Platter Guide lists 25 five-star South African wines (long)
Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:07 amNews Release:
John Platter SA Wine Guide Announces 25 Five-Star Wines For 2007
The John Platter SA Wine Guide has announced 25 five-star wines to be featured in the upcoming 2007 edition, the highest number since the reference book was first published in 1980.
The announcement is the culmination of several months of intensive tasting, by an internationally experienced team, of nearly 6 000 individual wines. These were sampled and ranked according to the guide's five-point scale, which ranges from 0 stars ('Somewhat less than ordinary') up to 5 stars ('Superlative. A Cape classic').
In the course of this year's evaluations, the guide's tasters identified 76 candidate five-stars across a variety of categories, including reds and whites, dessert wines and port styles. As previously, only finished/bottled wines, available during the currency of the guide, were considered. The short-listed wines were then judged 'blind' by a full panel of the guide's tasters.
Andrew McDowall, publisher, says: 'Our policy remains to taste and assess, as far as is practically possible, all of the wines that are available for the duration of the particular edition, locally as well as abroad. Given the enormous number of ranges and individual products tasted, the wines which merit a five-star rating make up a very select group indeed.'
Analysing the results, he added: 'Port and dessert styles always feature in the five-star line-up, and this year is no exception with three unfortified desserts and four port-style wines achieving the top rating.
'For the first time, the number of white wines found deserving of a five-star rating almost matches that of the reds – eight whites compared with ten reds.
'For the first time, too, chenin blanc shines as a variety, with three five-stars out of six nominated wines. Cabernet sauvignon is also one of the strong classes, with three five-stars from seven nominees, and shiraz with five from 14 five-stars contenders.
'There are also several producers who feature more than once in the line-up this year, namely Boekenhoutskloof, Boplaas, Cape Point Vineyards and Rudera.
'Teddy Hall, Rudera co-owner and winemaker, deserves special mention as he made two of the five-star chenins (Rudera Robusto and De Morgenzon, the latter as consultant for brand owners Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum) plus his own Rudera Cabernet Sauvignon.
'We would like to extend our congratulations to all the five-star winegrowers, and of course to the makers of the balance of the five-star contenders, whose names will be unveiled with the book launch in November,' McDowall continued.
'Our Wine of the Year will be announced at the same time, along with the name of the 'Superquaffer' of the Year - the wine judged to be the most drinkable and well-priced of all the entry-level bottlings tasted for the current edition. Suffice to say wine lovers are in for a pleasant surprise.'
A selection of the five-star wines will be served at the South African Generic Tasting in London during October.
The 2007 edition will be available from November 2006 from selected book shops and retail outlets, as well as the website, http://www.platteronline.com. The recommended retail price is R129.95.
The five star wines for 2007 are:
Cape Point Vineyards Limited Release (Woolworths)
2006
Sauvignon blanc
Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh
2005
White blends
Vergelegen White
2005
White blends
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
2005
Chardonnay
Waterford Estate
2005
Chardonnay
Spier Private Collection
2005
Chenin blanc
De Morgenzon
2005
Chenin blanc
Rudera Wines Robusto
2005
Chenin blanc
Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak
2003
Pinot noir
Fairview Solitude
2004
Shiraz
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
2004
Shiraz
Raka Biography
2004
Shiraz
Hartenberg Estate The Stork
2004
Shiraz
Saxenburg Select
2003
Shiraz
Ernie Els Wines 'Ernie Els'
2004
Red blends
Neil Ellis Wines Vineyard Selection
2004
Cabernet sauvignon
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon
2004
Cabernet sauvignon
Rudera Wines
2003
Cabernet sauvignon
Ken Forrester ‘T' Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc
2005
Dessert wine unfortified
Paul Cluver Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest
2005
Dessert wine unfortified
Signal Hill Eszencia
NV
Dessert wine unfortified
De Krans Vintage Reserve Port
2004
Port
JP Bredell Wines Cape Vintage Reserve
2001
Port
Boplaas Vintage Reserve Port
2004
Port
Boplaas Cape Tawny Vintner's Reserve Port
1980
Port
John Platter SA Wine Guide Announces 25 Five-Star Wines For 2007
The John Platter SA Wine Guide has announced 25 five-star wines to be featured in the upcoming 2007 edition, the highest number since the reference book was first published in 1980.
