Stellar anticipation

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Interesting to note a few things: Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon continued its run of form (7 in 10 years and their 11th in so many years) and while it was the only Cab last year, it was joined by five other heavy hitters – Le Riche, Kanonkop, Kleine Zalze, newcomer to the honour roll Delaire Graff and Klein Constantia which also receieved Five Stars for the Vin de Constance and Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc.

The annual release of the Platter’s South African Wine Guide – the 31st – was more eagerly anticipated than in years gone by. There’s no controversial reason for this, despite what some local commentators would have their internet audience believe… It was simply a consequence of the fact that the Five Star winning wines were not put on public exposition alongside the top Pinotage and Chenin Blancs during a Wosa tasting in London as in the past. When that used to be the case, it was fairly obvious that the producers needed to be told in order for the wines to be shipped to the UK and an announcement usually followed shortly after final selection.

So in 2010 there was no public announcement of which wines had received the ultimate Platter accolade in advance of the Guide’s traditional November release. Hence the eagerness ahead of the Platter’s arrival from the Singapore printing works… And I must also declare an interest here: I both write and taste wines for the Platter Guide – and was as much in the dark as anyone else!

Red  blends accounted for seven of the 58 Five Star wines but the single biggest category was white blends with 11 wines.  No fewer than six followed the Bordelaise/Graves template but then South Africa’s fondness for – and ability with – Sauvignon Blanc is well established. It was the other five wines which demonstrated real intent to display South Africa’s vinous diversity. Chenin Blanc featured largely – along with Viognier, Verdelho, Clairette Blanche, Chardonnay, Nouvelle and even Rhine Riesling and Muscadel.

If there were a prize for using the most of the above grapes in a single blend it would go to Nederburg for its eight-way Ingenuity White – a Chardonnay, Semillon, Nouvelle, Chenin Blanc, Rhine Riesling, Muscadel, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc wine that is as much of a mouthful as its blending components!

Nederburg was also acclaimed as the wine producer of the year in the 2011 edition of the Platter Guide while the red and white wine accolades went to De Trafford Shiraz and Fleur du Cap’s Bergkelder Selection Noble Late Harvest respectively.