Platter’s Wine Guide 2024 Winners:
A showcase of the category winners and a full list of the five-star wines in the 2024 edition.

(originally published in 2016)

The Platter’s Wine Guide 2024 has been released! For those who have been waiting for this bit of intel all year, the cover may look purple, but current Platter’s Editor Philip van Zyl assures all concerned that that it is actually a hue titled “refined opulance”.

For the few odd ducks more interested in the wine than the colour scheme, I have listed those all below. BUT in order to make sense of that list, it may help to understand the judging process that resulted in the aforementioned lists.

The Platter’s Way

1. Producers are not charged to enter their wines.
2. Each wine producer is assigned to one of 14 approved Platter’s wine guide judges, and the assigned judges will assess all the wines. Producers are made aware of who will be judging their wines, and the relevant wines are then shipped to the judges for assessment and scoring. Platter’s Wine Guide Judge Malu Lambert notes that “Producers may request a particular judge, and first time producers are always assigned two judges to independently assess their wines.”
3. All wine labels are visible during the first round of assessments.
4. Wines that are deemed to be particularly noteworthy by a particular judge (IE wines that are deemed worthy of a 4.5-star rating, or higher, are then put through a second round of assessment. This second judging session is performed blind (IE all labels are hidden) and the tasting is performed by a large panel of judges. These judges then confer with one another in the event of any borderline calls, and the wines deemed worthy of a 5-star rating are set aside without the judges ever knowing which wines they were judging.

But what does it all mean, Basil?

The reason this is important to note is because there are always accusations from various quarters that the apportioning of 5-star ratings have been dished out with political motivation, or that favouritism is shown to certain producers in that final assessment.

While it is true that a particular judge may recognise a wine that they have put forward for that final tasting
(when tasting it in the glass), their assessment will be just one of a panel who will determine the final score for that wine.

A wine that earns a 5-star rating will have done so purely through the merits it portrays in the glass, rather than due to the strength of a brand, the popularity of a winemaker, or any personal bias that a single judge may have.

Han’s Favourite Category Winners on the Day

Platter’s South African Wine Guide  2024 Category Winners

The Big Ones

Editor’s Award for Winery of the Year:
Bosman Family Vineyards
Platter’s Producer of the Year 2024:

Sadie Family Wines.
Winemaker Eben Sadie’s portfolio earned a total of SEVEN 5-star wines, making him the most successful producer of the year. Other contenders were Mullineux & Leeu Family wines with SIX 5-star wines, and Duncan Savage, who earned FIVE 5-star wines. Klein Constantia, under the leadership of winemaker Matt Day earned FOUR 5-star wines, which included two separate vintages of the famed Vin de Constance.

The White Category Winners

Best Albariño: Botanica Albriño 2023
Best Chardonnay: Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve 2022
Best Chenin Blanc: Stellenrust Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2022
Best Grenache Blanc: The Foundry Grenache Blanc 2022

Best Roussanne: Saronsberg 2021
Best Sauvignon Blanc: Diemersdal The Journal 2022
Best Semillon: Steenberg Semillon 2022
Best Semillon Gris: Mullineux CWG Auction Semillon Gris 2022
Best Viognier: Lourensford Limited Release 2022
Best Bordeaux White Blend: Steenberg Magna Carta 2021 (Han’s White Wine of the Day)
Best Cape White Blend: Beaumont New Baby 2022

The Red Category Winners 

Best Cab Franc: Raats Eden High Density Single Vineyaard 2021
Best Cab Sauvignon: Beyerskloof Eerste Ry 2019
Best Cinsault: Savage Follow the Line 2022
Best Grenache Noir: Kleine Zalze Project Z 2022
Best Merlot: Simelia Fluvius Single Vineyard 2019
Best Petit Verdot: Thelema Sutherland Emily Reserve 2021
Best Pinotage: L’Avenir Single Block 2020
Best Shiraz/Syrah: Savage CWG Auction 2021
Best Bdx Red Blend: Vondeling Philosophie 2019
Best Shiraz-based Blend: Fairview Cyril Back 2020
Best “Other” Red Blends: Alto Estate 2020

All the Five-star Wines in the Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2024

Five-Star Red Wines

Cabernet Franc

Beaumont Ariane 2021

De Trafford 2021

Hogan Mirror For The Sun 2022

Raats Eden High Density Single Vineyard 2021

Raats CWG Auction Stella Nova 2019

Raats Family 2021

 

