5 Stars for Beyerskloof Diesel 2008

The annual announcement of wines awarded Five Stars by the Platter tasting team has just been made.

Out of more than 6,000 wines from 800 producers and brands tasted and rated for the Platter's South African Wines 2011 guide, just 58 have achieved 5 Star rating.

The only Pinotage is Beyerskloof 'Diesel' 2008.

Diesel is a premium label, named after owner Beyers Truter's dearly loved dog, that was introduced in 2008 with the 2006 vintage.

Diesel 2007 was awarded Five Stars in last year's 2010 guide. See winemaker Anrie Truter talk about the vision behind the wine and how it got its name here

The full list is

Cabernet Sauvignon
•Boekenhoutskloof 2008
•Delaire Graff Reserve 2008
•Kanonkop 2007
•Klein Constantia 2008
•Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2007
•Le Riche CWG Auction Reserve 2007

Grenache
•Neil Ellis Vineyard Selections 2008

Pinot Noir
•Meerlust 2008
•Newton Johnson Domaine 2009

Pinotage
•Beyerskloof Diesel 2008

Shiraz
•Boschendal Cecil John Reserve 2008
•De Trafford 2008 (Red Wine of the Year)
•Eagles’ Nest 2008
•Haskell Pillars 2008
•Rijk’s Private Cellar 2005
•Saxenburg Select Limited Release 2006

Merlot
•Shannon Mount Bullet 2008

Red Blends
•Ernie Els Signature 2007
•Graham Beck Ad Honorem 2007
•Hartenberg The Mackenzie Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2007
•Nederburg Ingenuity Red 2007
•Reyneke Reserve Red 2008
•Spier Frans K. Smit 2006
•Vergelegen Red 2005

Chardonnay
•Groot Constantia Gouverneurs 2009
•Julien Schaal 2009
•Mulderbosch 2008
•Rustenberg Five Soldiers 2008

Chenin Blanc
•Botanica 2009
•StellenRust ‘45’ Barrel Fermented 2009

Grenache Blanc
•The Foundry 2009

Sauvignon Blanc
•Graham Beck Pheasants’ Run 2010
•Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2009
•Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2009
•The Berrio 2009
•Zevenwacht 360° 2009

White Blends
•Cape Point Isliedh 2009
•Hermanuspietersfontein Die Bartho 2009
•Lammershoek Roulette Blanc 2009
•Nederburg Ingenuity White 2009
•Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc-Chardonnay Private Bin D253 2009
•Rall White 2009
•Sadie Family Palladius 2009
•Steenberg Magna Carta 2009
•Steenberg CWG Auction Reserve The Magus 2009
•Strandveld Adamastor 2009
•Tokara Director’s Reserve White 2009

Méthode Cap Classique
•Topiary Blanc de Blancs Brut 2008
•Villiera Monro Brut 2005

Dessert Wine, Unfortified
•Fairview La Beryl Blanc 2009
•Fleur du Cap Bergkelder Selection Noble Late Harvest 2009 (White Wine of the Year)
•Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2006
•Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2009
•Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur 2009

Port
•Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2008
•De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2008
•De Krans Cape Tawny NV
•JP Bredell Cape Vintage Reserve 2007

5 Platter Stars for Beyerskloof's Diesel

Earlier than usual the Platter team have announced the wines awarded five stars in the forthcoming 2010 Platter Guide, due for publication end of November.

Beyerskloof's Diesel Pinotage 2007 is the sole varietal representative in the list.

The Platter Guide annually tastes and rates more than 6,000 South African awarding from zero to a maximum of 5 stars. Very few wines achieve the highest score which indicates a wine the tasters agreed was 'superlative, a Cape classic'.

For the 2010 Guide there just 43 five-star wines, which includes 7 fortified and dessert wines.

Congratulations to Beyers Truter (pictured right) and his team at Beyerskloof. The first vintage of this barrel selection wine, named after Beyers' recently deceased and much missed dog, the 2006 vintage was a Pinotage Top 10 winner last year.

The full list of five star wines:

White Wine of the Year

Sadie Family Palladius 2008
Red Wine of the Year

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005
Sauvignon blanc

Fleur du Cap Sauvignon Blanc Unfiltered 2009

Lomond Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Tokara Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Woolworths Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Limited Release 2009

Cape Point Vineyards CWG Auction Reserve Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2008
White blends - Bordeaux style

Woolworths Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Reserve 2009

Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2008

The Berrio Wines The Weathergirl 2008

Vergelegen White 2008
Chenin blanc

Beaumont Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc 2008
White blends

Nederburg Ingenuity White 2008

Rall 2008

Sadie Family Palladius 2008

Woolworths Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Spectrum White Limited Release 2008
Chardonnay

