Raats, Coastal Region (South Africa) Chenin Blanc 2016

Tasting of ripe pears and golden apples, with a mineral-tinged undertone, this is a first-class example of South Africa’s signature white grape variety.  Chenins from South Africa offer astonishing value in today’s often-inflated wine market.  A wine like this can be both complex and compelling, outperforming many made with more fashionable grape varieties that cost three or four times as much.  If you care about what’s in the bottle more than what’s on the label, you simply have to try them.