and fine-textured palate showing depth and intense character with an exquisite length and freshness. The wine lingers with hints of ripe nectarine and apricot, zesty lemon and wet chalk. Raats Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc is the best barrel of Chenin Blanc that Raats produce. It is reserved for the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction every year.
Tasting Notes: The wine offers a complex nose showing quince, peach and apple, with lemongrass and ginger spices; giving it more dimension alongside the mineral intensity of the finish.
Drink now until 2025.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
The grapes were whole bunch pressed directly to barrel and allowed to naturally ferment. Thereafter the wine was matured in a seasoned 300 litre French oak barrel – 11 months on gross lees – allowing for perfect integration of flavours and texture.
Tasting Notes: The wine offers a complex nose showing quince, peach and apple, with lemongrass and ginger spices giving it more dimension alongside the mineral intensity of the finish.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
50% of the wine was fermented and matured in 300 litre French oak barrels to accentuate the soft, luscious flavours; 50% was fermented in stainless steel to contribute a crisp acidity and bright citrus flavours. After nine months, the two components are blended together and left on the lees for a further two months before bottling. Fermentation temperature: 18-22°C
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats
Spontaneous whole bunch fermentation – neutral barrel for 10 months. This is
from a 64-year-old vineyard that was planted together with the fi rst
commercially planted block of
Pinotage in SA. When they ran out of
Pinotage vines, they completed the block by planting
about 300 Cinsaut
vines. Hence the name “Inboet Storie”, meaning replacement vines.
Winemaker: Bruwer Raats