(Almost) Goodbye 2013! With love from RAKA

We had a very blessed year, but experienced strange weather conditions during the last weeks of November with rain and flooding. Winter started dry, but turned wet to very wet in August, and lasted well into spring. The flood damage to the vines is amply offset by the benefit of rain so early in the growing season and the vineyards resemble paradise.

Raka received a number of awards this year from both Veritas and The Michealangelo International Wine Awards as well as excellent Platter ratings. Amongst them a 4 1/2 star rating for the often overlooked Raka Figurehead Cape Blend. Raka's biggest achievement for 2013 however, came from the wine-buying public. Raka was the top selling wine brand overall at the Johannesburg WineX and the Raka Quinary the best selling wine. Thank you very much for all the support this year, and to everyone who bought a bottle of Raka to enjoy.

If you did not get around to taste our wine at any of these festivals or shows, there is still a few tastings ahead before we say our final goodbye to 2013, and of course you could always visit the Raka tasting room to stock up.

7 December: First in line is Hermanus for the Kokkedoor Pop-up. Join Chef Nic van Wyk (judge) and Toitnette du Toit (top 3 finalist) at the Harbour House Hotel on Saturday 7th December at 18h30 for a five course dinner paired with Raka wines. For reservation contact info@kokkedoortv.co.za.

20-21 December: Raka wine will be on tasting in the evenings (5 - 9pm) in Stilbaai at the annual Stilbaai Lions Wine Fest

24 December: Raka wine will be on tasting in Cape Agulhas at the Wine Boutique on the Shipwreck Coast form 11am to 4pm

30 December: Raka will be on tasting at Die Kleine Drankwinkel in Struisbaai from 10am to 1pm

If you are unable to attend any of these tastings you can always visit the Raka tasting room. We are open weekdays from 9-5 Saturdays/Public Holidays from 10am to 3pm and closed on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas day.

Raka will be at the sunset market in Stanford during the holiday season, and apart from being available at most local wineshops, will also be for sale at the weekly Hermanus Country Market on Saturday's.

If you are staying home this holiday or not travelling to the Overberg or Stanford region we can always deliver the wine to you! Please contact us if you would like an order form, or for any other enquiries info@rakawine.co.za or +27.283410676. Our web address is www.rakawine.co.za.

Raka wish every Raka fan a merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. Everybody else is also wished a happy time and may you become a Raka fan in the New Year.

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