On Friday evening I attended the launch of the 40th edition of the Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide, at the Table Bay Hotel in the Waterfront, an event that is pretty much the same in format every year, yet was different this year, in the interest of making the event shorter.
More than 8000 wines from more than 900 producers were rated for the 2020 Platter’s Wine Guide edition. Of the 125 5-star wines awarded, 26 went to Chenin Blanc brands, 18 to Shiraz/Syrah, and 11 to Chardonnay brands.
We met in the foyer of the Banqueting Room, offered a glass of Graham Beck sparkling wine, and
some canapés, of which the one with pecan nut shavings was the most creative. Mushroom and cheese tarts and pies were too similar, and not really fitting the definition of canapés. Arancini balls are everywhere, hardly special. But it was a half an hour in which we could meet with friends and acquaintances from the 
industry. One of these was Christiane von Arnim, representing Warwick, who looked elegantly stylish in 
black, and wearing a pearl choker. In general, the lady winery representatives were well-dressed, while the male ones were not.
When the doors opened, I headed for one of the front tables, but I was told that they were for the guests of Diners Club. I was taken aback by this, especially making a point of getting to the table first. For the first time the venue had high tables and chairs. I did as I was told, but then Diners Club Executive Ethel Ntembe changed her mind, came to my table, apologised, and invited me to join her table. Wow! I had a fabulous time chatting to her, and what a surprise that she and I had eaten at the same top World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Lima two months apart this year.
New Diners Club MD Esh Naidoo was introduced by Platter’s Publisher JP Rossouw, and he welcomed the guests, saying that he did not know that much about wine, but that ‘the easiest way to learn about it is to consume it’. As the Guide is 40 years old now, Diners Club is committed to 
continue shining the light on the South African wine industry. He congratulated all the 5-star wine Award winners and wished them well for the 2020 Harvest.
Rossouw took a look back over the 40 year history of the Platter’s Guide, and acknowledged the role played by John and Erica Platter in establishing it. Taking the Platter’s a decade at a time, he illustrated the development of the wine industry as follows:
# 1980 (first) edition: was published in English and Afrikaans, the latter being a collector’s item. A total of 1250 wines were evaluated in this edition.
# 1990 edition: A total of 4000 wines was evaluated, of which 40 were Chardonnays. Chenin Blanc awards were overshadowed by Sauvignon Blanc ones.
# 2000 edition: Andrew McDowall took over as publisher, and Philip van Zyl was its Editor, the latter still holding this position at least twenty years later! There were few if no iconic wines in this edition.
# 2010 edition: 6000 wines were evaluated and there were 40 5-star award wines. Sadie Family was the Winery of the Year.
# 2020 edition: About 9000 wines were evaluated and 125 5-star wines and one brandy were awarded. There has been a huge increase in the quality of wines in the last ten years. Understanding Vineyards is now the key focus of wine estates, rather than terroir or single-Vineyards.
High quality wines are still not made in large quantities, already identified in Platter’s 2000. Wine Tourism grows in importance not only for bottle sales, but also meeting the people and seeing the spaces, telling stories about their heritage.
Rossouw revealed the colour for the 2020 Wine Guide, literally kept under wraps until this moment! Called Karoo Night Sky, a beautiful blue. In the interest of time keeping, given the larger number of 5-star award winners, the awards were presented by producer and not by cultivar, a producer receiving all his/her awards in one go. Photographing each of the producers and their awards 
took up time, still making it a long event.
Editor Philip van Zyl explained the two-prong evaluation process of each wine, tasted sighted at the winery, followed by a blind tasting of all wines which scored 93 points or higher out of 100. A 5-star award equates to 95 and plus out of 100 points. Platter’s judges were Winnie Bowman, Greg De Bruyn, Joanne Gibson, Tim James, Angela Lloyd, Cathy Marston, Fiona McDonald, Gregory Mutambe, Christine Rudman, Dave Swingler, Cathy van Zyl, and Meryl Weaver.
Out of the 125 5-star awards, five each were presented to Mullineux Wines, and Sadie Family; Four each to David and Nadia Wines, and Rust en Vrede; and three each to the KWV, Tokara, and to Kanonkop
Rossouw is quoted as follows about the quality and credibility of the Platter’s 5-star wine rating in the media statement received over the weekend: ‘Our warm congratulations to all! These represent the pinnacle of South Africa’s wines, as all were highly rated in the initial sighted review and then went into a second round of tasting where they were assessed against their peers. Since this second round was conducted blind (without sight of the label), the stringency of this model means that our 5-star wines truly proved themselves as being best-of-best’.