Ataraxia Chardonnay 2008

Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve 2008

Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2008
Pinot noir

Newton Johnson Domaine Pinot Noir 2008

Catherine Marshall Pinot Noir 2008
Grenache

Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Grenache 2007
Pinotage

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2007
Red blends

Sadie Family Columella 2007

Spier Frans K. Smit 2005
Shiraz

Dunstone Shiraz 2008

Haskell Vineyards Pillars Shiraz 2007

Rustenberg Stellenbosch Syrah 2007

Saxenburg Shiraz Select Limited Release 2005
Red blends - Bordeaux style

De Trafford CWG Auction Reserve Perspective 2006

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2006

Morgenster Estate Morgenster 2006

Stony Brook Ghost Gum 2006

Woolworths Jordan Cobblers Hill Classic 2005
Cabernet Sauvignon

Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005
Port

Boplaas Vintage Reserve Port 2007

De Krans Cape Tawny Port NV

Boplaas Family Vineyards Cape Tawny Port 1997
Unfortified dessert wine

Buitenverwachting 1769 2007

Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2008

Nederburg Winemaster's Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2008

Mullineux Family Straw Wine 2008

Congrats to all..

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5 Stars for Simonsig and Kaapzicht

5 Star winners in the 2009 Platter Guide to South African Wines have just been announced.

Simonsig 'Red Hill' Pinotage 2006 is the only 5 star varietal Pinotage

Kaapzicht Estate's Steytler Vision 2005, (a blend of 40% Pinotage with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), is the only Cape Blend.

Congrats to the Malan & Steytler families and their teams.

Platter 2009 can be purchased online from CyberCellar

image taken from Cybercellar's site.

Platter Guide is World's Best

**Exclusive to www. pinotage.org**

South Africa’s “John Platter Wine Guide” was tonight recognised as the world’s best.

Editor Philip van Zyl (pictured left) was in London to accept the Champagne Louis Roederer International Wine Writers ‘Domaines Ott’ Award for best Annual Wine Guide 2007.

Philip told me that that while he was delighted and thrilled to win the award, he accepted it on behalf of a dedicated team that has been working hard tasting and rating some 6000 wines in order to produce the guide.

Louis Roederer Champagne flowed in the heart of London’s theatre land as we celebrated the win. All, that is, except one man. Philip van Zyl declined his place at the award winner’s dinner in order to make last minute checks of the 2008 Guide. He was in London for this one night only – tomorrow he flies to Singapore with the manuscript of the guide and will spend the following week closeted with the printers and checking tproofs.

Philip van Zyl’s award consisted of a large engraved silver Champagne bucket, a magnum of Roederer ‘Cristal’ Champagne in a presentation box and a substantial cheque. “We will be having a real party when I get home,” said Philip.

Borrowing a mobile, he phoned home to tell his wife Cathy. “What did she say?” I asked. “I don’t know,” he replied, “She just screamed!!”

The panel of judges were Steven Spurrier (chairman), president of the Circle of Wine Writers; Christine Austin, wine writer, wine editor of The Larousse Gastronomique and winner of the Louis Roederer regional wine writer award 2006; Deborah Collinson of Deborah Collinson & Associates; Matt Harris, managing director of Planet of the Grapes; Charlotte Hey, publisher and editorial director of The Drinks Business and Helen Lederer, comedienne, writer and actress.

**EXCLUSIVE** You read it here first!

Zero 5* 4 2008

No, it is not mathematics day at the Pinotage Club, 0 5* 4 2008 decodes to No 5 stars for 2008

The 2008 Platter Guide 5 star winners have just been announced and it is disappointing to not to see any Pinotages listed. Although two top Pinotage wineries -- Kanonkop & Beyerskloof -- both achieve the coveted 5 stars, it is for Cabernet based wines. Especially galling in the case of Beyerskloof since the 5* winner is the only wine of their eight wines that doesn't contain Pinotage.

The winners are:

• Axe Hill Cape Vintage Port 2005
• Beyerskloof Field Blend 2003
• Boplaas Cape Tawny NV
• Boplaas Cape Vintage 2005
• Boplaas Vintage Reserve Port 2005
• Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2005
• Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2006
• Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Limited Release 2006 (Woolworths)
• Cape Point Vineyards Semillon 2007
• De Krans Vintage Reserve 2005
  
• De Trafford Shiraz 2005
• Edgebaston-Finlayson Edgebaston GS Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
• Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2006
• Forrester Meinart FMC Chenin Blanc 2005
• Hartenburg "The Mackenzie" 2005
• JP Bredell Cape Vintage Reserve 2003
• Kanonkop Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
• Paul Cluver Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2006
• Radford Dale Gravity 2005
• Sequillo Cellars White blend 2007
• Steenberg Vineyards Magna Carta 2007
• Vergelegen White 2006

A very good result for Boplas and Cape Point Vineyards each with three wines. I'll bet the Woolies shelves have already been emptied of that Sauvignon Blanc!

South African wine specialists CyberCellar have mixed packs of 2008 5* winners. CyberCellar now deliver SA wines in the UK and USA as well as South Africa. They say they can deliver almost anywhere on the planet!