Platter’s 2017 guide points to seven of the Cape’s finest releases in 2016

APART FROM the obvious, what were the highlights of the 2016 awards for top-rated reds, whites and sweets in the 2017 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide? For starters, with most of the year’s major panel tastings by local and international wine authorities behind us, the following beauties stand out among the leading contenders for SA Wine of the Year overall:

Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015 : 5 Stars and White Wine of the Year in Platter’s, Trophy at Michelangelo Awards – R140pb at the cellar door in Stellenbosch

DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2015 : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Trophy at Decanter Awards (UK), Trophy at International Wine Challenge (UK), Top Score in Winemag.co.za’s Chardonnay Report – sold out at the cellar door, Stellenbosch Kloof (though available in a four-bottle mixed case selling for R1000)

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc 2015 : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Trophy at International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK), Gold at Michelangelo Awards – R160pb at the cellar door in Stellenbosch

Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Trophy at International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK), Gold at Michelangelo Awards – yet to be sold at Nederburg Auction in Paarl

Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2013 (Bordeaux-Style Red Blend) : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Top Score at Red Hot Wine Awards, Double Gold at Michelangelo Awards – R327pb at the cellar door

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Trophy at Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, Gold at Six Nations Wine Challenge (AU) – R160pb at the cellar door in Stellenbosch

Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 : 5 Stars in Platter’s, Trophy at Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, Gold at Michelangelo Awards – R160 at the Franschhoek Cellar

Not one 5 Star Cap Classique bubbly in Platter’s latest edition? No 5 Star Cape Port? No 5 Star fortified wine whatsoever? Although one 5 Star brandy! Who would have thought… And/but as to be expected, perhaps: nothing among the 5 Star laureates that’s available at under R100 a bottle. However there is interest value at just over, including the Swartland’s Spice Route Grenache 2014 and Mount Abora Koggelbos Chenin 2014 at R110, Elgin’s Spioenkop 1900 Chenin 2015 at R112 and the 2015 Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Sauvignon Blanc at R119 from The Bergkelder in Stellenbosch.

Platter’s awards for Red Wine of the Year and Dessert Wine of the Year went to WO Swartland Radford Dale Black Rock 2014 (Rhône style blend from The Winery of Good Hope in Stellenbosch) and Mullineux Straw Wine 2015. The most successful producer this time round was Nederburg of Paarl, who won more of Platter’s ultimate accolades than any other winery in the Cape, and also commended for their multiple wins were Chamonix of Franschhoek, David & Nadia Sadie as well as the Sadie Family outside Malmesbury, Kleine Zalze of Stellenbosch and Newton Johnson of the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus.

Platter’s 2017 SA Wine Guide directory features 950 producers, merchants and brands including 28 new listings and notes on over 8000 wines – 700 of which were scored 4½ Stars or better in ‘sighted’ tastings, with their identity known to the individual reviewers, prior to them being judged ‘blind’ in the process of the panels choosing their ‘South African Classics’. The tasters: Angela Lloyd, Cathy van Zyl MW, 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 and Dave Swingler.

White Wines Awarded 5 Stars in Platter’s 2017 Guide

CHARDONNAY

Bartinney Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Banghoek, Stellenbosch
Chamonix Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Franschhoek
Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve 2015 – Cellar in Franschhoek
Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch Kloof
Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Constantia, Cape Peninsula
Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay
Haskell Anvil Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Iona Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Elgin
Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch Kloof
Jordan CWG Auction Reserve Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch Kloof
Kershaw Lake District Bokkeveld Shales CY95 Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Elgin
La Vierge Apogée Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay
Meerlust Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Môreson Mercator Premium Chardonnay 2014 – Cellar in Franschhoek
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2015 – Cellar in Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay
Restless River Chardonnay 2014 – Cellar in Hemel-en-Arde Valley, Walker Bay

CHENIN BLANC

AA Badenhorst Dassiekop Steen 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2015
 – Cellar in Bot River, Walker Bay
Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 – Home in Franschhoek
Botanica Chenin Blanc 2015 – Home in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch
Carl Everson Chenin Blanc 2015 (Opstal) – Cellar in Breedekloof
David Chenin Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
David Finlayson Camino Africana Single Vineyard Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 (Edgebaston) – Cellar in Stellenbosch
David Hoë-Steen 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
Fram Chenin Blanc 2015 – Home in Stellenbosch
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Mount Abora Koggelbos Chenin Blanc 2014 – Cellar in Riebeek Kasteel, Swartland
Patatsfontein Steen 2015 (Ronnie B) – Home in Montagu, Klein Karoo
Radio Lazarus 2015 (Alheit) – Cellar on Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay
Sadie Skurfberg 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
Spioenkop 1900 Chenin Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Elgin
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Bloemendal Suider Terras Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Durbanville
Diemersdal Eight Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – Cellar in Durbanville
Diemersdal MM Louw Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Durbanville
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (Bergkelder) – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Hermanuspietersfontein Nr 5 Sauvignon Blanc 2014 – Cellar in Hermanus, Walker Bay
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Mulderbosch 1000 Miles Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Paarl
Skaap 44 Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Home near Sir Lowry’s Pass, outside Somerset West

