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- Platters Awards at the Table Bay on 5 November 2018
The Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2019 was launched at Cape Town’s Table Bay Hotel on 5 November 2018 with over 200 guests in attendance, the VIPs including the wine producers who achieved the maximum Five Star rating in the new edition – reserved for wines that are “South African classics” and scored 95 points or more on the internationally recognised 100-point scale.
A total of 90 wines achieved the coveted Five Star status this year. Publisher of Platter’s by Diners Club, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, says: “All wines that scored 93 points or higher in the primary assessment went into a second round of tasting, conducted blind (without sight of the label) by small panels including experienced palates from outside the team. The stringency of this model means that our Five Star wines showed their consistent brilliance. Hearty congratulations to all!”
This edition, the ultimate Platter’s accolade, Winery of the Year, has expanded to become a trio of pinnacle awards, each saluting excellence in South African wine-making. The Newcomer Winery of the Year recognises the winery that records the best results as a first-time participant in the guide. This honour goes to Erika Obermeyer Wines, with two Five Stars on debut. The Top Performing Winery of the Year award goes to Mullineux, who are no strangers to Platter’s accolades, having twice previously been Winery of the Year. In the new guide they achieve a remarkable four Five Stars plus a Wine of the Year. Finally, the Editor’s Award for 2019 goes to Newton Johnson Vineyards, as editor Philip van Zyl’s personal commendation of this family venture’s consistently superb quality over a range of styles of wine.
In a further innovation, the number of Wines of the Year has also been increased, and the expanded line-up now reflects the highest-scoring Five Star wines in their category (or, in instances where wines were tied with the highest scores, the judging panels’ preferred wine). The list of the 25 remarkable wines follows below.
Another first in this edition is the introduction of 100-point scores, printed alongside the familiar “Platter’s Stars”, for the recently tasted wines. Jean-Pierre Rossouw comments: “100-point scoring is the global standard, and by combining this notation with our own long-standing star-rating system, we hope that our international readers in particular will better understand and contextualise our judges’ assessments. We see the two rating systems coexisting in the guide in the future.”
Wines of the Year: These are the highest-scoring Five Star wines within each tasting category. In instances where there were a number of wines tied at equal points, we asked the panel to identify their favourite.
Cabernet Franc: Raats Dolomite 2016
Cabernet Sauvignon: Le Riche Reserve 2015
Grenache Noir: Sadie Soldaat 2017
Merlot: Shannon The Shannon Black 2013
Petit Verdot: Thelema Sutherland Reserve 2015
Pinotage: Kanonkop Black Label 2016
Pinot Noir: Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma 2017
Shiraz/Syrah: Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2015
Tinta Barocca: Elemental Bob Graveyard 2017
Red Blends/Cape Bordeaux: Plaisir de Merle Signature 2012
Red Blends/with Pinotage: Beyerskloof Faith 2014
Red blends/with Shiraz/Syrah: Saronsberg Full Circle 2016
Red Blends/Other: Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2016
Chardonnay: Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2016
Chenin Blanc: DeMorgenzon The Divas 2017
Sauvignon Blanc/Unwooded: Steenberg The Black Swan 2017
Sauvignon Blanc/Wooded: Bartho Eksteen Houtskool 2017
Semillon: Rickety Bridge Road to Santiago 2016
White Blends/Cape Bordeaux: Vergelegen GVB 2015
White Blends/Other: Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2017
Méthode Cap Classique: Villiera Monro Brut 2012
Natural Sweet: Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2014
Noble Late Harvest: Paul Cluver Riesling 2017
Vin de Paille: Mullineux Straw Wine 2017