Cabernet Sauvignon

Beyerskloof Eerste Ry 2019

Boekenhoutskloof Stellenbosch 2021

Cederberg Five Generations 2021

David Finlayson GS 2021

Diemersdal The Journal 2021

Hartenberg CWG Auction 2021

Kanonkop 2019

Le Riche 2021

Mooiplaas Tabakland 2020

MVH Signature 2021

Nederburg Two Centuries 2019

Stellenrust Reserve 2019

The High Road Reserve 2019

Thelema 2020

 

Cinsault

ArtiSons The Basket Child 2021

Eenzaamheid 2022

Savage Follow The Line       2022

Van Loggerenberg Lotter 2022

 

Grenache Noir

Elemental Bob Cosmic Flower The Turkish 2022

Kleine Zalze Project Z 2022

 

Merlot

Simelia Fluvius Single Vineyard 2019

Villiera Monro 2021

 

Petit Verdot

Benguela Cove Vinography 2021

Thelema Sutherland Reserve Emily 2021

Pinotage

Fairview Primo 2021

Francois van Niekerk 2021

Kanonkop Black Label 2021

Kanonkop 2021

Lanzerac Commemorative 2019

L’Avenir Single Block 2020

Survivor Reserve 2021

 

Pinot Noir

Crystallum Bona Fide 2022

David Finlayson Camino Africana 2021

Iona Kloof 2020

Kara-Tara Reserve 2021

Shannon RocknRolla 2021

Storm Ignis 2022

 

Shiraz/Syrah

ArtiSons Blueberry Hill Shiraz 2021

Boschkloof Epilogue 2021

De Grendel Elim Shiraz 2021

Diemersdal Reserve Syrah 2022

Driehoek Syrah     2021

La Bri Limited Release Syrah 870 2021

Metzer & Holfeld Shiraz 2022

Mullineux Syrah   2021

Oldenburg Stone Axe 2021

Patatsfontein Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2022

Sakkie Mouton Dawn Of The Salty Tongues Syrah 2022

Savage CWG Auction Syrah 2021

Saxenburg Private Collection Syrah 2021

Van Loggerenberg Graft      2022

 

Red Blends, Cape Bordeaux

Babylonstoren Nebukadnesar 2021

Baccō Red Blend 2020

Constantia Glen Five 2020

Diemersdal Private Collection 2021

Ernie Els Signature 2017

Jordan Cobblers Hill 2020

Keet First Verse    2020

Marianne Desirade 2020

Meerlust Rubicon 2021

Rainbow’s End Family Reserve 2020

Remhoogte Sir Thomas Cullinan 2019

Ridgeback Signature C 2019

Rustenberg John X Merriman 2021

Vondeling Philosophie 2019

 

Red Blends, With Pinotage

Beaumont Vitruvian 2019

Beyerskloof Faith 2020

Beyerskloof Faith 2019

Nuiba Third Post 2019

Opstal Carl Everson Cape Blend 2021

 

Red Blends, Shiraz/Syrah-Based

Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2022

Fairview Cyril Back 2020

Fairview Caldera 2021

Rall Red 2021

Ridgeback Signature S 2019

Savage Are We There Yet? 2022

Sijnn Free Reign 2018

 

Red Blends, Other

Alto Estate Blend 2020

Anysbos Tesame 2021

Boschendal Nicolas 2019

De Trafford Elevation 393 2017

Hogan Divergent 2022

Leeu Passant 2020

 

Other Stuff

Cap Classique

Anthonij Rupert L’Ormarins Blanc de Blancs 2018

Babylonstoren Sprankel 2018

Graham Beck Extra Brut 157 2009

Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut 2018

Silverthorn The Green Man Magnum 2017

 

Dessert Wine, Fortified

Orange River Omstaan Rooi Muskadel XO NV

 

Dessert Wine, Unfortified

Alvi’s Drift Muscat Nectarinia 2017

 

Natural Sweet

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2020

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2019

 

Noble Late Harvest

Boschendal Vin d’Or 2021

Delheim Edelspatz 2021

 

Vin de Paille

Mullineux Straw Wine 2022

Savage Not Tonight Josephine 2022

 

Port-Style

De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2021

Delaire Graff Cape Vintage 2021

KWV Cape Tawny NV

Five-star White Wines

Albariño

Botanica Flower Girl 2023

 

