The Underground Cellar was built in 2013 and has been a wonderful gathering space at The Cavern for many years. We stock a wide range of excellent South African wines, at good value, and we are fortunate to have many wine tastings through the year. In fact we have about 2000 bottles of wine, representing 86 wine farms!
In April we welcome Jasper Raats from Longridge and Jasper Raats Wine to The Cavern.
Where did you grow up?
“I was a bit of a gypsy!
I was born in Robertson, amidst the vines. After my first few years in Robertson, we moved to a small seaside village called Kleinmond, close to Bettys Bay and Hermanus. After that, we briefly moved to the Eastern Cape before heading to Stellenbosch, then back to the Eastern Cape for a few years before I went to boarding school in Bloemfontein to attend Grey College.
After school, I returned to Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is where I have spent most of my life, and it is where I am still today.
My home-away-from-home is Knysna, which is also where my mother grew up and where we spent every summer holiday. My children also love Knysna, and we still spend our summer holidays there.“
How did your interest in wine develop?
“I grew up loving farming. My father grew up on a small farm in Montagu. His best friend, was a farmer, and my godfather is a wine farmer just outside of Robertson. There is also farming on my mother’s side-her father and family were farmers.
Initially, there weren’t many opportunities when I wanted to study wine, as it was quite a closed industry. But this began to change in the 1990s when opportunities started to open.
My dad installed a love, passion, and interest in wine in us from an early age, and I started collecting wine when I was in high school. The big change in my decision came from my brother, who studied winemaking. It was when we shared a cottage at one stage in the Banghoek Valley that I became more interested in winemaking through greater exposure to what he was doing. And that was it! I hung up my tie and put it back in the closet!
The farming side remains a great love and interest for me-what’s happening in the soils, how the plants react to this, and how it impacts the final flavours of the wine, is just as important to me as the wines produced in the winery.“
Which wines will you be showcasing at The Cavern in April?
On Friday evening we will be tasting my private Jasper Raats Wines Collection: Olindo (Verdelho), Driefontein Blanc, Cuvee Rika Pinot Noir, The Silk Weaver Sangiovese and Driefontein Syrah.
On Saturday evening we will taste through our Longridge Estate Range: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
What differentiates Longridge & Jasper Raats in the market?
“We are not just a Western Cape, Coastal, or even a Stellenbosch wine region. We are very specific; situated in the Helderberg, south of Stellenbosch, which is a much cooler region. We grow our wines without using any chemicals or pesticides. We are organically certified and farm biodynamically.
At Longridge, we focus on Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay on the white side, while our reds include Pinotage, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. With the Jasper Raats Wines, I have a lot of freedom as we work with small batches and selected vineyards that I have personally chosen in the Helderberg area. These wines are very different, with cultivars like Verdelho, Cinsault, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese. These varietals are more fun and less common, allowing people to try and enjoy something unique. We approach these different varietals in a different way than the usual grape varieties.“