Port-style: Overgaauw Cape Vintage 1998
The Five Star wines in Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2019 are:
Cabernet Franc: Raats 2016 | Raats Dolomite 2016 | Van Loggerenberg Breton 2017
Cabernet Sauvignon: Bartinney Cabernet 2015 | Erika Obermeyer Erika O 2015 | Le Riche Reserve 2015 | Reyneke Reserve 2015 | Stellenbosch Reserve Ou Hoofgebou 2016 | Warwick The Blue Lady 2015
Grenache Noir: Sadie Soldaat 2017
Merlot: Oldenburg 2015 | Shannon The Shannon Black 2013 | Thelema Reserve 2015
Petit Verdot: Thelema Sutherland Reserve 2015
Pinotage: Beeslaar 2016 | Beyerskloof Diesel 2016 | Kanonkop Black Label 2016
Pinot Noir: Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma 2017 | Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2017
Shiraz/Syrah: Dorrance Syrah Cuvée Ameena 2016 | Hartenberg CWG Auction Reserve Shiraz 2015 | Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2015 | Luddite Shiraz 2014 | Mullineux Iron Syrah 2016 | Mullineux Schist Roundstone Syrah 2016 | Porseleinberg Syrah 2016 | Rall Ava Syrah 2017 | Rhebokskloof Black Marble Hill Syrah 2015 | Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2015
Tinta Barocca: Elemental Bob Graveyard 2017
Red Blends/Cape Bordeaux: Allée Bleue L’Amour Toujours 2014 | Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015 | Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2015 | Plaisir de Merle Signature 2012 | Ridgeback Signature C 2016
Red Blends/with Pinotage: Beyerskloof Faith 2014
Red Blends/with Shiraz/Syrah: Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2017 | Erika Obermeyer Erika O Syrah-Grenache Noir-Cinsault 2016 | Saronsberg Full Circle 2016
Red Blends/Other: Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2016 | Rust en Vrede Estate 2015 | Waterford The Jem 2014
Chardonnay: Haskell Anvil 2017 | Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2016 | Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2017 | Restless River Ava Marie 2016 | Warwick The White Lady 2017
Chenin Blanc: Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2017 | Botanica Mary Delany 2017 | Cederberg Five Generations 2016 | City on a Hill Wine Company 2017 | David & Nadia 2017 | David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2017 | David & Nadia Skaliekop 2017 | DeMorgenzon Reserve 2017 | DeMorgenzon The Divas 2017 | Metzer Montane 2017 | Rall Ava 2017 | Sadie Skurfberg 2017 | Savage Never Been Asked To Dance 2017 | Spier 21 Gables 2017 | Spier Farm House Organic 2016 | Spioenkop Sarah Raal 2017 | Stellenrust 53 Barrel Fermented 2017 | Thistle & Weed Duwweltjie 2017
Sauvignon Blanc/Unwooded: Steenberg The Black Swan 2017
Sauvignon Blanc/Wooded: Bartho Eksteen Houtskool 2017
Semillon: Alheit La Colline 2017 | Benguela Cove Catalina 2017 | Rickety Bridge Road to Santiago 2016
White Blends/Cape Bordeaux: Cape Point Isliedh 2017 | Shannon Capall Bán 2015 | Vergelegen GVB 2015 | Warwick Professor Black 2017
White Blends/Other: B Vintners Vine Exploration Co Harlem to Hope 2017 | Lourens Lindi Carien 2017 | Mullineux Old Vines 2017 | Rall 2017 | Sadie Palladius 2016 | Savage 2017 | Stark-Condé The Field Blend 2017 | Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2017
Méthode Cap Classique: Colmant Absolu Zero Dosage NV | Villiera Monro Brut 2012 | Woolworths Vintage Reserve Brut 2012
Natural Sweet: Klein Constantia Estate Vin de Constance 2014
Noble Late Harvest: Paul Cluver Riesling 2017
Vin de Paille: Mullineux Straw Wine 2017
Port-style: De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2016 | Overgaauw Cape Vintage 1998
Brandy/Husk Spirit: Boplaas Potstill 20 Years Reserve | Dalla Cia 10 Year Old Celebration Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Husk Spirit | KWV 10 Year Old Vintage | KWV 12 Year Old Barrel Select | KWV 15 Year Old Alambic | KWV 20 Year Old | KWV Nexus | Oude Meester Souverein | Van Ryn 12 Year Distillers Reserve | Van Ryn 15 Year Fine Cask Reserve | Van Ryn 20 Year Collectors Reserve
The Platter’s by Diners Club is published by John Platter SA Wineguide (Pty) Ltd and currently retails at R270,
