'Platter's by Diners Club' 2017 South African Wine Guide releasedOver 200 guests attended the launch of 'The Platter's by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2017' at The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town on 31 October 2016. VIP guests included wine producers who had achieved the maximum five star rating in the new edition. This rating is reserved for wines considered "South African classics" Winery of the Year The guide’s ultimate accolade, Winery of the Year, this year was awarded to the Nederburg Wines, making this the second time that they have won, the last time being six years ago in the 2011 edition. In this 2017 edition, they achieved no fewer than four Five Star results, the most of any producer. The prestigious Red Wine of the Year accolade went to The Winery of Good Hope for the Radford Dale Black Rock 2014 and White Wine of the Year was awarded to Stellenrust for the 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015. The Dessert Wine of the Year award again went to last year’s Dessert Wine winner, and 2016 Winery of Year, Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, for their Straw Wine 2015. A total of 94 Five Star wines, as well as one new Five Star brandy, are featured in the 2017 guide. Publisher of ‘Platter’s by Diners Club’, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, says: “As per last year, all wines that were scored 4.5 stars 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. It is testament to the exceptional quality of the highly regarded 2015 vintage that we saw a good run of results, particularly in the white wine categories. Hearty congratulations to all winners!” Emerging from this thorough review process with their first ever Five Star ratings were the following 17 producers: Artisanal Boutique Winery, Bartinney Private Cellar, Bosman Family Vineyards, Diemersdal Estate, Donkiesbaai, La Vierge Private Cellar, Laibach Vineyards, Môreson, Mount Abora Vineyards, Olifantsberg Family Vineyards, Perdeberg Winery, Restless River, Ronnie B Wines, Skaap Wines, Stellar Winery, Thorne & Daughters Wines and Trizanne Signature Wines. Also worthy of note are a fantastic run of three Five Star ratings for Cape Chamonix Wine Farm, David & Nadia, Kleine Zalze Wines, Newton Johnson Vineyards and Sadie Family Wines. More about the guideDebuting in 1980, ‘Platter’s by Diners Club’ is South Africa’s first and still leading wine annual, with total hardcover sales of well over 1.4 million copies, plus more recent digital versions for mobile and desktop devices. The 2017 edition follows the popular and award-winning Platter’s format, with 950 South African wine producers, merchants and brands being featured, including 28 new ones, along with over 8,000 locally produced wines. The guide’s wine descriptions and star ratings are compiled in association with a team of wine experts, and include good-value indicators and pointers to Hidden Gems – wines that are interesting, unique, unusual or otherwise worthy of winelovers’ attention. Winelands dining, accommodation and cellardoor tasting options are also covered in detail, along with the full spectrum of tourist amenities, attractions and activities. The Five Star wines for 2017 are:Cabernet Franc 1. Warwick 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 1. Delaire Graff Laurence Graff Reserve 2013 Cinsaut 1. Bosman Family Twyfeling 2015 Grenache Noir 1. Spice Route 2014 Merlot 1. Laibach Claypot 2014 Pinotage 1. Beeslaar 2014 Pinot Noir 1. Hamilton Russell 2015 Shiraz/Syrah 1. Fable Syrah 2014 Red blends 1. Artisanal Boutique Winery JJ Handmade Eight Pillars 2013 Chardonnay 1. Bartinney 2015 Chenin Blanc 1. AA Badenhorst Dassiekop Steen 2015 Sauvignon Blanc 1. Bloemendal Suider Terras 2015 Semillon 1. Botanica Mary Delany 2015 White Blends 1. Alheit Hemelrand Vine Garden 2015 Dessert Wine, Unfortified 1. Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2015 Brandy 1. Boplaas Potstill Reserve 12 Years Wines & Winery of the Year are:White Wine of the Year Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015 Dessert Wine of the Year Mullineux & Leeu Straw Wine 2015 ‘Platter’s by Diners Club’ Apps‘Platter’s by Diners Club’ also has apps for iPhone and Android. Winelovers need simply subscribe through Wineonaplatter.com to gain digital access through the web and apps to all ratings and reviews. Look out for the companion wine title ‘Everything You Wanted to Know About Wine But Were Too Afraid To Ask’, which provides an introduction to the world of wine. |