Three Top Platter’s Awards went to the following wine estates:
- Editor’s Award Winery of the Year 2020: Boekenhoutskloof Winery, ‘as editor Philip van Zyl’s personal commendation of this stellar producer’s unrelenting focus on crafting wines that are not only superlative but also produced with enough consistency, depth and scale to be significant internationally’. The Award
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was received by Marc Kent. - Newcomer Winery of the Year 2020: recognising ‘the cellar that records the best results as a first–time participant in the guide. This honour goes to specialist sparkling–wine producer Pieter Ferreira Cap Classique. While certainly no newcomer as a winemaker, Pieter Ferreira’s brand–new wine label is off to a flying start with a 97-point rating for his debut Blanc de Blancs 2012 méthode cap classique’. The Award was received by Ann Ferreira.
- Top Performing Winery of the Year 2020: presented to Mullineux, ‘giving this Swartland-based powerhouse an incredible
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and record-breaking fourth title as Platter’s Winery of the Year. In the new guide, Mullineux achieve a remarkable five 5-star ratings plus two Wines of the Year – their Granite Syrah 2017 and Straw Wine 2018’. The Award was received by Andrea and Chris Mullineux.
After the award certificates had been presented, we moved into another hotel venue, where the 125 wines were open and ready for tasting by the 200 plus guests attending the Platter’s Wine Guide 2020 launch.
Below is a listing of the Wines of the Year, the top wine brand/s per cultivar, followed by the list of the 125 5-star awarded wines:
Platter’s 2020 Wines of the Year
The highest-scoring 5-star wines in their category represented the Platter’s Wines of the Year. In some of the categories the accolade was shared. The Wines of the Year are:
Cabernet Franc
Anthonij Rupert 2013
De Trafford 2015
Raats 2017
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard 2016
Cinsaut
Bosman Twyfeling 2017
Savage Follow the Line 2018
Grenache Noir
Sadie Soldaat 2018
Merlot
Shannon Mount Bullet 2016
Pinotage
Flagstone Time Manner Place 2017
Pinot Noir
Storm Ignis 2017
Shiraz/Syrah
Mullineux Granite Syrah 2017
Red Blends, Cape Bordeaux
Van Biljon Cinq 2015
Red Blends, with Pinotage
Beyerskloof Faith 2015
Red Blends, Shiraz/Syrah-based
Erika Obermeyer Erika O Syrah-Grenache Noir-Cinsault 2018
Rust en Vrede 1694 Classification 2016
Saronsberg Full Circle 2017
Red Blends, Other
Rust en Vrede Estate 2016
Chardonnay
Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2017
Restless River Ava Marie 2017
Chenin Blanc
Rall Ava 2018
Grenache Blanc
The Foundry 2018
Sauvignon Blanc
Trizanne Sondagskloof Blanc Fumé 2018
Semillon
Anthonij Rupert Laing Groendruif 2016
Rickety Bridge The Pilgrimage 2017
Viognier
Ridgeback 2018
White Blends, Cape Bordeaux
Delaire Graff White Reserve 2017
White Blends, Other
Sadie Palladius 2017
Méthode Cap Classique
Pieter Ferreira Blanc de Blancs 2012
Natural Sweet
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015
Laibach 2019
Noble Late Harvest
Buitenverwachting 1769 / 2017
Tokara 2017
Vin de Paille
Mullineux Straw Wine 2018
Port-style
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2017
Upland Cape Tawny 2014
Brandy
KWV Centenary
Platter’s 2020 5-Star Wines
The 5-star wines (95 points and higher) in Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2020 are:
Cabernet Franc
Anthonij Rupert 2013
De Trafford 2015
Raats 2017
Cabernet Sauvignon
Erika Obermeyer Erika O 2017
Kanonkop 2015
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2017
Miles Mossop CWG Auction Reserve Maximilian 2014
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard 2016
Wade Bales Regional Series Stellenbosch 2017
Cinsaut
Bosman Twyfeling 2017
Savage Follow the Line 2018
Grenache Noir
Sadie Soldaat 2018
Merlot
Shannon Mount Bullet 2016
Thelema Reserve 2016
Pinotage
Beeslaar 2017
Beyerskloof Diesel 2017
Diemersdal Reserve 2018
Flagstone Time Manner Place 2017
Kanonkop Black Label 2017
Pinot Noir
Crystallum Mabalel 2018
Storm Ignis 2018
Storm Ignis 2017
Shiraz/Syrah
Blackwater Cultellus Syrah 2017
Boekenhoutskloof CWG Auction Reserve Syrah 2017
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2017
