Diners Club awards Diamond to Red Carnation Hotel Collection

12 Aug 2013

Amongst the awards issued by the 2013 Diners Club Winelist Awards, the Diamond Award has gone to three of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection - The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town; Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat in the Cederberg Mountains and The Oyster Box in Umhlanga.

Bushmans Kloof has received this accolade nine times, while this year marks the sixth Diamond Award for The Twelve Apostles Hotel and the fourth consecutive year for The Oyster Box, which opened in 2009.

This year's judging panel was chaired by veteran wine critic and author Dave Hughes and comprised MasterChef South Africa judge and Executive Chef of the Monde Vino restaurant Benny Masekwameng; Rossouw's Restaurants author JP Rossouw; co-owner of Winestyle.biz, Nikki Dumas; leading wine critics, Christine Rudman and Fiona McDonald; and the head of the Cape Wine Academy, Marilyn Cooper.

The judges' task was to select wine lists that were interesting, varied and original, easy to use, informative, accurate and well matched to the cuisine of the house. The winning wine lists also had to reflect trends in still, sparkling and fortified wines and grape-based spirits. The panel further evaluated balance, pairing ability and list presentation. To be awarded Diamond status, wine lists had to achieve a score of over 91%.

Head Sommelier Gregory Mutambe compiled the Twelve Apostles' winning wine list, one of South Africa's rising stars in the wine world. His list of 219 wines reflects the latest South African and international trends, specially selected to complement the elegant international cuisine and local flavours presented at its Azure Restaurant.

Augmenting Bushmans Kloof's wine list, selected by F&B Manager Michel Bouic, together with Wine Concepts, is a menu bursting with fresh Cape contemporary cuisine that features selected homegrown produce from the lodge's organic gardens. Signature dishes proudly showcase the regional cuisine, their flavours further enhanced by 212 local and international wines.

The Oyster Box's 248-strong wine list comprises a selection of both Old World style and the more robust New World wines. It features an extensive choice of local and international vintages enjoyed in its fine dining restaurants by discerning guests from around the world.