Flagship wine triumphs with top John Platter award

The announcement was made at Stellenbosch's Devon Valley Hotel to unveil the new 2008 John Platter Guide, and confirmed that the Cape's Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is Africa's benchmark location for Pinot noir, with boutique winery Bouchard Finlayson being the pioneer, and a leader in its class.

The acclaimed John Platter Wine of the Year Award is given to the wine that receives the highest number of votes in a ‘blind' tasting session held to select the guide's 5-star winners. In this year's evaluation, 88 wines were selected as potential 5-star candidates across all categories. Twenty-one were finally awarded a 5-star rating, with Bouchard Finlayson's 2005 Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak Pinot noir receiving the greatest number of overall votes.

Says winemaker and master of Pinot noir, Peter Finlayson: “The success of this 2005 vintage has been very rewarding – from two perspectives. Firstly, during the early development of this wine, I made the prediction that it was a knock-out vintage! This prediction has come true. Then secondly, there has been great personal comfort in this endorsement - while I am about to enter my sixtieth year there is youthful reward in being told one still has what it takes to produce the best! Most winemakers have thrown in the towel by this stage, in a sense I revel in the thought of more vintages ahead!

“There is further satisfaction in appreciating that this is the first time a Pinot noir has been given the title of John Platter Wine of the Year. This capricious variety plays a small part in overall red wine production in South Africa and most often it is planted for Method Cap Classic and not for quality reds.

“Perhaps this success endorses my qualifying statement that Pinot noir wine is like opera – there is no middle of the road!”

To showcase the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley's exceptional Pinot noir growing potential, Finlayson created a limited-release label reserved exclusively for the best called the Tête de Cuvée! Suggested Retail Price: from R445.00 per 750ml.