Platter’s by Diners Club launches the 2019 South African Wine Guide

by Anton Pretorius | Nov 6, 2018 | Blog, Lifestyle, News

: 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

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

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