Cederberg Shiraz 2017
De Grendel Elim Shiraz 2017
Dorrance Syrah Cuvée Ameena 2017
Gabriëlskloof Syrah on Shale 2017
Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2017
Mullineux Granite Syrah 2017
Mullineux Iron Syrah 2017
Mullineux Schist Syrah Roundstone 2017
Patatsfontein Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2018
Rall Ava Syrah 2018
Reyneke Biodynamic Reserve Red 2017
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2016
Savage Red 2017
Super Single Vineyards Mount Sutherland Continental Syrah 2016
Van Loggerenberg Graft 2018
Red Blends, Cape Bordeaux
De Trafford CWG Auction Reserve Perspective 2017
Glenelly Lady May 2014
Hidden Valley Hidden Gems 2016
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2016
Tokara Director’s Reserve Red 2015
Van Biljon Cinq 2015
Vergelegen GVB 2014
Red Blends, with Pinotage
Beyerskloof Faith 2015
Kaapzicht Vision 2017
Red Blends, Shiraz/Syrah-based
Erika Obermeyer Erika O Syrah-Grenache Noir-Cinsault 2018
Rust en Vrede 1694 Classification 2016
Saronsberg Full Circle 2017
Red Blends, Other
De Trafford Elevation 393 2013
Glenelly Reserve Red 2014
Rust en Vrede Estate 2016
Chardonnay
Capensis Silene 2017
Hamilton Russell 2018
Jordan CWG Auction Reserve 2018 (right)
Leeu Passant CWG Radicales Libres 2014
Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2017
Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2018
Restless River Ava Marie 2017
Rhebokskloof Sandstone Grove 2017
Richard Kershaw Clonal Selection Elgin 2018
Richard Kershaw GPS Series Lower Duivenhoks River 2018
Warwick The White Lady 2018
Chenin Blanc
AA Badenhorst Kelder Steen 2018
AA Badenhorst Dassiekop Steen 2018
Alheit Magnetic North 2018
ArtiSons The Mothership 2018
Axle 2018
Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2018
Botanica Mary Delany 2018
David & Nadia 2018 (left)
David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2018
David & Nadia Plat’bos 2018
David & Nadia Skaliekop 2018
Gabriëlskloof Elodie 2018
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2018
Kruger Family Wines Old Vines 2018
Longridge Ou Steen Enkel Wingerd 2017
Metzer & Holfeld Montane 2018
Mount Abora Koggelbos 2017
Raats Eden High Density Single Vineyard 2018
Rall Ava 2018
Sadie Mev Kirsten 2018
Sadie Skurfberg 2018
Spier 21 Gables 2018
Stellenrust 54 Barrel Fermented 2018
Stellenrust Old Bushvine 2018
Thistle & Weed Duwweltjie 2018
Van Loggerenberg Kameradarie 2018
Grenache Blanc
KWV The Mentors 2017
The Foundry 2018
Sauvignon Blanc
Neil Ellis Amica 2018
Tokara Reserve 2018
Trizanne Signature Sondagskloof Blanc Fumé 2018
Semillon
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Laing Groendruif 2016
Rickety Bridge The Pilgrimage 2017
Viognier
Ridgeback 2018
White Blends, Cape Bordeaux
Cape Point Isliedh 2018
Delaire Graff White Reserve 2017
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2017
White Blends, Other
B Vintners Harlem to Hope 2018
Leeuwenkuil Reserve White 2017
Mullineux Old Vines 2018
Rall White 2018
Sadie Palladius 2017
Sadie ‘T Voetpad 2018
Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2018
Méthode Cap Classique
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Cuvée Brut Rosé 2011
Le Lude Agrafe 2013
Le Lude Vintage Magnum 2013
Pieter Ferreira Blanc de Blancs 2012
Saltare Blanc de Noirs Cuvée Camille NV
Natural Sweet
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015
Laibach 2019
Noble Late Harvest
Buitenverwachting 1769 / 2017
Tokara 2017
Vin de Paille
Fairview La Beryl Blanc 2018
Mullineux Straw Wine 2018
Port-style
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2017
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2017
KWV Cape Tawny NV
Upland Cape Tawny 2014
Brandy
KWV 10 Year Old Vintage
KWV 12 Year Old Barrel Select
KWV 15 Year Old Alambic
KWV 20 Year Old
KWV Nexus
KWV Centenary
Van Ryn 12 Year Distillers Reserve
Van Ryn 15 Year Fine Cask Reserve
Van Ryn 20 Year Collectors Reserve
Husk Spirit
Dalla Cia 10 Year Old Celebration Cabernet
Sauvignon-Merlot
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein
The post 40th edition of Platter’s by Diners Club International 2020 South African Wine Guide launched, with a record of 125 5-star wines! first appeared on Whale Tales Blog.
