Platter Guide Five Star laureats

It includes many of the usual suspects (thought not always with the wines upon which their reputation rests) as well as some newcomers whose presence on the list is hardly a surprise. In fact, the least astonishing feature of the list is the names on it. It is almost a more interesting exercise to identify the big names which are not there this year.

For those given to this kind of pondering, the obvious omissions are Vergelegen, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Rustenberg (three of my six South African First Growths). Those more persuaded than I am about the charms of Columella and Palladius, may raise an eyebrow at their absence. I am sure there are producers who feel thwarted (or unjustly treated) for having missed out, but not many for whom a berth was almost an entitlement. A quick glimpse of the big names on the list makes this clear.

The line-up includes Boekenhoutskloof, Kanonkop, Thelema, Meerlust, De Trafford, Hartenberg, Morgenster, Waterford, Ken Forrester, Simonsig, Quoin Rock, Cape Point, Tokara, Klein Constantia and Boplaas. No one would seriously suggest that these are not top producers/regular show winners, or highly regarded by a range of critics with international credibility.

Some of the less well known names enjoy a specialised following — so those who have focused their attention on Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards, Sterhuis, Uva Mira, Ataraxia, and Vilafonte should be suitably gratified. Of the remainder, most are known to do one or two wines particularly well: De Toren (Fusion V Bordeaux blend), Simonsig (Redhill — single vineyard — Pinotage), Mons Ruber (Jerepigo), De Krans (Port), Constantia Uitsig (Semillon). Obvious newcomer Eagles' Nest (Shiraz 2006) did win Best Wine on Show at this year's Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show — so its listing is only a surprise to those who doubt the validity of the show or the competence of the Platter panel.

The appearance of Nederburg on the list (2007 Ingenuity white blend) provides further corroboration of the transformation taking place at the winery since Razvan Macici became cellar master. Joined there by the Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest, another of Distell’s brands, this also confirms the palpable improvement in quality wine production at the Cape behemoth since Australian Linley Schultz became group chief winemaker.

The major surprises relate really to the actual Five Star wines selected from some of the big name producers. Meerlust is there for its 2004 Pinot Noir, rather than for its better known Rubicon, Kanonkop for its 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (also judged Wine of the Year) rather than for its Pinotage or its Paul Sauer blend, and Buitenverwachting for its 2005 Cabernet Franc, rather than for the Christine.

The Platter Five Star selection is the result of an audited blind tasting where the Guide’s judges cast secret ballots to determine which of the wines — short-listed by the individual tasters when they do their sighted assessments — is indeed worthy of the accolade. In a sense, many are preselected: if a wine has done well in credible competitive environments, or earlier vintages enjoy a considerable reputation, it would be a brave taster who would pre-emptively leave it off his five-star candidate list. However, this helps to explain why almost two-thirds of the wines put forward for consideration miss the cut.

Wine columnist Neil Pendock — who has been waging a crusade against the Platter Guide ever since he was booted off the judging panel — will no doubt look for something in these results to fuel a further year of invective. Unless he’s going to wave a flag for Vergelegen, whose white blend has been something of a sitting tenant on the list for several years, his arguments will have to be more convoluted than usual if he aims to undermine this pretty credible line-up.

• Fridjhon has been a contributor to the Guide since the early 1980s.