Raats extended his annual end-of-year trip to the United States to make his premiere at the South African food and wine showcase in the heart of Hollywood. The combination of authentic South African dishes with a modern twist prepared on a traditional braai with some of the best local wines proved to be a huge hit amongst guests. Ostrich tacos, chicken kebabs, roosterkoek with tamatiesmoor (tomato relish), braaibroodjies andboerewors rollstantalised the taste buds. “I normally schedule two trips to the States per year to visit suppliers, trade representatives and restaurants and conduct tastings of the Raats Family Wines portfolio. Obviously I was very happy to extend my trip to be a part of the WOSA Braai Series and make a guest appearance during the filming of their promotional video. It was a unique opportunity to showcase my wines with real South African cuisine and it was definitely well-received by the visitors. The crowd favourite was the 2012 Red Jasper, which recentlyscored 91 pointsfrom wine writer Neal Martin in Wine Advocate,” mentions Raats, who has just received a coveted 5-star rating in the definitive Platter wine guide for his 2011 Raats Cabernet Franc. The Braai Series is a concept where WOSA USA organises consumer focused braai events involving local SA wine importers, local charities and retail stores. The events are focused on consumers, but wine trade and press are also invited. The idea behind the series is to explore American BBQ cuisine and culture and introducing South African Braai cuisine, wine and culture at the same time. South African chef Hugo Uys, who has been living in the States for the past sixteen years, takes the opportunity to go back to his roots and act as braai master for similar WOSA events hosted throughout the States. For more information, please visit www.raats.co.za.