Tim Atkin picks top 25 SA wines for Decanter

Wine writer Tim Atkin has once again selected top local wines to feature in the December issue of the prestigious Decanter magazine, and the 2008 Raats Chenin Blanc shares the top 25 spotlight with, amongst others, Eben Sadie, Ken Forrester, Neil Ellis and Hamilton Russell.

For his final selection, Atkin selected fourteen white wines, which included two sweet wines, as well as eleven red wins.

Atkin has been a long-time fan of winemaker Bruwer Raats, who specialises in chenin blanc and cabernet franc. The award-winning wine writer has been consistently appreciative of Raats’ work on the white varietal and has even included the Raats Chenin Blanc in an article for The Observer newspaper.

For his “Definitive Dozen”, Atkin compiled a global list of twelve, which included the 2005 Raats Chenin Blanc as well as wines from France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and Australia.

According to Atkin, the more established grapes such as chenin blanc are getting better with every vintage and that South African chenin blanc grapes make as exciting wines as anything produced elsewhere in the New World.

“Bruwer Raats makes the Cape’s best cabernet francs and one of its outstanding chenins. It’s tighter and more focused that many, with subtle oak, intense apple, quince and vanilla flavours and bright palate-cleansing acidity,” writes Atkin.

The 2008 vintage was also recently awarded 4½ stars in the latest Platter wine guide, while his latest release of the cabernet franc received the same score.

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