Chardonnay

Bartinney Hourglass 2021

Cap Maritime 2022

Capensis Fijnbosch 2019

Creation Reserve 2022

David Finlayson Shale Terraces 2022

Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve 2022

Draaiboek Kinkel 2022

Draaiboek Onskuld 2022

GlenWood Vigneron’s Selection 2022

Haskell Anvil 2022

Hogan The Galvanised 2022

Kershaw Kogelberg Sandstone CY76 2021

Kershaw Kogelberg Iron Stone CY548 2021

La Bri Barrel Select 2022

Lanzerac Mrs English 2022

Leeu Passant Radicales Libres 2017

Leeu Passant Stellenbosch 2021

MVH Signature 2022

Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2022

Oldenburg 2022

Paul Clüver Estate 2021

Plaisir Grand Plaisir White 2022

Restless River Ava Marie 2021

Storm Ridge 2022

Storm Vrede 2022

 

Chenin Blanc

Ahrens Koffieklip OVC 2021

ArtiSons The Mothership 2022

Asara Amphora 2022

Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2022

Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine 2022

Bosman Optenhorst 2022

Botanica Mary Delany 2022

Carinus Polkadraai Heuwels 2022

Cederberg Five Generations 2022

Charla Haasbroek 2022

City On A Hill Earth 2022

Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2022

David & Nadia CWG Veiling 2022

David & Nadia Plat’bos 2022

DeMorgenzon Reserve 2022

Eenzaamheid 2021

Huis van Chevallerie Bergskilpad Old Vine 2022

Ken Forrester The FMC 2022

Leeuwenkuil White 2022

Metzer & Holfeld Maritime 2022

Mullineux Granite 2022

Mullineux Schist 2022

Rijk’s Reserve 2021

Sadie Mev. Kirsten 2022

Sadie Rotsbank     2022

Sadie Skurfberg    2022

Sakkie Mouton Revenge Of The Crayfish 2022

Savage Never Been Asked To Dance 2022

Stark-Condé Monk Stone 2022

Stellenbosch Vineyards       Credo 2022

Stellenrust 58 Barrel Fermented 2022

Stellenrust Old Bushvine 2022

 

Grenache Blanc

Riebeek Valley Raar Small Batch 2022

The Foundry 2022

 

Roussanne

Saronsberg 2021

 

Sauvignon Blanc

Anthonij Rupert Altima 2023

Bartho Eksteen CWG Auction Vloekskoot 2022

Buitenverwachting Maximus 2021

Buitenverwachting Hussey’s Vlei 2022

Cederberg David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2022

Die Kat Se Snor 2023

Diemersdal The Journal 2022

Diemersdal Wild Horseshoe 2022

Diemersdal Reserve 2023

Hasher Fat Lady 2022

Klein Constantia Metis 2020

Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2022

Lomond Pincushion 2022

Neil Ellis Amica 2021

Strandveld Pofadderbos 2022

The Giant Periwinkle Wind Scorpion 2022

Thorne & Daughters Snakes & Ladders 2022

Waterkloof 2022

Zevenwacht Z-Collection 2022

 

Semillon

Benguela Cove Catalina 2021

Old Road Grand-Mère 2021

Opstal The Barber 2022

Rickety Bridge Pilgrimage Old Vine 2021

Sadie Kokerboom 2022

Shannon Triangle Block 2021

Steenberg Semillon 2022

Super Single Vineyards Pella White Granite 2021

Wildeberg White 2022

 

Semillon Gris

Mullineux CWG Auction The Gris Old Vine 2022

 

Viognier

Lourensford Limited Release 2022

 

White Blends, Cape Bordeaux

Constantia Glen Two 2021

Delaire Graff White Reserve 2021

Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2021

Kershaw Cape South Coast Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2021

Steenberg Magna Carta      2021

 

White Blends, Other

Ahrens The WhiteBlack 2021

Beaumont New Baby 2022

Brookdale Sixteen 2022

Fairview Beryl Back 2022

Mullineux Old Vines White 2022

Rall White 2022

Sadie Palladius 2021

Sadie Skerpioen 2022

Sadie ‘T Voetpad 2022

The Grapesmith    Mediterraneo 2021

Thelema Sutherland Viognier-Roussanne 2022

Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse 2022

 

Brandy

Boplaas Potstill Reserve 20 Years

KWV Cellar Reserve XO Potstill

KWV Centenary

KWV Nexus

KWV 20 Year Old

KWV 15 Year Old Alambic

KWV 12 Year Old Barrel Select

KWV 10 Year Old Vintage

Tokara XO Potstill

Van Ryn 20 Year Old Potstill

Van Ryn 15 Year Old Potstill

Van Ryn 12 Year Old Potstil

Dalla Cia 10-Yr-Old Celebration Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Husk Spirit