Platter's SA Wine Guide 2018 unveiled!
Topics: Platter's Guide, South Africa, South African wine, wine
The Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2018 was launched at Cape Town’s The Table Bay Hotel today with over 200 guests in attendance, the VIPs including wine producers who had achieved the maximum five-star rating in the new edition – reserved for wines that are “South African classics” and scored 95 points or more.
The guide’s ultimate accolade, Winery of the Year, this year was awarded to Raats Family Wines. In this 2018 edition, they achieved an incredible 5 Five Star results, the most of any producer. In addition to this, owner and winemaker Bruwer Raats also has a winning hand in this year’s trio of Five Star wine by Mvemve Raats and B Vintners Vine Exploration Co.
The prestigious Red Wine of the Year accolade was awarded to last year’s Winery of the Year, Nederburg Wines, for their Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2014. White Wine of the Year was handed to The Foundry for the Grenache Blanc 2015. Unfortified Dessert Wine of the Year was awarded to Klein Constantia Estate for Vin de Constance 2013; while the inaugural Fortified Dessert Wine of the Year went to Beaumont Family Wines for the Starboard Dessert Wine NV.
A total of 111 Five Star wines are featured in the 2018 guide. Publisher of Platter’s by Diners Club, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, says: “As per last year, all wines that were scored 4.5 stars (90 points) 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. The high number of Five Stars is testament to ever-improving wine-making, aided in no small part by the exceptional quality of the highly regarded 2015 and 2017 vintages. Hearty congratulations to all winners!”
Emerging from this thorough review process with their first ever Five Star ratings were the following 20 producers: B Vintners Vine Exploration Co, Cape Wine Company, Carinus Family Vineyards, Daschbosch (previously uniWines), Elemental Bob, Highlands Road Estate, JC Wickens Wines, Lanzerac Wine Estate, Le Sueur Wines, Lingen, Longridge Wine Estate, Orange River Cellars, Paserene, Pongrácz, Remhoogte Wine Estate, Reverie, The Stellenbosch Reserve, Thistle & Weed, Van Loveren Family Vineyards and Zorgvliet 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 2018 edition follows the popular and award-winning Platter’s format, with 941 South African wine producers, merchants and brands being featured, including 48 new ones, along with well over 8,000 locally produced wines.
The guide’s wine descriptions and star ratings are compiled in association with a team of leading 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.
… AND WHY NOT “PUT PLATTER’S IN YOUR POCKET”?
Platter’s by Diners Club also has apps for iPhone and Android. Winelovers need simply subscribe here to enjoy digital access through the web and apps to all ratings and reviews.
THE FIVE STAR WINES FOR 2018 ARE:
Cabernet Franc
1. Môreson 2015
2. Raats 2015
3. Raats Eden High Density Single Vineyard 2015
Cabernet Sauvignon
1. Bartinney 2014
2. Delaire Graff Reserve 2015
3. Edgebaston David Finlayson ‘GS’ 2014
4. Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2015
5. Nederburg Two Centuries 2014
6. Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard 2014
7. Rustenberg Peter Barlow 2012
8. Stark-Condé Three Pines 2015
9. The Stellenbosch Reserve Ou Hoofgebou 2015
10. Uva Mira The Mira 2015
Cinsaut
1. Sadie Pofadder 2016
Merlot
1. Shannon Mount Bullet 2014
Pinotage
1. B Vintners Liberté 2016
2. Flagstone Writer’s Block 2015
3. Lanzerac Pionier 2015
4. Neil Ellis Bottelary Hills 2015
Pinot Noir
1. Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak 2015
2. Creation The Art of Pinot Noir 2016
3. Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2016
4. Richard Kershaw Elgin Clonal Selection 2016
Shiraz/Syrah
1. Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2015
2. Cederberg Shiraz 2015
3. De Trafford Blueprint Syrah 2015
4. Eagles’ Nest Shiraz 2014
5. Hartenberg Gravel Hill Shiraz 2013
