Platter's South African wine guide 2017 (Hardcover, Revised edition)

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.