Breedekloof Chenin among 80 beauties that wowed team of tasters for 2014 edition of Platter’s SA Wine Guide
THERE ARE FEW surprises among the top-rated wines in Platter’s 2014 South African Wine Guide that goes onto the bookshelves this month. Most of the 5 Star laureates or their makers have good track records – the cellarmasters and/or winery owners are familiar faces at the various podiums, which is great for those who appreciate consistently high standards. And most of the wines less familiar to the general public have been on the radar/GPS screens of the cognoscenti for a few years at least – wines that go by the names Alheit of Hemel-en-Aarde/Hermanus, David of the Swartland/Tulbagh, Sijnn of Malgas/Stellenbosch, Silverthorn of Robertson/Tokai and Spioenkop of Elgin.
However, there will be quite a few wine lovers wondering about the Carl Everson Chenin Blanc from Opstal Estate in the Slanghoek Valley on the Breedekloof wine route between Rawsonville and Wolseley. It’s a humble family business whose last really good review was for a white blend called Sixpense that sold for R35 a bottle. Their latest flagship was priced at R120 a bottle ex-cellar and is already “out of stock” ex-cellar.
Most votes from the team of tasters for ‘Wines of the Year’ went to Newton Johnson Windansea Pinot Noir 2012 (Hemel-en-Aarde, Hermanus) and DeMorgenzon Maestro White 2012 (Stellenbosch Kloof), with editor Philip van Zyl’s nod for ‘Winery of the Year’ going to Mullineux & Leeu (Riebeek-Kasteel). See below for the names of all the 5 Star wines as rated in Platter’s 2014 edition.
WHITE WINES RATED 5 STARS IN PLATTER’S 2014 EDITION
CHARDONNAY
Chamonix Reserve 2012
Hamilton Russell 2012
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2012
Richard Kershaw 2012
CHENIN BLANC
Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2012
Botanica 2012
DeMorgenzon 2012
Jean Daneel 2012
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2012
Mullineux Schist 2012
Opstal Carl Everson 2012
Radio Lazarus 2012 (Alheit)
Radio Lazarus 2012 (Alheit)
Reyneke 2012
Sadie Family Skurfberg 2012
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented 2012
GRENACHE BLANC
The Foundry 2012
AA Badenhorst CWG Auction Reserve White Grenache Vuilgoed 3 2012
ROUSSANNE
Simonsig CWG Auction Reserve The Russety One 2012
SAUVIGNON BLANC
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2012 (Cederberg)
Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2012
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2012
Mulderbosch 1000 Miles 2012
Tokara Walker Bay 2013
SEMILLON
Constantia Uitsig 2012
WHITE BLENDS
Cape Point Isliedh 2012
David Aristargos 2012
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Bowline 2012 (Cederberg)
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Bowline 2012 (Cederberg)
DeMorgenzon Maestro White 2012
Fable Jackal Bird 2012
Fairview Nurok 2012
Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve 2011
Nederburg Ingenuity 2012
Nitida Coronata Integration 2012
Rall 2012
Reyneke Reserve White 2011
Sadie Family Palladius 2011
Tokara Director’s Reserve 2012
RED WINES RATED 5 STARS IN PLATTER’S 2014 EDITION
CABERNET FRANC
Raats Family 2011
Warwick 2010
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Boekenhoutskloof 2011
Cederberg Five Generations 2011
Ernie Els Proprietor’s 2011
Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection 2010
Stark-Condé Three Pines 2011
PINOTAGE
Chateau Naudé Le Vin de François 2011
Rijk’s Reserve 2009
Spioenkop ‘1900’ 2012
PINOT NOIR
Newton Johnson Windansea 2012
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2012
SHIRAZ / SYRAH
Cederberg CWG Auction Reserve Teen die Hoog 2011
Eagles’ Nest 2010
Fable Syrah 2011
Hilton The Dalmatian 2010
Mont Destin Destiny 2009
Mullineux Family Granite Syrah 2011
Mullineux Family Schist Syrah 2011
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2011
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2011
Saronsberg 2011
Sijnn 2011
Stark-Condé Three Pines Syrah 2011
RED BLENDS
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2011
Chamonix Troika 2011
Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2011
Eikendal Classique 2011
Ken Forrester Three Halves 2009
Thelema Rabelais 2009
Windmeul Reserve Cape Blend 2012
SPARKLING WINES RATED 5 STARS IN PLATTER’S 2014 EDITION
MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE
Klein Constantia Brut 2010
Silverthorn The Green Man Blanc de Blancs 2010
SWEET WINES RATED 5 STARS IN PLATTER’S 2014 EDITION
DESSERT WINE, UNFORTIFIED
Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2012
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2012
KWV The Mentors Noble Late Harvest 2012
Mullineux Family Straw Wine 2012
Nederburg Eminence 2012
Nederburg Edelkeur 2012
Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2012
DESSERT WINE, FORTIFIED
Alvi’s Drift Muscat de Frontignan White 2010
PORT-STYLE, FORTIFIED
Axe Hill Cape Vintage 2011
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2011
KWV Cape Tawny NV
