“South Africa is a visceral country.” – Neal Martin wrote in his recent report on South African wine, Growing up and Getting Wiser: South Africa in 2022.
Visceral means relating to deep inward feeling rather than intellect, and is the golden thread that defines the great men and women of South African wine. They have a sixth sense, nowhere more apparent than in the wine.
There are many wines to choose from, but you’d be hard-pressed to find something as representative as the 2020 MR de Compostella. Made by Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve only in exceptional vintages since 2004 (the 2010 and 2019 were declassified and used in the Raats Jasper Red Blend due to March rains), when the stars align, as the title implies. The blend changes with the vintage, though this particular year saw 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot make up the final blend to grand acclaim. With the 2018 vintage having attained some of the highest international scores yet, 2020 simply HAD to be stellar, and Bruwer and Mozkhona brought to bear their considerable experience and that very sixth sense to make it so.
Neal Martin MW of Vinous.com awarded it 97 Points, one of his highest scores for a South African wine to date, and wrote: “It is a tremendous wine (again).” While Greg Sherwood MW rated it 98 points commenting: “This really is a wine with a mixed palette of colours, flavours and fruits and the most seamlessly elegant, finessed velvety tannins” Though this is to be expected, from someone whose motto in winemaking (and most probably LIFE) is: “Quality by Design.” Bruwer will quote this to you when describing the 3 x 3 characteristics of his Cabernet Franc (a variety that has struggled historically in Stellenbosch but with Bruwer’s targeted approach, has finally lived up to its potential). The 3 x 3 characteristics have to do with its three-pronged planting requirements, its three-dimensional flavour profile, and Raats’ three different STYLES of Cabernet Franc showcasing the scope of it, even if only in Stellenbosch. Thus the Cabernet Franc-led blend of the 2020 MR de Compostella, representative of his work in the field, adds credibility to the method and the fact that all vineyards need TIME to come into their own.
The MR de Compostella blend was born of the friendship between Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve. Mzokhona is the first Indaba Scholarship recipient and one of South Africa’s first qualified black oenologists from the University of Stellenbosch. And Bruwer, owner and winemaker of Raats family wines for more than 20 years, has built a reputation on Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Together they source their grapes from various pockets of greatness around Stellenbosch, taking a row of Cabernet here and a block of Cabernet Franc there. It is a privilege afforded to those who have worked with these vines for many years with the promise of making something truly great. Theirs is a partnership built on that FEELING that seems to drive South Africa on and is something one does not need to explain when the wine is this good.
Though if you DID require more explanation, we invite you to read Greg’s notes on the subject here.
