'Platter's by Diners Club' 2017 South African Wine Guide released

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 guide

Debuting 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:

1. Warwick 2013

1. Delaire Graff Laurence Graff Reserve 2013
2. Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2012
3. Nederburg Private Bin R163 2013
4. Tokara Reserve 2013

1. Bosman Family Twyfeling 2015
2. Kaapzicht Skuinsberg 2015

1. Spice Route 2014
2. Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Limited Release 2015

1. Laibach Claypot 2014
2. Shannon Mount Bullet 2013

1. Beeslaar 2014
2. Flagstone Time Manner Place 2014

1. Hamilton Russell 2015
2. Newton Johnson Family Vineyards CWG Auction Reserve Seadragon 2015
3. Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2015

1. Fable Syrah 2014
2. Iona Solace Syrah 2014
3. Keermont Topside Syrah 2014
4. La Motte Pierneef Syrah-Viognier 2014
5. Porseleinberg 2014
6. Reyneke Reserve Red 2014
7. Richard Kershaw Clonal Selection Elgin Syrah 2014
8. Ronnie B Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2015
9. Trizanne Reserve Syrah 2015

1. Artisanal Boutique Winery JJ Handmade Eight Pillars 2013
2. Chamonix Troika 2014
3. Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2013
4. Mvemve Raats MR de Compostella 2014
5. Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Brew Master 2014
6. Olifantsberg Silhouette 2014

1. Bartinney 2015
2. Chamonix 2015
3. Chamonix Reserve 2015
4. Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve 2015
5. DeMorgenzon Reserve 2015
6. Groot Constantia 2015
7. Hamilton Russell 2015
8. Haskell Anvil 2015
9. Iona 2015
10. Jordan Barrel Fermented 2015
11. Jordan CWG Auction Reserve 2015
12. La Vierge Apogée 2015
13. Meerlust 2015
14. Môreson Mercator Premium 2014
15. Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2015
16. Restless River Ava Marie 2014
17. Richard Kershaw Deconstructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shales CY95 2015

1. AA Badenhorst Dassiekop Steen 2015
2. Alheit Radio Lazarus 2015
3. Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2015
4. Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine 2015
5. Botanica Mary Delany 2015
6. David & Nadia 2015
7. David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2015
8. Edgebaston Camino Africa David Finlayson 2015
9. Fram 2015
10. Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2015
11. Mount Abora Koggelbos 2014
12. Opstal Carl Everson 2015
13. Ronnie B Patatsfontein Steen 2015
14. Sadie Family Skurfberg 2015
15. Spioenkop 1900 2015

1. Bloemendal Suider Terras 2015
2. Diemersdal 8 Rows 2016
3. Diemersdal MM Louw 2015
4. Fleur du Cap Unfiltered 2015
5. Hermanuspietersfontein Nr 5 Kat Met Die Houtbeen 2014
6. Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2015
7. Mulderbosch 1000 Miles 2015
8. Nederburg Private Bin D234 2015
9. Skaap 44 2015

1. Botanica Mary Delany 2015
2. Opstal The Barber 2015
3. Sadie Family Kokerboom 2015
4. Shannon 2015

1. Alheit Hemelrand Vine Garden 2015
2. Beaumont ‘New Baby’ 2015
3. David & Nadia Aristargos 2015
4. GlenWood Vigneron’s Selection Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2015
5. Sadie Family Palladius 2014
6. Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2015
7. Tokara Director’s Reserve 2015
8. Vondeling Babiana 2015

1. Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2015
2. Donkiesbaai Hooiwijn Vin de Paille 2015
3. Fleur du Cap Bergkelder Selection Noble Late Harvest 2015
4. Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2012
5. Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2015
6. Perdeberg Speciality Natural Sweet Chenin Blanc 2014
7. Stellar Heaven on Earth Natural Sweet NV

1. Boplaas Potstill Reserve 12 Years

Wines & Winery of the Year are:

Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015
Red Wine of the Year
The Winery of Good Hope Radford Dale Black Rock 2014

Mullineux & Leeu Straw Wine 2015
Winery of the Year
Nederburg Wines

‘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.