Olindo Verdelho bottle shot

Stellenbosch

Jasper Raats

Olindo Verdelho

WhiteVerdelhoOrganicBiodynamic

FloralPineappleBayleafMelonElegant Acidity

95 / Verdelho of the YearTim Atkin SA Report'24
Meet Jasper Raats

Details

Variety

Verdelho

Style

White

Region

Stellenbosch

Appellation

Stellenbosch

Producer

Jasper Raats

Country

South Africa

The Inspiration

"O lindo" in Portuguese means "The Beautiful" - the label is named after the shadowy figure of a mountain nymph that appears against the cliffs of the Helderberg every afternoon at around 17:00, arms extended with a gift to the world. The label image is a tribute to her, painted to reflect what naturally shows itself against the mountain. The wine is crafted from the centuries-old Madeiran grape Verdelho, originally from the island of Madeira just off the north-western coast of Africa. The single registered vineyard sits on decomposed granite clay on the lower slopes of the Helderberg - the oldest viticultural soil in the world. Cool breezes off False Bay by day and cold night air falling down the mountain give even ripening and good natural acidity. The two-hectare block is meticulously hand-tended with organic and biodynamic practices. Naturally fermented with no enzymes, preservatives or stabilizers, and bottled unfiltered, the wine epitomizes Olindo: beauty in wine, with a fresh and youthful innocence.

About Jasper Raats

Poetic wines with old world elegance

Jasper Raats is the cellar master of Longridge Wine Estate, but his own label is where his most personal winemaking vision comes to life. The Jasper Raats Single Vineyard Collection is built entirely on the principle that great wine begins with a specific sense of place. Every wine in the range originates from a carefully selected single vineyard. Jasper is unafraid to push traditional boundaries. His winemaking process is distinctive in character, with grapes that are terroir driven and epitomize the microclimate of the individual vineyard from where they originate. He selects small pockets of exceptional vineyards across the famed Helderberg (the coolest sub-region of Stellenbosch), then applies techniques and produces styles that are sometimes atypical to the cultivar, creating poetic wines with old-world elegance. His personality is unmistakably present in every bottle. Whether working with Chardonnay fermented in concrete and clay, a single-vineyard Syrah from Driefontein, or the boundary-pushing Skebenga blend, Jasper crafts wines that make a statement and leave a lasting memory on the drinker. The collection represents the creative freedom of a winemaker at the peak of his craft.

OrganicBiodynamicVegan
View all Jasper Raats wines →