2022 · Biography Shiraz

Raka Wines is a family-owned estate in South Africa’s Kleinrivier Mountains near Caledon, Western Cape, purchased by Piet Dreyer in 1982 and still operated by the Dreyer family. Piet remains proprietor, while Josef Dreyer leads the winemaking, with other family members including Jorika involved. Named after Piet’s beloved fishing boat, the estate works from a modern, low-energy gravity-flow cellar. Its wines reflect the stated philosophy, “Born of the sea, Guided by the stars, Blessed by the earth,” with careful practices including hand-picking and double sorting of grapes. The estate is listed as non-organic and holds no biodynamic or Fairtrade certifications.