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MICHAEL FRIDJHON: Wine awards add zest and balance to the industry
The Platter Five Star awards offers a solid list of SA’s top wines, and flags notable newcomers, writes Michael Fridjhon
The Platter Five Star awards have been around for about 35 years — much the same length of time as Diners Club Winemaker of the Year — and yet the annual announcement of the guide’s laureates provokes far greater interest. Except for the fact that the Platter Guide is now owned by Diners Club, they share little in common. The Platter Five Stars were originally an idiosyncratic choice made by John Platter when his was the only palate producing scores for his eponymous guide — they were simply his selection of the top wines tasted in a particular year. The Diners Club Winemaker of the Year was the brainchild of the late Peter Devereux and its focus changed every year from one designated variety or style of wine to another. The name has always been something of a misnomer: the winner is not necessarily the country’s best winemaker. More accurately he or she is the producer of the best wine — in the opinion of the judging panel – among all the entries in a pre-selected class. For the fi...
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