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  Platter's SA Wine Guide 2017 is here!

31 Oct 2016

Topics: Platter's Guide, South Africa, South African wine, wine

The Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2017 was launched at Cape Town’s The Table Bay Hotel on 31 October 2016 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”.

The guide’s ultimate accolade, Winery of the Year, this year was awarded to the iconic 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 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 through Wineonaplatter.com to enjoy digital access through the web and apps to all ratings and reviews.

… AND NEW FOR 2017

Look out for our companion wine title – Everything You Wanted to Know About Wine But Were Too Afraid To Ask – the ideal introduction to the world of wine.

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 & 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

PUBLICATION NOTES FOR PLATTER’S BY DINERS CLUB

• Published by: John Platter SA Wineguide (Pty) Ltd

• Publisher: Jean-Pierre Rossouw (jpr@wineonaplatter.com)

• Editor: Philip van Zyl (philip@wineonaplatter.com)

• Tasters for 2017: Angela Lloyd; Master of Wine Cathy van Zyl; Cape Wine Masters Winnie Bowman, Greg de Bruyn, Tim James, Christine Rudman and Meryl Weaver; David Biggs, Hennie Coetzee, Joanne Gibson, Cathy Marston, Fiona McDonald, Gregory Mutambe, Samarie Smith & Dave Swingler

• Pages: 664

• ISBN 978-0-9870046-6-6

• Suggested retail price: R255


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  • philip on 15 December 2016

    Thank you for your interest. Suggest you try Exclusive Books or Bargain Books. You are welcome to message me via the Contact email page if you have no luck.

  • philip on 21 November 2016

    Thank you for your interest, Lena. It certainly is possible to order to an overaeas address. Further details, including postage, are available here: http://www.wineonaplatter.com/products

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