Vinoblogie Platter’s 2019 5* Wine test

Vinoblogie Platter’s 2019 5* Wine test

🇬🇧English version below

Omdat dit een bundeling is van recente Instagram posts is dit artikel in het Engels geschreven.

Nederlandstalige intro:
Platter’s wijngids biedt een goede leidraad door het bonte safaripark van de – almaar beter wordende – Zuid-Afrikaanse wijn.
Vinoblogie testte onlangs in Zuid-Afrika 12 wijnen die de hoogste 5* waardering in Platter’s 2019 kregen.
De scores in Platter’s vind ik zelf aan de hoge kant (de index ligt hoog, zou je kunnen zeggen), maar het is veelzeggend dat de meeste 5* wijnen 95 punten krijgen, waarmee duidelijk aangegeven wordt dat vijf sterren zeker nog geen perfectie betekenen…
Logischerwijs hanteer ik bij mijn beoordelingen van Platter’s vijfsterrenwijnen diezelfde flatteuze Platter-schaal, waarbij goede wijnen makkelijk (ruim) boven de 90 punten scoren. (90-94 punten = 4,5*, 95+ punten = 5*)

Omdat dit een bundeling is van recente Instagram posts is dit artikel in het Engels geschreven. Verkoopadressen staan onder het artikel vermeld.

English version

One could say that the five stars are sprinkled a bit too easily in Platter’s Guide… On the other hand it is significant that most 5* wines receive a rating of 95 points, clearly stating that the five stars do not equal perfection (or 100 points) after all. However, in some cases I personally disagree with the 5* star rating in the 2019 Platter’s South African Wine Guide:

Tasted&Tested 5* white wines

Spioenkop Sarah Raal Chenin Blanc 2017

Very nice and versatile with food, but high acidity is not countered by broadness or high complexity,
wine is a bit too lean and lacking broadness and depth/complexity for 5*
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Vinoblogie score 4,5*

Vergelegen GVB White 2015

Classy and harmonious barrel-fermented white ‘Bordeaux’ blend from stellar vintage 2015
GVB = Grown, Vinified & Bottled at Vergelegen
6 km from False Bay (Atlantic Ocean)
Estate founded in 1700 by Willem Adriaan van der Stel, son of Simon van der Stel, successive governors of the Cape

60% Sauvignon Blanc from Schapenberg vineyard (320m above sea level)
40% Semillon from 1991 vineyard (220m above sea level)
Whole bunch pressed
Barrel-fermented
9 months in 20% new oak
Winemaker: André van Rensburg

Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay 2017

Archetypical SA Elgin Chard but could do with more complexity, personality, tension and a gram or so less residual sugar
Very nice, but no wow-factor so
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Vinoblogie score 4,5*

Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse Cape White Blend 2017

Beautifully balanced, full-bodied and smooth Chenin blend, spectacularly lekker

23% Roussanne, 22% Chenin Blanc, 21% Semillon, 17% Clairette Blanche, 17% Chardonnay
WO Western Cape
Wild ferment | Whole bunch pressed | Unfined | Old oak barrels

Beautifully balanced, full-bodied and smooth Chenin blend, spectacularly lekker
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Haskell Anvil Chardonnay 2017

Chardonnay how you want it to be:
Fresh, ripe yellow fruits | Lightly toasted bread and lemon butter | Roasted hazelnut | Full-bodied yet nice and dry, not heavy, with modest alcohol and mouthwatering acidity | 13%

WO Stellenbosch
Total production 5x 300 litre barrels (=2000 bottles)
By cellarmaster Rianie Strydom

This shows how good SA Chardonnay can be… Burgundian style, with ripe yellow fruits, balance, mouthwatering acidity and modest alcohol
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Tasted&Tested 5* red wines

Van Loggerenberg Breton Cabernet Franc 2017

This indeed is a ‘Breton’ (Loire Cabernet Franc), but WITH a full SA body!

Young winemaker Lukas van Loggerenberg is a genius, the way he catches the essence of a cultivar and its habitat in a wine: a full body without any over—nor under—ripeness + with mouthwatering high natural acidity and freshness…

Agree with Platter’s 95 points/5*,
disagree with 4,5* rating of Lukas van Loggerenberg’s fresh&creamy, textured, intense, uplifting, spicy, deep and lengthy Kameraderie Chenin 2017, which would have deserved 5* as well…‼️ (95+ points IMO)
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017

Excellent Pinot Noir from Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

Good QPR & worth its 5*
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma Pinot Noir 2017

Overwhelmingly fragrant, seductive and delicate Pinot Noir from Hemel en Aarde Ridge made by Peter-Allan Finlayson

Personal favourite 2017 SA Pinot
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Vinoblogie score 5*‼️

Sadie Family Wines Soldaat 2017

100% Grenache from old Piekenierskloof vines, planted at 700 meters altitude.
This wine made such a great impact when I first tasted it, as it shows how ‘transparent’, red, digestible, bright and fresh, almost thirst quenching Grenache can be from this elevated and intense UV/sunlight old vineyards in Piekenierskloof and made by this genius winemaker Eben Sadie. Extremely food-friendly too (from fish to spicy and meaty)

Platter’s 2019 (95 points): “2017 intense strawberry & raspberry tones lifted by spice, given form by hallmark feisty grape tannin grip. Ethereal, treads as lightly as 2016 (4.5 stars, 94 pts) but no pushover, has legs for ageing.”
>> ethereal=exactly the word I used in my tasting notes, totally agree; especially this 2017 is airy, extremely fresh, bright and digestible.
2016 IMO was a little more serious (more depth and structure), would have deserved 95+ points…
2017
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Oldenburg Vineyards Merlot 2015

Highly elegant Merlot from top vintage 2015 from a special, elevated, cool site (Banghoek) in Stellenbosch

Not agree with Platter’s tasting note “Appealing dark cherry/berry flavours, richly textured” >>> as fruit is almost completely in the red spectrum (plum, red currant, bell pepper; almost cabernet franc-like) and there’s more structure (supple, ripe tannin and acidic backbone) than texture (=broad, silky mouthfeel)
35% new oak
WO Stellenbosch
14,5%
Excellent QPR at R190/€12

Very well made, refined and highly elegant Merlot, just not the unique personality and layered depth and broadness to be worth 95+ points — 93 points would suffice IMO — but let’s see how this 2015 develops
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Vinoblogie score 4,5*

Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2017

Syrah (64%) with Grenache (14%), Cinsault (11%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) & Viognier (1%)
Wine of Origin Swartland
By Marc Kent’s Franschhoek winery Boekenhoutskloof
Winemaker: Gottfried Mocke

Although its name suggests a heavy, oaky, toasty wine, this is way more elegant than expected — both easy and interesting drinking!
Nice QPR
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Vinoblogie score 5*

Porseleinberg 2016