John Platter's Guide
The guide to cellars, vineyards and wine makers.

The John Platter South African Wine Guide is the most comprehensive, up-to-date and authoritative chronicle of who's who and what's what in South African wine country. It packs everything you need to know about the South African wine scene into an informative and entertaining book. Please see the star rating guide below:

	Superlative		Outstanding
	Excellent		Very Good, Promising
	Character Full, Appealing		Good, Every Day Drinking
	Pleasant Drinking		Casual quaffing
	Plain and Simple

Methode Cap Classique is the South African equivalent of Methode Champenoise or Champagne. The
reason we call it Methode Cap Classique is that in the late sixties South Africa signed an agreement with
France in which it was agreed that the French would buy South African crayfish provided that South
African wines carry no French names or words.

Bon Courage Blush Vin Doux

Robertson
John Platter
A delightful pink carbonated sparkling wine with a slight hint of Muscat on the nose and a clean, fruity and refreshing finish. A sparkling wine to accompany all the good things in life specially made for all Bon Courage bubbly drinkers.

JC Le Roux Sauvignon Blanc

Stellenbosch
John Platter
J.C. Le Roux Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is a dry yet fruity sparkling wine with tones reminding you of tropical fruit, litchis, pineapples and granadilla flavours. It is a refreshing and lively bubbly, showing a good balance and is light and clean
on the palate.

Morgenhof Brut

Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
John Platter



The nose is a combination of cookie dough, granny smith apple, peaches, orange blossom flavours and a touch of savoury spice. The palate has a crisp acidity which adds to a lot of freshness, but is also quite full-bodied. The taste
is yeasty, green apple and apricots.

Graham Beck Brut

Franschhoek/Robertson
John Platter




This benchmark bubbly is a beautiful harmony of lengthy Chardonnay and fragrant Pinot Noir. It's perfectly woven with leesy warmth and gentle ripe grape flavours. Light yeasty aromas, good fruit on the nose, and rich creamy complexity on the palate. Fine mousse gives freshness and finesse.

Boplaas Sauvignon Blanc

Calitzdorp
John Platter
Hints of herbaceous nettle and lemongrass on the nose. Lovely racy, tangy-lime flavors, with a crisp dry finish.

Du Preez Sauvignon Blanc

Goudini
John Platter
Fresh asparagus and green pepper flavours, mingling with guava and passion fruit. Crisp & refreshing.

Alexanderfontein Sauvignon Blanc

Darling – Winemaker : Michiel du Toit
John Platter
This wine displays intense asparagus flavours rounded off with undertones of passion fruit aromas. Delicate in style and structure, the lingering aftertaste entertains the palate long after the last sip.

Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc

Durbanville
John Platter
Grassy, green pepper and asparagus flavours meld with tropical fruits and gooseberries to create a high toned, truly exciting wine.

First Sighting Sauvignon Blanc

Elim – Winemaker : Conrad Vlok
John Platter



An intense nose with flavours of asparagus, wild gooseberries and capsicum, intermingled with coastal fynbos aromas. Full and crisp on the palate with a clean minerality on the aftertaste.

Thelema Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc

Stellenbosch
John Platter
This is a beauty with piercing mineral notes on the nose and a juicy melon attack on the palate. From the Elgin vineyards.

Ladismith Cellar Towerkop Unwooded Chardonnay

Klein Karoo
John Platter

This unwooded Chardonnay with its soft vanilla and banana flavours is the ideal Chardonnay if don't like the taste of wood but don't want to compromise on flavour and aftertaste.

Boplaas Unwooded Chardonnay

Calitzdorp
John Platter

Bright and freshly tropical flavored wine, with a well-balanced character. Touches of citrus flavors.

Nederburg Chardonnay

Paarl
John Platter


Flavours of citrus and apricot, infused with creamy vanilla are captured in this full-bodied wine.

Hartenberg Chardonnay

Stellenbosch
John Platter
Veritas 2008 – Gold Award
Hartenberg's flagship wine. Buttery, complex and bursting with aromas of citrus. Long lingering flavours with an unmistakably toasty oak finish. Powerful house-styled citrus peel and peach punctuated by a tangy mouth-feel.

Tukulu Chenin Blanc

Darling
John Platter
Mouth filling, the palate has good weight with a citrus burst on the palate.

Dornier Cocoa Hill Chenin Blanc

Stellenbosch
John Platter


Fresh flavours of pineapple, ripe loquat and peach, nuances of citrus with an alluring warmth and richness, long, clean and crisp tropical fruit aftertaste.

Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc

Stellenbosch
John Platter
Perfect everyday drinking wine. A youthful wine showing fresh ripe melon with a mellow, round, mild and honeysuckle fruit palate and refreshingly long finish.

