South African wine doesn't get a lot of respect, and sometimes deservedly so. So when the Wine Curmudgeon finds one that is well-made, inexpensive and food friendly, it's a reason to write about it.
The Original uses a grape that is too often mishandled in South Africa, producing sweet, uninteresting wines. Raats, on the other hand, treats the grape seriously, and turns out a dry, refreshing wine that is fruity (think pineapple and orange) and even has some minerality on the finish. It's a lot to expect from a $12 wine.
Serve this chilled with salads, Thai food (though it's not sweet, it's fruity enough to stand up to spice) or on its own.
I've tried the 2010 ( http://www.regularwino.com/reviews/raats-original-chenin-blanc-2010/ ) and that was quite drinkable with good mineral notes. When I've gone looking for reviews on the wine they've all been about previous vintages, including the 2007, so I am keen to compare and contrast sometime.
Posted by: James | June 07, 2011 at 07:42 AM