Raats Family Cabernet Franc 2008

This sexy, über-elegant Cabernet Franc shows the stunning heights this grape can attain! It combines a core of luscious blackberry, black cherry, and plum with expressive notes of cinnemon, tobacco, coffee, and spice. Silky tannins caress the palate, and hints of dark chocolate and a great minerality. This wine has a long and supple finish.

Pork Loin with plum and Armagnac sauce.Beef Fillet with Truffle sauce. Game bird with red wine sauce.Any Springbok, Ostrich or Kudu.

variety : Cabernet Franc [ 100% Cabernet Franc ]
winemaker : Bruwer Raats
wine of origin : Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14 % vol  rs : 1.8 g/l  pH : 3.64  ta : 5.7 g/l  
type : Red  style : Dry   wooded
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

AWARDS
  • Rated 3rd in Africa and 10th overall in the Southern Hemisphere (South America, South Africa and Australia) by Swedish wine critic Richard Juhlin in Livets Goda (June 2011)
  • Scored a 90 from Wine Spectator (April 2011)
  • Scored a 91+ by American wine critic Stephen Tanzer (March 2011)
  • Rated as One of the Top 3 South African Reds tasted at Snooth Wine Tasting, USA (February 2011).
  • ageing : 7 - 10 years (2015 to 2018) or longer with proper storage.

    in the vineyard : Soil Type: 100% Decomposed Dolomite Granite
    Age of vines: 17 - 22 years
    Trellising: Trellised
    Irrigation: None

    All from Stellenbosch and grown only on decomposed dolomite granite, which gives a great acidity and freshness to the wine and adds minerality to the finish.

    about the harvest: Picking Date: Individual vineyard blocks each hand-picked at perfect ripeness the last week in February till the first week in March.

    Grape Sugar: 24.8° Balling
    Acidity: 6.5 g/l
    pH at Harvest: 3.45

    in the cellar : Grapes were hand sorted three times, crushed and left to cold soak on the skins for five days. After fermentation the grapes are basket pressed and allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then aged for 18 months before bottling. Neither fined nor filtered.
    Fermentation Temperature: 28°C

    Wood Ageing
    18 months in French Vicard and Mercury Oak barrels (25% new, 25% second, 25% third fill and 25% fourth fill).

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