Family Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018

It is no secret that we love Cabernet Franc. Bruwer Raats has dedicated his life to mastering this noble variety with the first Raats Cabernet Franc released in 2001. As one of the pillars of our brand, Family Reserve Cabernet Franc reigns supreme as one of our most beloved expressions of this noble variety. Critically acclaimed, this wine is consistently ranked as one of the world’s best expressions of Cabernet Franc, and the 2018 vintage is no exception. It is therefore with great excitement that we decided to honour this proud legacy by adding RESERVE to the name of the wine. Therefore the 2018 vintage will be the first vintage to be called Family Reserve Cabernet Franc. Soon to be released globally, with only 2600 bottles produced, we give you our private club members, the first opportunity to add this brand new label to your cellar with this limited pre-release offer. Harvested at perfect ripeness from vines high up on the Vlaeberg mountain in Polkadraai Hills, in ancient decomposed granite soils, the grapes are hand sorted there times, crushed and left to cold soak on the skins wherafter it is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. This wine pays homage to our roots of Polkadraai Hills and our dedication to this variety. See how our label has evolved over the last two decades with a close up of the 2022 vintage and an image of the original 2001 vintage still standing proud. We can assure you that both these vintages are delicious to this day, emphasising the pedigree and ageability of this wine. “I fell in love with Cabernet Franc in France. Back home, I decided that when I have my own winery, I would specialise in Cabernet Franc as it has the structure of Bordeaux, the elegance of Burgundy and the spice of the Rhone all in one – everything you want from a red wine. Our Cabernet Francs reflect the unique soils of Stellenbosch’s Polkadraai Hills, where we strive to create wines for people to love, enjoy and hopefully sometimes dream about.” Bruwer Raats