What happens in the winery stays… in your glass
We often say that a wine is made in the vineyard, but that’s not the whole truth. Yes, the sun, the soil, and a hefty dose of luck get the grapes on the path to becoming a stunning wine. But then there’s the second half of the story.
The winery.
The choices made within these four walls make a massive impact, relying entirely on the winemaker’s expertise, spreadsheet-defying intuition, and the raw potential of the grapes themselves.
Some grapes shine perfectly on their own. Others need a little bit of cellar magic, a touch of oak, or the perfect blending partner to become the absolute best version of themselves.
To show you exactly what we mean, we’re taking a detour to the Southern Hemisphere. Yes, their harvest might not be happening right this second, but now we’re inside the winery – these grapes become a full-time job all year round.
And what goes on behind closed doors at Bruwer Raats’ winery in Stellenbosch is the perfect masterclass in cellar artistry.
Grapes: in – Juice: flowing
A new chapter in the story of Prima Nova
Bruwer Raats is one of South Africa’s greatest winemakers, spending over two decades crafting wines of precision and purity in the Polkadraai Hills.
But even masters listen to their crowd.
His Prima Nova red originally started its life as a straight-up Cabernet Sauvignon – a fresher, leafier, slightly more acidic wine.
But Bruwer noticed that his Angels were asking for something a little fuller and richer. So, without needing any prompting, he headed back to the drawing board to adapt the wine in the cellar.
“The idea was to create a wine that shows more complexity, roundness, with pure fruit and rich oak flavours,” Bruwer explains. “All five of the classic Bordeaux varieties were used, each contributing to the stature and elegance of the wine.”
And as Bruwer notes, it’s rather fitting that this wine should enter a new chapter in its life, as the name Prima Nova literally translates to “a new beginning”.
First things first, trust in yourself
So, how does a winemaker actually pull a five-grape blend together once the fruit is off the vine?
Well, you use technical data of course, but a winemaker as experienced as Bruwer admits that he ultimately relies on his own senses to understand exactly what the vintage is capable of revealing.
First, Bruwer crushes and de-stems the grapes, fermenting them in traditional open concrete tanks.
Sidenote: why concrete? Winemakers have three main choices for bulk fermentation: stainless steel, oak or concrete. Unlike stainless steel, which is entirely airtight and keeps things laser-crisp, concrete is slightly porous. It lets the wine breathe just a fraction, softening the edges without imparting any of the woody flavours you'd get from fermenting in oak.
Because the tanks are open, it allows for a hands-on process with regular manual "punch-downs". Don’t worry, it’s not as violent as it sounds.
Basically, during fermentation, the grape skins naturally float to the surface, creating a thick, dry cap on top of the juice. If you leave it alone, it dries out and does nothing. But by physically punching that cap back down into the juice (imagine a giant, grape-scented French press), you gently extract all that brilliant colour and flavour.
The alternative to punching down? Pumping over. It's a similar concept – where you mechanically pump the juice from the bottom of the tank over the top of the cap to keep it all cycling round.
Pumping over – as demonstrated by US winemaker Scott Kelley
To the pressing matters...
After a week of fermentation, we’re into what Bruwer calls the "daunting" bit: the press. You’ve extracted everything you can from the grapes and the wine is finally separated from the skins. In other words, it’s the moment of truth.
To ensure the wine doesn't become harsh, Bruwer gives it an incredibly light press – the grapes are not squeezed completely dry.
Think of it like making a cup of tea. If you give the teabag a gentle squeeze, you get a lovely brew. But if you squash it out completely against the side of the mug with a spoon, you get bitter, mouth-drying tannins that make your tongue curl.
Bruwer takes the gentle approach with his wines. Like a good cuppa.
Sidenote: of course, how hard you press completely depends on the grapes you use and the style of wine you’re making. For some extremely prestigious wines, only the so-called “free-run juice” is used – the stuff that comes out naturally, under the grapes own weight. No pressing required.
The calm after the crush
Once pressed, the wine moves into the next stage – maturation. Each of the five grape varieties is fermented and matured completely separately in oak, allowing Bruwer to get to know each parcel before they are blended.
“All the juice goes into 300L and 500L French oak, using a mix of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fill barrels, for 16 months of maturation.”
Now, the size and age of a barrel is one of those big winemaking decisions that changes everything. So let’s break down those numbers…
Smaller barrels (and 300L is on the smaller end for winemaking) mean a higher ratio of wood to liquid, that imparts more oak flavour. Larger barrels are used more for gently rounding out the wine.
Brand new oak (1st fill) is like a fresh vanilla pod – it imparts strong, spicy oak flavours. But Bruwer uses 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fill barrels. These older barrels have less punchy, woody flavours and are used to soften the tannins and round out the wine's character.
Bruwer describes this barrel maturation as bringing a deep sense of "calm", at this point, you’re playing a waiting game – with just the occasional tasting to see how the wine is coming along.
Bruwer Raats tasting the juice
Building the blend
After 16 months, it’s time to bring it all together. By using all five Bordeaux varieties, Bruwer gives himself a spectacular spice rack to influence the wine.
Cabernet Franc and Malbec are used as the engine of the blend, driving the core flavour, power, and structure.
He then uses Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot to colour in the edges. Perhaps to bring in different aromas or flavours, smooth out the texture, or balance the acidity.
Sidenote: the blending process can involve a lot of tinkering. A winemaker like Bruwer will get hands-on with a test tube, mixing up different percentages of each parcel until he achieves the perfect mix.
After the final blend is bottled, Bruwer leaves his Prima Nova to mature in the cellar for another 16 months.
And that’s a big decision in itself. Because in the commercial wine world, time is quite literally money. As a winemaker, the longer you leave your wine sitting there, the longer you’re out of pocket.
Many bottles are frequently rushed to supermarket shelves before they've really had time to reveal their very best.
But because Bruwer makes his wines for Angels, he’s less bound by rapid corporate timelines. He can make his own decisions. And that freedom to wait until the wine is absolutely optimal means he can focus purely on quality over speed.
The true test? It’s in the tasting
After 16 long months in the barrel, 16 long months in the bottle… and a comparatively short voyage up the Atlantic Ocean – Bruwer’s new Prima Nova has finally arrived in the UK and is making its exclusive debut in this month’s Fine Wine Club.
Sidenote: if you’re not a member, keep your eyes peeled, there may still be some spare if you’re lucky.
It’s evolution from a single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, into a rich and rounded Bordeaux blend is the ultimate proof that while a great wine starts in the vineyard, the true test of it all comes out inside the winery.
That’s where the potential is realised. That’s when the winemaker’s talent shines, bringing the grapes to life and even granting Angel wishes along the way.
It may be long hours, full of relentless tasting and blending, with a little touch of magic. But it’s the work of bringing wine to life. And if that means we’ve got to taste a glass every few months, so be it.
Next up: the Harvest Party
As most winemakers will tell you, it takes a lot of beer to make a great wine. And when the tough work of harvest comes to a close, and the last drops of wine are settled into their barrels and tanks, we’ll be raising a toast and bringing you along as a plus one.