The announcement is the culmination of several months of intensive tasting, by an internationally experienced team, of nearly 6 000 individual wines. These were sampled and ranked according to the guide's five-point scale, which ranges from 0 stars ('Somewhat less than ordinary') up to 5 stars ('Superlative. A Cape classic').
In the course of this year's evaluations, the guide's tasters identified 76 candidate five-stars across a variety of categories, including reds and whites, dessert wines and port styles. As previously, only finished/bottled wines, available during the currency of the guide, were considered. The short-listed wines were then judged 'blind' by a full panel of the guide's tasters.
Andrew McDowall, publisher, says: 'Our policy remains to taste and assess, as far as is practically possible, all of the wines that are available for the duration of the particular edition, locally as well as abroad. Given the enormous number of ranges and individual products tasted, the wines which merit a five-star rating make up a very select group indeed.'
Analysing the results, he added: 'Port and dessert styles always feature in the five-star line-up, and this year is no exception with three unfortified desserts and four port-style wines achieving the top rating.
'For the first time, the number of white wines found deserving of a five-star rating almost matches that of the reds – eight whites compared with ten reds.
'For the first time, too, chenin blanc shines as a variety, with three five-stars out of six nominated wines. Cabernet sauvignon is also one of the strong classes, with three five-stars from seven nominees, and shiraz with five from 14 five-stars contenders.
'There are also several producers who feature more than once in the line-up this year, namely Boekenhoutskloof, Boplaas, Cape Point Vineyards and Rudera.
'Teddy Hall, Rudera co-owner and winemaker, deserves special mention as he made two of the five-star chenins (Rudera Robusto and De Morgenzon, the latter as consultant for brand owners Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum) plus his own Rudera Cabernet Sauvignon.
'We would like to extend our congratulations to all the five-star winegrowers, and of course to the makers of the balance of the five-star contenders, whose names will be unveiled with the book launch in November,' McDowall continued.
'Our Wine of the Year will be announced at the same time, along with the name of the 'Superquaffer' of the Year - the wine judged to be the most drinkable and well-priced of all the entry-level bottlings tasted for the current edition. Suffice to say wine lovers are in for a pleasant surprise.'
A selection of the five-star wines will be served at the South African Generic Tasting in London during October.
The 2007 edition will be available from November 2006 from selected book shops and retail outlets, as well as the website, http://www.platteronline.com. The recommended retail price is R129.95.
The five star wines for 2007 are:
Cape Point Vineyards Limited Release (Woolworths)
2006
Sauvignon blanc
Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh
2005
White blends
Vergelegen White
2005
White blends
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
2005
Chardonnay
Waterford Estate
2005
Chardonnay
Spier Private Collection
2005
Chenin blanc
De Morgenzon
2005
Chenin blanc
Rudera Wines Robusto
2005
Chenin blanc
Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak
2003
Pinot noir
Fairview Solitude
2004
Shiraz
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
2004
Shiraz
Raka Biography
2004
Shiraz
Hartenberg Estate The Stork
2004
Shiraz
Saxenburg Select
2003
Shiraz
Ernie Els Wines 'Ernie Els'
2004
Red blends
Neil Ellis Wines Vineyard Selection
2004
Cabernet sauvignon
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon
2004
Cabernet sauvignon
Rudera Wines
2003
Cabernet sauvignon
Ken Forrester ‘T' Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc
2005
Dessert wine unfortified
Paul Cluver Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest
2005
Dessert wine unfortified
Signal Hill Eszencia
NV
Dessert wine unfortified
De Krans Vintage Reserve Port
2004
Port
JP Bredell Wines Cape Vintage Reserve
2001
Port
Boplaas Vintage Reserve Port
2004
Port
Boplaas Cape Tawny Vintner's Reserve Port
1980
Port