Platter’s by Diners Club Wine Guide has revealed the recipients of its sought-after and esteemed pinnacle awards – the Wineries of the Year, Wines of the Year and Five Star Wines – for the latest (2023) edition.
This 43rd edition of South Africa’s favourite wine guide features well over 900 producers, merchants and brands, including 37 new ones, and over 8,000 locally produced wines, as well as brandies, husk spirits and sherry-style wines.
Wines receiving the sought-after five-star rating in Platter’s must undergo a rigorous process of sighted and blind assessment (i.e. with and without sight of the label) by a team of experienced experts. Bottlings that are judged to be “Superlative, a South African classic” are given the highest ranking of five stars, equal to 95 points or better on the 100-point rating scale.
A highlight of any new edition is the trio of prestigious Winery of the Year awards, the highest accolades bestowed by Platter’s. The Top Performing Winery of the Year goes to the winery that achieves the most five-star ratings after the annual final tasting round. This year the worthy recipient is Mullineux, with an astonishing run of eight five-star results.
The Editor’s Award Winery of the Year recognises a winegrowing individual or team who, based on performance in the current edition as well as their track record, are ambassadors par excellence for South African wine. This year the award goes to Cape Winemakers Guild member Duncan Savage and his Cape Town boutique winery Savage Wines.
The Newcomer Winery of the Year is awarded to the producer who débuts in Platter’s this year and achieves the highest scores. The well-deserved recipient of this distinction is Trade Winds Wine, owned by friends and long-time serious wine aficionados Martin Voigt and Richard Wells, with a brilliant five-star Cabernet Sauvignon blended by Colin Frith, an honorary Cape Wine Master and one of the most experienced men-about-the-winelands.
