How Wine Ages – tasting the same wines a decade apart
A seated educational masterclass in London comparing six pairs of wines from vintages a decade or so apart.
Event
Bruwer Raats on Cabernet Franc at 67 Pall Mall
A London wine tasting and masterclass with Bruwer Raats, focused on Cabernet Franc and Raats Family Wines from Stellenbosch.
About the event
Cabernet Franc with Bruwer Raats
This event is a wine tasting, masterclass and guided presentation focused on Cabernet Franc. Bruwer Raats guides the session through his wines and explains why he believes the variety is capable of greatness. The programme also frames Cabernet Franc as a grape valued for cool, savoury freshness, while winemakers are described as valuing its early-ripening adaptability in an era of climate change.
Bruwer Raats is the winemaker behind Raats Family Wines. He founded the family winery in 2000, and the official programme notes accolades including Tim Atkin MW’s Winemaker of the Year, Platter Guide Winery of the Year, and the first winery to receive eight five-star Platter awards in the guide.
Wines featured in the tasting
The tasting list names several Raats Family Wines from Stellenbosch: 2024 Original Chenin Blanc, 2023 Dolomite Cabernet Franc, 2023 Red Jasper, 2023 Family Reserve Cabernet Franc, 2023 Vlag Vineyard Selection Cabernet Franc, 2017 Cabernet Franc and 2024 Eden High Density Cabernet Franc. The excerpted list continues with a 2021 Eden High Density Cabernet Franc entry but is truncated before the full line is shown.
Beyond the tasting list, the programme highlights limited-production Vlag, allocation-only Eden High Density and MR de Compostella. MR de Compostella is described as the flagship Bordeaux blend, bringing Cabernet Franc together with other classic Bordeaux varieties.
Raats Family Wines and the London setting
Raats Family Wines is based in the Stellenbosch sub-region of Polkadraai Hills. The programme links the area’s reputation to Bruwer’s work and to cool, south-facing, ocean-influenced slopes, and says that reputation particularly revolves around Chenin Blanc for whites and Cabernet Franc for reds.
The London event is organised by 67 Pall Mall and is scheduled in the St James’s Room. The running order lists a welcome reception, the masterclass beginning afterwards, and the masterclass ending later that evening; the exact timings belong in the event details rather than repeated here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main subject of the masterclass?
The masterclass focuses on Cabernet Franc and Bruwer Raats’s case for the variety’s greatness, with discussion of why the grape matters to winemakers and wine lovers.
Which wines are named in the tasting?
Named wines include Original Chenin Blanc, Dolomite Cabernet Franc, Red Jasper, Family Reserve Cabernet Franc, Vlag Vineyard Selection Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Franc and Eden High Density Cabernet Franc from Raats Family Wines.
Are any specific featured wines highlighted?
Yes. The programme highlights limited-production Vlag, allocation-only Eden High Density and MR de Compostella, described as a flagship Bordeaux blend.
Where does the event take place?
It is scheduled at 67 Pall Mall in London, in the St James’s Room.
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