SEMILLON

Botanica Semillon 2015 – Home in Devon Valley, Stellenbosch
Sadie Kokerboom 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
Shannon Semillon 2015 – Cellar in Elgin
The Barber Semillon 2015 (Opstal) – Cellar in the Breedekloof

WHITE BLENDS

Beaumont Vitruvia 2015 – Cellar in Bot River, Walker Bay
David Artistargos 2015 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
GlenWood Vigneron’s Selection Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Cellar in Franschhoek
Hemelrand Vine Garden 2015 (Alheit) – Cellar on Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Walker Bay
Sadie Palladius 2014 – Swartland, Malmesbury, Paardeberg
Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse Cape White 2015 – Cellar in Elgin
Tokara Director’s Reserve White 2015 (Bordeaux Style) – Cellar on Helshoogte, Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Vondeling Babiana 2015 – Cellar in Voor Paardeberg, Paarl

Red Wines Awarded 5 Stars in Platter’s 2017 Guide

CABERNET

Delaire Graff Laurence Graff Reserve 2013 – Cellar in Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – Cellar in Paarl
Tokara Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – Cellar on Simonsberg in Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
Warwick Cabernet Franc 2013 – Cellar in Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

CINSAUT

Bosman Twyfeling Cinsaut 2015 – Cellar in Wellington
Kaapzicht Skuinsberg Cinsaut 2015 – Cellar in Bottelary, Stellenbosch

GRENACHE

Credo Grenache 2015 (Stellenbosch Vineyards) – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Spice Route Grenache 2014 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland

MERLOT

Laibach Claypot Merlot 2014 – Cellar in Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Shannon Mount Bullet Merlot 2013 – Cellar in Elgin

PINOT NOIR

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2015 – Cellar in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay
Newton Johnson CWG Auction Reserve Seadragon Pinot Noir 2015 – Cellar in Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015 – Cellar in Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay

PINOTAGE

Beeslaar Pinotage 2014 – Home in Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Flagstone Time Manner Place Pinotage Reserve 2014 – Cellar in Somerset West

SHIRAZ

Fable Syrah 2014 – Cellar in Tulbagh
Keermont Topside Syrah 2014 – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Kershaw Syrah 2014 – Cellar in Elgin
Porseleinberg Syrah 2014 – Cellar in Malmesbury, Swartland
Reyneke Reserve 2014 – Cellar in Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
Solace Syrah 2014 (Iona) – Cellar in Elgin
Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2015 (Ronnie B) – Home in Montagu, Klein Karoo
TSW Reserve Syrah 2015 (Trizanne) – Home on Cape Peninsula

RED BLENDS

Chamonix Troika Reserve 2014 (Bordeaux Style) – Cellar in Franschhoek
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve Red 2013
 (Bordeaux Style) – Cellar in Constantia, Cape Peninsula
JJ Handmade Eight Pillars 2013
(Stellenrust) – Cellar in Stellenbosch
La Motte Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier 2014 – Cellar in Franschhoek
Mvemve Raats De Compostella 2014 (Bordeaux Style) – Home in Stellenbosch
Nederburg The Brew Master 2014 (Bordeaux Style) – Cellar in Paarl
Olifantsberg Silhouette 2014 (Rhône Style) – Cellar in the Breedekloof
Radford Dale Black Rock 2014 (Rhône Style, Good Hope) – Winery in Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Dessert Wines Awarded 5 Stars in Platter’s 2017 Guide

UNFORTIFIED

Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2015 – Cellar in Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Donkiesbaai Hooiwijn 2015 (Straw Wine, Guardian Peak) – Cellar in Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2015 (Bergkelder) – Cellar in Stellenbosch
Heaven on Earth Natural Sweet NV  (Stellar) – Cellar in Klawer, Olifants River
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2012 – Cellar in Constantia, Cape Peninsula
Mullineux Straw Wine 2015 – Cellar in Riebeek Kasteel, Swartland
Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2015 – Cellar in Paarl
Perdeberg Chenin Blanc Natural Sweet 2014 – Cellar in Paarl

 

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