Mullineux & Leeu honoured with Platter accolade

Website screenshot (www.wineonaplatter.com)

Website screenshot (www.wineonaplatter.com)

Published Nov 13, 2015

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Durban - The Platter’s South African Wine Guide has become an integral part of the industry with its announcement of five- star ratings eagerly awaited by winemakers, collectors and drinkers alike.

The 2016 edition (recommended retail price: R215) was launched in Cape Town last week and saw Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines walk away with the highest accolade as Winery of the Year. The Swartland-based winery thus became the first to scoop the award twice in two years, having won the honour in 2014.

It also scooped both the prestigious Red Wine of the Year for the Mullineux Iron Syrah 2013 and the new Dessert Wine of the Year for the debut solera-matured Mullineux Olerasay Straw Wine NV.

To cap a stellar performance, the winery also secured another three five-star ratings for the Mullineux Granite Chenin Blanc 2014, Mullineux CWG Auction Reserve, The Gris Semillon 2014 and Mullineux White Blend 2014.

Stellenbosch-based Warwick scooped the White Wine of the Year for the Warwick The White Lady Chardonnay 2014 and there are 83 five-star wines, as well as three new five-star brandies and one new five-star husk spirit, featured in the 664-page tome.

Publisher Jean-Pierre Rossouw says every wine scoring four or five stars or higher in the primary assessment went into a second-round blind tasting. Emerging through that thorough process with their maiden five-star ratings were Anura, Beeslaar, Bloemendal, Constantia Glen, Eenzaamheid, GlenWood, Guardian Peak, Keermont, La Couronne, Leeuwenkuil, Luddite, MVH Signature Wines, Savage Wines, Vondeling, Vuurberg and Waterkloof.

Spier received four five-star awards for the Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2013, Spier CWG Auction Reserve Frans K Smit 2011 (red blend), Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2014 and Spier Creative Block 2 2014 (white blend), while David & Nadia Sadie and Newton Johnson Family Vineyards each secured three five-star ratings.

Debuting in 1980, the Platter’s Guide is the country’s first wine annual with total hardcover sales over 1.4 million as well as digital versions for mobile and desktop devices.

The 2016 edition follows the established format with more than 900 wine producers, merchants and brands featured, including 50 new ones – and more than 8 000 locally produced wines.

The guide’s wine descriptions and star ratings are compiled in association with a team of leading wine experts and include good-value indicators and pointers to hidden gems – wines considered interesting, unique, unusual or otherwise worthy of wine lovers’ attention.

Winelands dining, accommodation and cellar door tasting options are also covered in detail along with the full spectrum of tourist amenities, attractions and activities.

The 36th edition of the guide now has new apps for iPhone and Android that puts the guide into consumers’ pockets by subscribing via www.wineonaplatter.com.

The Mercury

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