If you get one of these, you are a Platter’s award-winning winemaker.
Last Friday I was invited to the launch of the Platter’s South African Wines 2014 at The Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town. I generally like to keep things a little more on the casual side and let’s face it, I don’t know anything about wine (apart from the fact that I like it), but I am also not one to turn down an invite to a prestigious invite-only event at one of the oldest hotels in Cape Town. So I put on my lipstick and a decent pair of boots and prepared myself for a glamorous evening of wine, canapés, awards and more wine.
The who’s who in the wine industry enjoyed plenty of wine and snacks at the Platter’s launch.
Naturally I immediately felt out of my depth, but luckily for me I bumped into a few people that I knew who showed me the ropes, sorry, the wine. There certainly was enough of it! Tables and tables filled with nectar from the Gods, accompanied by platters of sushi, kebabs and pastries. Before long I was tasting wines that I normally can’t afford to buy and rubbing shoulders at the canapé table with millionaire winemakers, many of whom who were clutching scrolls wrapped in red ribbon (which means they were award-winning millionaire winemakers). I met fellow bloggers, TV crew and a winemaker who told me about how blondes and brunettes prefer different kinds of wine (he’s writing a book about it) and then invited me to his farm to bathe in wine. I also discovered AU.RA from Van Ryn’s – a crystal decanter filled with 30 year old pot still brandy that sells for a whopping R24 000. There are only 107 bottles available and they’ve already sold half, so if you want one best you get in quick!
AU.RA will set you back R24 000, but luckily the rest of Van Ryn’s brandies are more affordable.
Then at the end of the evening we all got a small, fat aquamarine book – the much-coveted Platter’s South African Wines 2014. Spotlighting some 900 South African producers, merchants and brands, over 7,400 wines, brandies and “sherries” and extensive information on where to go and what to do in wine country this is THE book to have if you love all of the above.
I am willing to sell my copy of Platter’s for R24 000, but you can also get it from selected bookstores and retail outlets countrywide for R169.95 from mid-November. Or order it online from Platter’s website at www.wineonaplatter.com.
And here are the winners. Thank goodness for press releases as I was too busy trying to figure out how to smuggle out the AU.RA bottle and pondering how to become the “Superquaffer of the Year” in 2014 to be taking notes…
The only book you’ll need, whether you are a wine connoisseur or a newbie.
Five star wines and brandies for 2014
Cabernet Franc
Raats Family 2011
Warwick 2010
Cabernet Sauvignon
Boekenhoutskloof 2011
Cederberg Five Generations 2011
Ernie Els Proprietor’s 2011
Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection 2010
Stark-Condé Three Pines 2011
Pinotage
Chateau Naudé Le Vin de François 2011
Rijk’s Reserve 2009
Spioenkop ‘1900’ 2012
Pinot Noir
Newton Johnson Windansea 2012 (Red Wine of the Year)
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2012
Shiraz/Syrah
Cederberg CWG Auction Reserve Teen die Hoog 2011
Eagles’ Nest 2010
Fable Syrah 2011
Hilton The Dalmatian 2010
Mont Destin Destiny 2009
Mullineux Family Schist Syrah 2011
Mullineux Family Granite Syrah 2011
Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2011
Stark-Condé Three Pines Syrah 2011
Saronsberg 2011
Sijnn 2011
Red Blends
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2011
Chamonix Troika 2011
Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2011
Eikendal Classique 2011
Ken Forrester Three Halves 2009
Thelema Rabelais 2009
Windmeul Reserve Cape Blend 2012
Chardonnay
Chamonix Reserve 2012
Hamilton Russell 2012
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards 2012
Richard Kershaw Elgin Clonal Selection 2012
Chenin Blanc
Alheit Radio Lazarus 2012
Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2012
Botanica Old Vine 2012
DeMorgenzon Reserve 2012
Jean Daneel Signature 2012
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2012
Mullineux Family Schist 2012
Opstal Carl Everson 2012
Reyneke 2012
Sadie Family Skurfberg 2012
Stellenrust 48 Barrel Fermented 2012 Grenache Blanc
The Foundry 2012
AA Badenhorst Family CWG Auction Reserve White Grenache Vuilgoed 3 2012
Roussanne
Simonsig CWG Auction Reserve The Russety One 2012
Sauvignon Blanc
Cederberg David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2012
Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2012
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2012
Mulderbosch 1000 Miles 2012
Tokara Walker Bay 2013 Semillon
Constantia Uitsig 2012
White Blends
Cape Point Isliedh 2012
Cederberg David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Bowline 2012
David Aristargos 2012
DeMorgenzon Maestro White 2012 (White Wine of the Year)
Fable Jackal Bird 2012
Fairview Nurok 2012
Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve 2011
Nederburg Ingenuity 2012
Nitida Coronata Integration 2012
Rall 2012
Reyneke Reserve White 2011
Sadie Family Palladius 2011
Tokara Director’s Reserve 2012
Méthode Cap Classique
Klein Constantia Brut 2010
Silverthorn The Green Man Blanc de Blancs 2010
Dessert Wine, Fortified
Alvi’s Drift Muscat de Frontignan White 2010
Dessert Wine Unfortified
Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest 2012
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest 2012
KWV The Mentors Noble Late Harvest 2012
Mullineux Family Straw Wine 2012
Nederburg Eminence 2012
Nederburg Edelkeur 2012
Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2012
Port-Style
Axe Hill Cape Vintage 2011
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2011
KWV Cape Tawny NV
Brandy
Boplaas Potstill 20 Years Brandy
KWV 15 Year Old Alambic
KWV 20 Year Old
Oude Meester Souverein
Van Ryn 12 Year Distillers Reserve
Van Ryn 20 Year Collectors Reserve
Van Ryn Au.Ra
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