Platter’s five star wines announced

The Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2017 was launched at Cape Town’s The Table Bay Hotel tonight. The guide’s ultimate accolade, Winery of the Year, was awarded to the iconic Nederburg Wines, making this the second time that they have won. In this 2017 edition, they achieved four Five Star results, the most of any producer.

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 went to Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, for their Straw Wine 2015.

A few comments

Congratulations on three Five Star ratings for Cape Chamonix Wine Farm, David & Nadia, Kleine Zalze Wines, Newton Johnson Vineyards and Sadie Family Wines, also to the 17 wineries gaining a five Star gong for the first time.

It may come as a surprise to see only one five Star rating for last year’s Winery of the Year, Mullineux & Leeu but it is possible that they have no new releases which were available at the time of tasting – remember Platter’s doesn’t re-taste the same vintage. Big congratulations to Attie Louw of Opstal who is proudly flying the flag for ‘over the mountain’ Breedekloof with two five Star accolades – testament to quality and potential as yet untapped in this region.

Let’s talk about the whites

The biggest categories by far were Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc – which is probably as it should be. There will come a time – and I think it is drawing nigh – when commentators such as I can stop saying ‘we make the finest Chenins in the world’ because the world will know that already.

Chardonnay is turning out to be our hidden trump card with wonderfully-balanced versions, mainly from cooler climates, right up there with the best in the world.

And big up to the ‘lesser’ varietals – Cinsaut and Grenache which are relative newcomers to five Star-dom but Merlot and Semillon are more familiar if less-lauded in recent years. It’s great to see people are taking time and paying attention to more traditional varieties, including ones which aren’t always regarded as being five star-worthy.

Disappointments? I’m sad not to see any MCCs on this list – I think I tasted some pretty smart wines during my tastings at home. I would also have liked to see more white blends get rewarded since I think this is a fabulous category and a very exciting one for SA. But railing after the event is an entirely useless exercise – the best wines came through on the day and that is that. Well done all

The Five Star wines for 2017 are:

Cabernet Franc

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

Cinsaut

1. Bosman Family Twyfeling 2015
2. Kaapzicht Skuinsberg 2015

Grenache Noir

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

Merlot

1. Laibach Claypot 2014
2. Shannon Mount Bullet 2013

Pinotage
1. Beeslaar 2014
2. Flagstone Time Manner Place 2014

Pinot Noir

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

Shiraz/Syrah

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

Red blends

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

Chardonnay

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

Chenin Blanc

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

Sauvignon Blanc

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

Semillon

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

White Blends

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

Dessert Wine, Unfortified

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

Brandy

1. Boplaas Potstill Reserve 12 Years

Wines and Winery of the Year are:

White Wine of the Year – Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015

Red Wine of the Year – The Winery of Good Hope Radford Dale Black Rock 2014

Dessert Wine of the Year – Mullineux & Leeu Straw Wine 2015

Winery of the Year – Nederburg Wines

ALSO READ: The most important wine competition in SA right now