6. Nico van der Merwe Syrah 2015
7. Remhoogte Reserve Syrah 2015
8. Richard Kershaw Elgin Clonal Selection Syrah 2015
9. Trizanne Reserve Syrah 2016
Red blends
1. Bellingham Small Barrel SMV 2014
2. Cape Wine Company Erasmus Family 2015
3. Chamonix Troika 2015
4. Eikendal Charisma 2015
5. JC Wickens Swerwer 2016
6. Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2014
7. Le Sueur Paradoks 2016
8. Lingen 2014
9. Longridge Ekliptika 2015
10. Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2013
11. Mvemve Raats MR de Compostella 2015
12. Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Private Bin R109 2014
13. Ridgeback Signature C 2015
14. Rust en Vrede 1694 Classification 2014
15. Spier CWG Auction Reserve Frans K. Smit 2013
16. The Stellenbosch Reserve Vanderstel 2015
17. The Winery of Good Hope Radford Dale Black Rock 2015
18. Waterford The Jem 2012
19. Zorgvliet Richelle 2015
Chardonnay
1. DeMorgenzon Reserve 2016
2. Jordan Barrel Fermented 2016
3. Julien Schaal Confluence 2016
4. Paserene 2015
5. Richard Kershaw Elgin Clonal Selection 2016
6. Richard Kershaw Deconstructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shales CY95 2016
7. Warwick The White Lady 2016
Chenin Blanc
1. Alvi’s Drift Albertus Viljoen 2015
2. Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2016
3. Botanica Mary Delany 2016
4. Carinus Rooidraai 2016
5. David & Nadia Skaliekop 2016
6. David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2016
7. Jordan Inspector Péringuey 2016
8. Kaapzicht The 1947 2016
9. Mount Abora Koggelbos 2015
10. Perdeberg Dryland Courageous Barrel Fermented 2016
11. Raats Eden High Density Single Vineyard 2015
12. Raats Old Vine 2016
13. Raats Original 2016
14. Reverie 2016
15. Sadie Skurfberg 2016
16. Stellenrust 52 Barrel Fermented 2016
17. Thistle & Weed Duwweltjie 2016
Grenache Blanc
1. Elemental Bob Retro 2016
2. The Foundry 2015
Riesling
1. Paul Cluver Close Encounter 2016
Sauvignon Blanc
1. Cederberg David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner 2016
2. Constantia Glen 2017
3. Hermanuspietersfontein Kat met die Houtbeen 2015
4. Highlands Road White Reserve 2015
5. Oak Valley Fountain of Youth 2017
6. Van Loveren Family Christina Van Loveren 2017
Semillon
1. Alheit La Colline 2016
2. Constantia Uitsig 2015
3. Shannon 2016
White Blends
1. AA Badenhorst White 2015
2. B Vintners Harlem to Hope 2016
3. Cape Point Isliedh 2016
4. Delaire Graff Reserve White 2015
5. Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve White 2015
6. Olifantsberg Blanc 2016
7. Sadie Palladius 2015
8. Sadie T’Voetpad 2016
9. Savage White 2016
Méthode Cap Classique
1. Colmant Brut Chardonnay NV
2. Pongrácz Desiderius 2009
3. Steenberg Lady R 2012
Dessert Wine, Fortified
1. Daschbosch Hanepoot 2015
2. Orange River White Muscadel 2016
Dessert Wine, Unfortified
1. Donkiesbaai Hooiwijn Vin de Paille 2016
2. Groot Constantia Grand Constance 2014
3. Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2013
4. Miles Mossop Kika Noble Late Harvest 2016
5. Mullineux Essence Straw Wine 2012
6. Mullineux Straw Wine 2016
7. Perdeberg Dryland Longevity Natural Sweet Chenin Blanc 2016
8. Tokara Noble Late Harvest 2016
Port-style
1. Beaumont Starboard Dessert Wine NV
2. Delaire Graff Cape Vintage 2015
WINES & WINERY OF THE YEAR ARE:
Winery of the Year
Raats Family Wines
White Wine of the Year
The Foundry Grenache Blanc 2015
Red Wine of the Year
Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Unfortified Dessert Wine of the Year
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2013
Fortified Dessert Wine of the Year
Beaumont Starboard Dessert Wine NV
PUBLICATION NOTES FOR PLATTER’S BY DINERS CLUB
Published by: John Platter SA Wineguide (Pty) Ltd
Publisher: Jean-Pierre Rossouw
Editor: Philip van Zyl
Tasters for 2018 edition: Angela Lloyd; Master of Wine Cathy van Zyl; Cape Wine Masters Winnie Bowman, Greg de Bruyn, Tim James, Christine Rudman and Meryl Weaver; Hennie Coetzee, Joanne Gibson, Cathy Marston, Fiona McDonald, Gregory Mutambe, Samarie Smith & Dave Swingler
Suggested retail price: R260
ISBN: 978-0-9870046-7-3