The Best South African Wines On A Platter
INTRODUCTION
The 2023 Platter’s by Diners Club Wine Guide has been released and again features the recipients of its sought-after and esteemed pinnacle awards – the Wineries of the Year, Wines of the Year and Five Star Wines. It is the ideal gift for any lover of South African wine.
This 43rd edition of South Africa’s esteemed 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.
Winery Of The Year
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 and this year the worthy recipient is Mullineux, with an astonishing run of eight 5-star results. This is the stellar Swartland-based venture’s fifth time as Platter’s highest achiever, having been best-performing winery in 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2020.
The Editor’s Award Winery Of The Year
The Editor’s Award Winery of the Year recognizes 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. Last year Savage Wines achieved a remarkable seven five-star ratings. An amazing five such rankings this year, once again proving Duncan’s consistency as a trailblazer and undoubtedly one of the Cape’s foremost winemakers.
The Newcomer Winery of the Year is awarded to the producer who debuts in Platter’s this year and achieves the highest scores. The well-deserved recipient of this distinction is Trade Winds Wine.
The Highest Ranking Of Five Stars
Wines receiving the sought-after five-star rating in Platter’s must undergo a rigorous process of sighted and blind assessment such as 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.
Of the 5-star-awarded wines, the top performers within each category receive the coveted accolade, Wines of the Year. Shop some of these award-winning wines from wineries such as:
There was a total of 196 5-star wines for 2023 and some of the wineries awarded this accolade’s wines can be shopped online here.
A Wine For Every Occasion
The guide’s descriptions and ratings, compiled in association with a team of leading experts, make it easy to find the right wine for any occasion, while the good-value indicators highlight those bottlings which are especially budget friendly across all quality levels.
Red and white wines showing potential for cellaring are flagged by means of the Cellar Worthy icon, while wines that tasters feel are particularly worthy of note, being interesting, attractive, unique or representative of an important trend are highlighted with the Hidden Gems icon.
“This edition also reintroduced the Superquaffers, wines that the panel feels are exceptionally drinkable and well-priced. These uber-affordable and easy-drinking bottlings are identified by the smiley-faced icon.
Explore The Wine Country
Platter’s 2023 also packs extensive information on where to go and what to do in wine country. Cellardoor tasting options are covered in detail, along with many winery amenities, attractions, and activities, plus dining and accommodation in Cape Town and the winelands. Easy-to-use maps and quick look-up tables provide invaluable help for visitors planning their own wineland rambles, while listings of specialized wine tour operators offer a variety of alternatives for those who prefer a guided experience.
Where, What & How
Fully updated notes on the major wine growing regions, grape varieties, winemaking styles, wine tasting terms, and the major wine competitions and awards, as well as listings of wine educators country-wide form part of a wide-ranging offering.
Shop the tasting notes on the 5-star wines, as well as the reviews and ratings for the other wines featured in the 2023 edition here to purchase a digital subscription, then download the app from one of these stores:
Shop some of South Africa’s best wines here and follow Sip & Read to get the latest wine news, scoop on the hottest destinations & delicious recipes. Cheers!