{"id":33899,"date":"2020-11-21T08:56:28","date_gmt":"2020-11-21T06:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wfi-global-staging.com\/topwineold\/?p=33899"},"modified":"2021-01-30T10:56:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T08:56:22","slug":"none-of-platters-28-wines-of-the-year-from-their-winery-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wfi-global-staging.com\/topwineold\/2020\/11\/none-of-platters-28-wines-of-the-year-from-their-winery-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"None of Platter’s 28 ‘Wines of the Year’ from their ‘Winery of the Year’?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

IN THE 2021 edition of Platter's<\/strong><\/span><\/a> South African Wine Guide, the number of 5 Star laureates runs to 210 \u2013 in the 2020 edition there were 125, a year before that there were 90 and 10 years ago there were 56. In part this could be ascribed to rising standards throughout the industry with a growing number of producers delivering really fine wines, and more interesting wines. However, what was once the ultimate accolade from a team that aims to taste and rate every wine from every South African vintage is now secondary in what the publishers stress is not a competition, albeit that wines are scored, awarded, sold and adorned with bottle-stickers in a fashion not that dissimilar to the various shows and challenges locally and internationally.<\/p>\n

Platter's most prestigious awards nowadays are for the Winery<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of the Year (Kleine Zalze), the Editor's<\/strong><\/span><\/a> choice (Rall), the Newcomer<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of the Year (Pilgrim), and the Wines of the Year (see below). The choice of Winery of the Year is based on the number and type of top ratings achieved by each cellar's portfolio of wines, which included seven 5 Star ratings in the case of this year's ‘winner'. The Wines of the Year are the highest-scoring 5 Star wines according to the tasters, whose names had yet to be confirmed at the time of going to press but probably incorporated most if not all of the critics involved for the 2020 edition: Cape Wine Masters Winifred Bowman, Greg de Bruyn, Tim James, Christine Rudman, Meryl Weaver and Cathy van Zyl MW, together with wine educator Cathy Marston, sommelier Gregory Mutambe, wine writers Joanne Gibson, Angela Lloyd and Fiona McDonald, as well as Dave Swingler of the International Food & Wine Society.<\/p>\n

Unlike previous years when the publishers and brand owners Diners Club staged functions that doubled as occasions to launch the latest edition of the guide as well as to present the annual awards, this time round, given the COVID-19 pandemic, award recipients were announced online in tranches over the course of a week or so, beginning with Winery<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of the Year, followed by the Editor's Award and Newcomer of the Year, then the Wines<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of the Year. With the book itself only due to go on sale a month later, those curious about the thousands of ratings and reviews \u2013 including the 5 Star honorees and ‘Hidden Gems' revealed in the 2021 edition \u2013 were asked to pay for an online subscription. The process was not without some controversy<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Platter's rating system involves two methods of judging, i.e. label-sighted assessments that apply to 99% of the wines, as well as a blind-tasting (with no label showing) of wines scored 93 points or more with the labels in view and which applies to those that are Highly Recommended (94 points), 5 Star laureates (95+) or Wines of the Year (highest scores). Many of the top-rated wines in Platter's 2021 have good track records<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, a number of the winemakers at the top of their game. As for the winery most applauded in the latest\/next SA wine ‘bible', Kleine Zalze of Stellenbosch does indeed produce many a decorated<\/strong><\/span><\/a> wine, but apparently not one that impressed the tasters enough to warrant a Platter's Wine of the Year award. Some might well argue that The Sadie Family or Boekenhoutskloof or Beyerskloof or Newton Johnson should have got the nod…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Best of 5 Stars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

WHITE WINE<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Cape of Good Hope Laing Groendruif 2017<\/strong> (Semillon)
\nR125pb at Anthonij Rupert cellar, Franschhoek<\/p>\n

Cape Point Isliedh 2019<\/strong> (White Blend)
\nR350pb ex-cellar, Noordhoek<\/p>\n

Ken Forrester Roussanne 2018<\/strong>
\nR275pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Morgenster Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2019<\/strong>
\nR190pb ex-cellar, Somerset West<\/p>\n

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2019<\/strong>
\nR360pb ex-cellar, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde<\/p>\n

Paul Cluver Woolworths Ferricrete Riesling 2018<\/strong>
\nR90pb from Woolworths<\/p>\n

Rall Grenache Blanc 2019<\/strong>
\nR250pb ex-producer, Malmesbury<\/p>\n

Ridgeback Viognier 2019<\/strong>
\nR140pb ex-cellar, Paarl<\/p>\n

Sadie Mev Kirsten 2019<\/strong> (Chenin)
\nR866pb ex-cellar, Malmesbury<\/p>\n

Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse Cape White 2019<\/strong>
\nR265pb ex-producer, Bot River<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SPARKLING WINE<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Charles Fox Cipher 2015<\/strong> (MCC)
\nR505pb ex-cellar, Elgin<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RED WINE<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2018<\/strong>
\nR850pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Beyerskloof Faith 2016<\/strong> (Red Blend)
\nR750pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Boekenhoutskloof Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2018<\/strong>
\nR460pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek<\/p>\n

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2017<\/strong> (Red Blend)
\nR700pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Newton Johnson Windansea Pinot Noir 2019<\/strong>
\nR535pb ex-cellar, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde<\/p>\n

Rust en Vrede Estate 2017<\/strong> (Red Blend)
\nR450pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Sadie Pofadder 2019<\/strong> (Cinsaut)
\nR361pb ex-cellar, Malmesbury<\/p>\n

Sadie Soldaat 2019<\/strong> (Grenache)
\nR361pb ex-cellar, Malmesbury<\/p>\n

Shannon Mount Bullet 2017<\/strong> (Merlot)
\nR465pb ex-cellar, Elgin<\/p>\n

Sijnn Red 2017<\/strong> (Blend)
\nR390pb ex-cellar, Malgas<\/p>\n

Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2019<\/strong> (Patatsfontein)
\nR375 from producer, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Sutherland Reserve Petit Verdot 2017<\/strong>
\nR360pb from Thelema cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch<\/p>\n

Villiera CWG Drip Barrel Cabernet Franc 2018<\/strong>
\nAuction Reserve, Stellenbosch Producer<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SWEET WINE<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Boekenhoutskloof Noble Late Harvest 2017<\/strong>
\nR300pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Franschhoek<\/p>\n

Bredell's Cape Vintage Reserve 2017<\/strong> (Port)
\nR300pb from JP Bredell, Langeberg-Garcia<\/p>\n

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2016<\/strong>
\nR1150pb (500ml) ex-cellar, Constantia<\/p>\n

Mullineux Olerasay Straw Wine NV<\/strong>
\nR765pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Riebeek-Kasteel<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN THE 2021 edition of Platter’s South African Wine Guide, the number of 5 Star laureates runs to 210 \u2013 in the 2020 edition there were 125, a year before that there were 90 and 10 years ago there were 56. In part this could be ascribed to rising standards throughout the industry with a growing number of producers delivering<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3310,1841,1825],"tags":[3360,914,866,1360,834,1132,782,3049,849,1162,1044,1091,2037,1766,942],"class_list":["post-33899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3310","category-platters","category-wine-ratings","tag-3360","tag-5-stars","tag-beyerskloof","tag-boekenhoutskloof","tag-kleine-zalze","tag-newton-johnson","tag-platters","tag-rall","tag-sa","tag-sadie","tag-south-africa","tag-top-wine","tag-wine-guide","tag-wine-of-the-year","tag-winery-of-the-year"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t