Pinotage

This medium-bodied Pinotage pairs well with grilled meats, hearty stews, and dishes featuring smoky or spicy elements, complementing its fruit-forward profile and subtle oak influence.

The wine was named after Raka, the beloved fishing boat of Piet Dreyer, proprietor of Raka wines. For more than three decades Piet has plied the seas of the southern ocean in search of the finest catch. The same passion has found home at Raka, where the Dreyer family now pursue the earth's bounty for the creation of fine wines. With the rich blessing of earth and elements, the help of a dedicated workforce, the enthusiasm of winemaker Josef Dreyer and the advantages of a modern gravity flow cellar, Piet Dreyer produces his award-winning Raka wines.

All grapes were harvested by hand to ensure optimal quality.

The wine was aged for 12 months in 300-liter barrels, comprising 80% French and 20% Hungarian oak, with a mix of new to fourth-fill barrels.

After hand-harvesting, the grapes were sorted and crushed into stainless steel tanks. A cold soak lasted for four days before inoculation with pure yeast cultures (BM 45 and NT50). During fermentation, the juice was pumped over the skins 3-5 times daily and punched down for five days to optimize color, tannin, and flavor extraction. Post-fermentation, the wine was drained off the skins and transferred to a resting tank, while the skins were gently pressed. Malolactic fermentation and a brief settling period preceded aging in 300-liter barrels (80% French and 20% Hungarian oak) for 12 months, using a combination of new, second, third, and fourth fill barrels. A coarse filter was applied before bottling.