The Diners Club Winelist Awards winners

The Winelist Awards seek out restaurants that have innovative wine lists and are meticulous in offering compatible food and wine menus. In its 22nd year, the Winelist Awards accepted menus that had been submitted by licensed local restaurants.

How restaurants are judged

This year’s awards saw new judges and judging criteria. The revised criteria include a greater emphasis on suitability, just one of four criteria used to judge the lists. The other criteria are balance, content and presentation. Restaurants that are in step with the contemporary diner's preferences for good wines by the glass and for wine discoveries were rewarded.

Pardon Taguzu from Aubergine with JP Rossouw head judge of the Diners Club Winelist Awards

Restaurant wine lists are evaluated according to four criteria:

1. Content: Content includes the number of wines on the list, number of wines served by the glass, original and innovative choices, and cultivars sourced from appropriate regions.
   
2. Balance: Balance relates to the relationship between modestly and expensively priced wines, overall value, presence of local and imported varieties, and balance between established and new labels.
   
3. Suitability: Suitability measures the suitability of the wine list with the cuisine, as well as the fit with the image of the restaurant.
   
4. Presentation: Presentation is judged according to vintages, regions, accurate information, correct spelling and a clear design that is easy to read and navigate.

Looking at the quality of this year’s competition, Diners Club Winelist head judge JP Rossouw, publisher of Platter’s by Diners Club SA Wine Guide, pointed to the “pleasing and varied entries” the adjudicators received.

“It gets tougher every year for restaurants to either maintain or evolve their offering to their customers in the fast-paced and demanding culinary business. However, it’s clear, looking at this year’s entries that many eateries are up to the challenge of innovating and delighting patron’s senses with tailored and relevant food and wine lists.”

Twenty restaurants achieved Diamond status, the highest accolade, while 25 restaurants were awarded Platinum. Gold winners tallied 21 and five silver winners. The Diners Club Winelist Awards acknowledge excellence in participating restaurants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

Gauteng Diners Cub Winelist Award Winners

Overall Winner Western Cape - Aubergine

Diamond Winners

Karibu Restaurant
The Square Restaurant - Vineyard Hotel
Vineyard Hotel
B's Steakhouse
Ellerman House
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
Bientang's Cave Restaurant & Wine Bar
Kitima @ the Kronendal
Raya Kitchen by Kitima
Bosman's Restaurant @ the Grande Roche Hotel
Aubergine Restaurant
The Table Bay Hotel
Signal at Cape Grace Hotel
Meloncino
City Grill Steakhouse
The Greek Fisherman
Bombay Restaurant
Equus
Azure Restaurant
Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve

Platinum Winners

Blowfish Restaurant
The Victoria Falls Hotel
Pierneef á La Motte
The Hussar Grill - Grand West Casino
The Hussar Grill - Camps Bay
The Hussar Grill - Stellenbosch
The Hussar Grill - Steenberg
The Hussar Grill - Paarl
The Hussar Grill - Willowbridge
The Hussar Grill - Somerset West
The Hussar Grill - Rondebosch
The Hussar Grill - Mouille Point
The Andros Deluxe Boutique Hotel
The George Restaurant @ Romney Park Hotel
The Wild Fig Restaurant
Myoga Restaurant
Rusty Oak Bistro
La Pentola Restaurant
Rhebokskloof Estate
Mint Restaurant
Noop Restaurant
Alba Easy Lounge Cape Town International Airport
At 365 Restaurant
Den Anker Restaurant
Abalone House & Spa

Gold Winners

Taste Bistro
Mezepoli Camps Bay
Casa Bella - Grand West Casino
French Connection Bistro
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Belvedere
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Blouberg
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Camps Bay
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Canal Walk
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Cape Town
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Cavendish
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Durbanville
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Franschhoek
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Hermanus
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Knysna
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Meadowridge
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Stellenbosch
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Westlake
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Willowbridge
Pasti's
Miarestate Hotel & Spa
Jonkershuis Constantia

Silver Winners

Bertha's Restaurant
Black Marlin
Quay Four Tavern
Upstairs @ Quay Four
Col ' Cacchio Pizzeria - Grove Mall NAMIBIA