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?
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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.
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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.
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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 Chardonnay: Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve 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
