Emily O'Mara

9.5

An excellent example Cabernet from Rutherford. This is the 2021 vintage and it’s absolutely beautiful. — 19 days ago

Scott E. Becker

9.0

[Tasted on April 5, 2026 at Home]

Purchased during October 2017 visit to the winery. Pear, green apple, grapefruit and mandarin orange, with notes of celery, chamomile and fennel. Racy acidity. — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Raats — Original Chenin Blanc 2023
Stellenbosch, South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
An approachable, unoaked Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, delivering expressive aromatics, bright natural acidity, and effortless drinkability. Crafted in a clean, purity-driven style, this wine highlights Chenin’s fruit clarity and freshness rather than oak influence, making it an easygoing yet polished crowd pleaser.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh melon, ripe pear, subtle citrus peel, and gentle tropical notes lead the nose. On the palate, juicy stone fruit and honeydew glide alongside light floral tones, finishing with clean citrus lift and refreshing clarity.

Mouthfeel
Light-to-medium bodied, supple, and silky with crisp acidity keeping everything lively and balanced. Smooth texture without weight or heaviness, making it dangerously easy to enjoy by the glass.

Food Pairings
Grilled chicken or shrimp skewers. Fresh salads with citrus vinaigrette. Sushi or ceviche. Soft cheeses and light antipasti. Perfect as an aperitif.

Verdict
A joyful, highly drinkable Chenin Blanc that delivers aromatic charm, freshness, and balance without trying to overcomplicate things. A reliable crowd favorite that showcases why South Africa continues to shine with Chenin.

Did You Know?
South Africa is the world’s largest producer of Chenin Blanc, where the grape is historically known as Steen. It thrives in the Cape’s sunshine and cooling maritime influences, allowing producers like Raats to craft styles ranging from crisp and approachable to world-class age-worthy bottlings.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is pure “easy pleasure” wine, aromatic, refreshing, and endlessly drinkable. Perfect for casual gatherings, warm afternoons, and effortless sipping when you want quality without overthinking the glass. — 4 months ago

Doug Powers

8.9

Similar notes to last bottle from October 2025, solid redfruits, but the 14.5% ABV is still front and center!! — a month ago

with Dave and Jim

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Tons of floral, wild dark berries and spice on the nose. Mid season cherry. Palate is so good. Rich, elegant, deep, gritty and nimble. Some nice amplitude in the mid palate and great tension and red fruits on the finish. Needs mega air so I can only assume score goes higher tomorrow. — 3 months ago

romo

9.3

Some poopy bret blew off in 30 mins and revealed a sheer dress of leafy brown spice. Likely peaked at 15 years. — 4 months ago

Jack Petras

9.2

Had zero expectations for this wine at a party featuring lost bottles from your cellar. It was like a raspberry preserve that you canned 10 years ago and still has the essence of that years growing season. An unexpected joy. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2015 vintage. Light-medium/medium body. Elegant with just the right mix of primary and secondary characteristics currently. Some earthy tones, some pretty tones. Picked up 3 cases for an affordable ($35 a btl) domestic Cab with a decade of age on it. 2013 effort (not reviewed) had a slightly, off-putting, prunish note on the finish that wouldn’t leave the party so passed on it and went with this instead. 3.11.26. — 3 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.6

Wow. An insane wine.

Nose: sick elegant spice. Almost elegantly oily.

Palate: so dense. Candied pink grapefruit. Mineral. Expansive. Long. Saline. Juicy. Clingy.

Fass selections — 4 months ago

Space

9.4

Выпито 02.01.26 half bottle за обедом с Ирой. Очень очень достойное шардоне 2022 года. — 5 months ago