First look: 5-star Platter wines for 2019 announced

(Image:Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash)

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Cape Town
Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2019 was launched last night at a gathering of South Africa’s finest winemakers. The occasion was the highly anticipated announcement of this year’s 5 -star wines, the highest rating awarded by the guides panel of professional wine tasters. The room was filled with both seasoned veterans and newcomers to the 5-star club, with the loudest applause for the first time winners. 

What’s new in this year’s guide? 
Each new edition of the Platter’s Guide sports a new (and on trend!) colour on the cover. This year’s colour is called “amphora”, which is maybe a creative way to say dusty-peachy Millennial- pink. The colour reveal is always highly anticipated, and collectors rush out to buy the latest edition to add to their collections. 

The inclusion of What3Words, an alternative to GPS that aids with navigation. Three random words are assigned to each location, which makes the address easier to remember and share.

An icon has been added to the listings to indicate wines made from older vines (35 years or more). Another new icon has been added to indicate wines that will benefit from long cellaring. 

Each wine (where available) will also include it’s 100 point rating, an internationally recognised rating system first adopted by Robert Parker. 

The former award for Winery of the Year has been replaced in the edition with 3 separate awards. The winners are

Newcomer Winery of the Year: Erika Obermeyer Wines

Top Performing Winery of the Year: Mullineux

Editor’s Award: Newton Johnson Vineyards

In each category of wine, one wine has been chosen as the Wine of the Year. They are indicated below by an * 

Here are the 5-star wines for 2019: 

Méthode Cap Classique
Colmant Absolu Zero Dosage NV
Villiera Monro Brut 2012 *
Woolworths Vintage Reserve Brut 2012

White wines:
Sauvignon Blanc, Unwooded
Steenberg The Black Swan 2017 *

Sauvignon Blanc, Wooded
Bartho Eksteen Houtskool 2017 *

Semillon
Alheit La Colline 2017
Benguela Cove Catalina 2017
Rickety Bridge Road to Santiago 2016 *

Chenin Blanc
Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2017
Botanica Mary Delany 2017
Cederberg Five Generations 2016
City on a Hill Wine Company 2017
David & Nadia 2017
David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2017
David & Nadia Skaliekop 2017
DeMorgenzon Reserve 2017
DeMorgenzon The Divas 2017 *
Metzer Montane 2017
Rall Ava 2017
Sadie Skurfberg 2017
Savage Never Been Asked To Dance 2017
Spier 21 Gables 2017
Spier Farm House Organic 2016
Spioenkop Sarah Raal 2017
Stellenrust 53 Barrel Fermented 2017
Thistle & Weed Duwweltjie 2017

Chardonnay
Haskell Anvil 2017
Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2016 *
Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2017
Restless River Ava Marie 2016
Warwick The White Lady 2017

White Blends, Cape Bordeaux
Cape Point Isliedh 2017
Shannon Capall Bán 2015
Vergelegen GVB 2015 *
Warwick Professor Black 2017

White Blends, Other
B Vintners Vine Exploration Co Harlem to Hope 2017
Lourens Lindi Carien 2017
Mullineux Old Vines 2017
Rall 2017
Sadie Palladius 2016
Savage 2017
Stark-Condé The Field Blend 2017
Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2017 *

Red wines: 
Pinot Noir
Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma 2017 *
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2017

Grenache Noir
Sadie Soldaat 2017 *

Merlot
Oldenburg 2015
Shannon The Shannon Black 2013 *
Thelema Reserve 2015

Petit Verdot
Thelema Sutherland Reserve 2015 *

Cabernet Franc
Raats 2016
Raats Dolomite 2016 *
Van Loggerenberg Breton 2017

Cabernet Sauvignon
Bartinney Cabernet 2015
Erika Obermeyer Erika O 2015
Le Riche Reserve 2015 *
Reyneke Reserve 2015
Stellenbosch Reserve Ou Hoofgebou 2016
Warwick The Blue Lady 2015

Shiraz/Syrah
Dorrance Syrah Cuvée Ameena 2016
Hartenberg CWG Auction Reserve Shiraz 2015
Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2015 *
Luddite Shiraz 2014
Mullineux Iron Syrah 2016
Mullineux Schist Roundstone Syrah 2016
Porseleinberg Syrah 2016
Rall Ava Syrah 2017
Rhebokskloof Black Marble Hill Syrah 2015
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2015

Tinta Barocca
Elemental Bob Graveyard 2017 *

Pinotage
Beeslaar 2016
Beyerskloof Diesel 2016
Kanonkop Black Label 2016 *

Red Blends, Cape Bordeaux
Allée Bleue L’Amour Toujours 2014
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015
Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2015
Plaisir de Merle Signature 2012 *
Ridgeback Signature C 2016
Red Blends, with Pinotage
Beyerskloof Faith 2014

Red Blends, with Shiraz/Syrah
Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2017
Erika Obermeyer Erika O Syrah-Grenache Noir-Cinsault 2016
Saronsberg Full Circle 2016 *

Red Blends, Other
Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2016 *
Rust en Vrede Estate 2015
Waterford The Jem 2014

Dessert wines and brandies
Natural Sweet
Klein Constantia Estate Vin de Constance 2014 *

Noble Late Harvest
Paul Cluver Riesling 2017 *

Vin de Paille
Mullineux Straw Wine 2017 *

Port-style
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2016
Overgaauw Cape Vintage 1998 *

Brandy/Husk Spirit
Boplaas Potstill 20 Years Reserve
Dalla Cia 10 Year Old Celebration Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Husk Spirit
KWV 10 Year Old Vintage
KWV 12 Year Old Barrel Select
KWV 15 Year Old Alambic
KWV 20 Year Old
KWV Nexus
Oude Meester Souverein
Van Ryn 12 Year Distillers Reserve
Van Ryn 15 Year Fine Cask Reserve
Van Ryn 20 Year Collectors Reserve

Platter’s by Diners Club 2019 is available at all bookstores countrywide, suggested retail price R270. 

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