Drostdy-Hof Adelpracht

Tulbach
John Platter

Full-bodied with intense fruit flavours and a good balance between sugar and acid with a lingering aftertaste

Kupferberger Auslese

Stellenbosch
John Platter
Sophisticated, clean and of high quality. Delicate on the nose and crisp on entry with an excellent sugar/acid balance. Ends with a clean & refined finish.

Zonnebloem Blanc de Blanc

Stellenbosch
John Platter
A fresh, yet crisp, medium-bodied wine with a prominent fruit character.

First Sighting White

Elim
John Platter
A blend of Chardonnay, Semillon & Viognier. Fresh citrus and crisp apple flavours that surprise with peach and floral undertones combined with indigenous Elim fynbos aromas. Light and fruity with a clean minerality on the aftertaste.

Hartenberg Weisser Riesling

Stellenbosch
John Platter



Subtly sweet with typical Riesling aromas – floral, honey & light spice sense – underlined by a hint of soft citrus. Most versatile white wine with food – great restaurant wine.

Morgenhof Fantail Pinotage Rosé

Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
John Platter
A pretty salmon pink colour. Lovely strawberry and raspberry flavours on the nose, these flavours follow through onto an appealing creamy palate that finishes with a refreshing crispness.

Hermanuspietersfontein Bloos

Hermanus (Walker Bay)
John Platter
A unique new generation Rosé with an abundance of cherry, raspberry, black berry and mulberry flavours with a touch of French oak.

Du Preez Rockfield Cabernet Sauvignon

Goudini - Winemaker : Hennie du Preez Junior
John Platter



Medium to full-bodied. Mix of eucalyptus and blackberry/chocolate mint. Complex with soft tannins and waves of blackberry and dark fruits on the palate.

Bon Courage Cabernet Sauvignon

Robertson
John Platter



Rich flavours of fresh berries and a slight nuttiness. Ripe plum, strawberry and black cherry mingles with vanilla and peppery spice on the nose. Full rounded mouth with clean toast oak backing.

Durbanville Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Durbanville
John Platter

An elegant full-bodied style, displaying clean fruit aromas of wild berries, plum and strawberries with hints of cinnamon and cassis. The flavours fill the mouth with a plump yet subtle wood aroma.

Drostdy-Hof Pinotage

Tulbach
John Platter


Medium-bodied with stewed fruit, plums and vanilla with subtle tannins.

Beyerskloof Pinotage

Stellenbosch
John Platter

A complex, medium-bodied Pinotage with dark fruit and red cherry flavours. Shows hints of oak aromas on the palate.

Diemersfontein Pinotage

Wellington
John Platter




Voted Best Red Wine At Cape Town Winex 2008
Diemersfontein's flag carrier is the coffee-and-chocolate Pinotage! It is praised for its easy accessibility, its uniqueness, its wonderful rich coffee, smoky overtones on the nose - and yet the preservation of voluptuous fruit on the palate, along with spicy, cinnamon and chocolaty notes on the palate.

Du Preez Merlot

Goudini
John Platter



Fragrant bouquet of cherry, berry and hints of rose. Meaty bacon with chocolate aftertaste. Complimented by wood.

Alexanderfontein Merlot

Darling
John Platter



This wine has developed beautifully with a subtle, balanced palate and velvety mouth feel. The varietal nose of plums, herbs and crushed berries showcases the terroir of the farm.

Fleur Du Cap Merlot

Stellenbosch
John Platter




On the nose the wine is powerful – filled with ripe black cherries, raspberries, mocha and chocolate with hints of vanilla and cumin spices. The palate is full-bodied, backed by wood spice & subtle tannins.

Du Preez Shiraz

Goudini
John Platter



Spicy mintiness with stewed plums. On the palate, chocolate & coffee flavours. Full-bodied, well balanced. Complimented by wood.

Weltevrede River's Edge Shiraz

Robertson
John Platter



Ripe black grape flavours with a spicy undertone. 14 months in French oak barrels.

Diemersfontein Shiraz

Wellington
John Platter



An explosion of berry richness, leather and cigar box with undertones of sweet spice, vanilla and hints of cinnamon.

Bon Courage Like Father Like Son Red

Robertson
John Platter

This blend is of good quality, uncomplicated and with an abundance of fruit flavours. The Cabernet Sauvignon adds tannins and body to the palate and makes this an outstanding blend while the merlot adds soft fruit flavours to the wine.

Nederburg Baronne

Paarl
John Platter


A fusion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Ripe black currant fruit with a hint of chocolate and a whiff of leather, no doubt from the Shiraz. Medium-bodied with savoury flavours of smoked meat.

Saxenburg Guineafowl Red

Stellenbosch
John Platter

A blend of 49% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Shiraz with depth and complexity coming from oak maturation..

Hermanuspietersfontein 1855 Posmeester

Hermanus (Walker Bay)
John Platter
A balanced, medium bodied wine with prune, ripe banana and plum flavours on the palate. Pure and silky with a clean finish.