Platter’s Wine Guide is your ultimate passport to the world of South African wine.
This comprehensive resource offers detailed reviews of thousands of wines, from beloved classics to innovative new blends. It details the stories behind South Africa’s most celebrated wineries, explaining their history, philosophy, and winemaking techniques.
Whether you’re new to wine or a seasoned connoisseur, you know Platter’s wine guide.
The iconic little guide to South African Wine sports a pale blue this year.
Six of our producers have made the prestigious 5 star and 95+ points category and most of the wines are available for purchase!
Semillon vineyard produces red-skinned grapes among the predominantly white; step-up 2023’s red berries skin-fermented for onionskin hue, white portion bunch-pressed/barrel fermented. Like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts), memorable fragrances of pressed flowers & oolong tea, bruised apple & quince flavours, slightly tannic, very long.
Wine Tasted by Cathy van Zyl.
R2,160.00Original price was: R2,160.00.R2,052.00Current price is: R2,052.00.Add to basket
Platter’s 5 Star 2025 Mixed Case
5% Discount & free delivery
Julien Schaal’s ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Pinot Noir 2023 – Platter’s Pinot Noir of the Year Thorne & Daughters ‘Tin Soldier’ Semillon Gris 2023– Platter’s Semillon Gris of the Year. Thorne & Daughters ‘Snakes and Ladders’ Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Hogan Chenin Blanc 2023
Scions of Sinai ‘Swanesang’ Syrah 2023
Trizanne Seascape ‘Elim’ Syrah 2023
A dazzler from 14 year old Helderberg vines just 2 km from the ocean. 2023 expressive berries & cherries perfumed with rose & crushed green herbs, fine tannin support & texture. Seamless, balanced & lingering, made for the long haul, decant in youth.
Citrus, lemon blossom, spicy baked apple & vanilla create a riot of flavour & aroma in 2023. Refined, rounded & wonderfully vibrant, mineral finish. Pure delight from Swartland grapes, like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts); wholebunch fermented/9 months older barrels.
Graceful 2023 eschews Kaaimansgat for 100% Banghoek grapes, maintains stellar standard & understated elegance as it unspools intricate layers of citrus, melon & apple, followed by roasted nuts & warm pastry to a stony mineral conclusion. Superb now, with handsome rewards for the patient. 10 months older oak.
Mould-breaking blanc fumé from Olifants River marches to a different sauvignon drum. Like 2022 (95 pts), 2023 nods to variety’s blackcurrant & citrus but mostly embraces savoury tones of clean earth, dusty grassland & nori. Good vinosity at 14.5% alc, deep mid-palate & bracing acid seam integral to compelling wine that should develop well.
Thorne & Daughters 'Paper Kite' Old Vine Semillon 2023
5 star 96 pts
From vines planted 1963, quintessential expression of Swartland semillon. 2023 showcases purity, substance, precision & depth variety delivers in hands of a master, more so than in 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts). Lemon-grass, -verbena & -thyme nuances, savoury, salted apple finish. Barrel ferment, majority 2nd-fill 500L Austrian, rest older French.
Dryland chenin planted 1978, 2023 raised in 80% concrete, remainder old oak; 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts) only concrete. Defined by white citrus tension & green apple vivacity, the flavours are resonant & long. Partial skin-contact adds fine texture, delicious touch of honeyed quince hints at potential for positive evolution.
From tiny plot of rare-in-Stellenbosch syrah bushvines, planted in 1990s. Cool-toned & exquisitely formed 2023 impresses even more than 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts). Chiselled definition & purity of cherries, florals & spice are borne on clean minerality & velvet tannin, shaped by 90% wholecluster ferment & year in combo concrete & 20% old oak.
Weightlessness & purity of red fruit & florals flow with seamless ease in 2023, like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts). Despite the delicacy, the sound structure, bound by fine yet dense chalky tannin, will allow for extended ageing. Natural ferment/10 months oak, 20% new.
Platter’s 2025 Awards
Platter’s Wine Guide is your ultimate passport to the world of South African wine.
This comprehensive resource offers detailed reviews of thousands of wines, from beloved classics to innovative new blends. It details the stories behind South Africa’s most celebrated wineries, explaining their history, philosophy, and winemaking techniques.
Whether you’re new to wine or a seasoned connoisseur, you know Platter’s wine guide.
The iconic little guide to South African Wine sports a pale blue this year.
Six of our producers have made the prestigious 5 star and 95+ points category and most of the wines are available for purchase!
*Callender Peak ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Chardonnay 2023 – 95pt
*Callender Peak ‘Winterhoek’ Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – 95pt
Hogan ‘Mirror For The Sun’ Cabernet Franc 2023 – 95pt
Hogan Chenin Blanc 2023 – 96pt
Hogan ‘The Galvanised’ Chardonnay 2023 – 95pt
Scions of Sinai ‘Granietsteen’ Chenin Blanc 2023 – 95pt
Scions of Sinai ‘Swanesang’ Syrah 2023 – 95pt
Thorne & Daughters ‘Snakes & Ladders’ Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – 96pt
Thorne & Daughters ‘Paper Kite’ Old Vine Semillon 2023 – 96pt
Trizanne Seascape ‘Elim’ Syrah 2023 – 95pt
AND two wines of the year:
Thorne & Daughters ‘Tin Soldier’ 2023 – Winner of the Semillon Gris of the Year!
Julien Schaal’s ‘Mountain Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2023 – Winner of Pinot Noir of the Year!
*Not yet released
The Winners Circle:
R195.00Add to basket
Julien Schaal 'Mountain Vineyards' Pinot Noir 2023
5 star 95 pts
Stellar debut from Walker Bay vines. 2023 exudes variety’s perfumed red-berried charm, with spice complexity lifting svelte body & tannins. Oaking, 20% new, 10 months, effortlessly integrated. Wonderfully fresh & elegant, lingering white pepper farewell.
Wine Tasted by Meryl Weaver.
R400.00Add to basket
Thorne & Daughters 'Tin Soldier' Semillon Gris 2023
5 star 95 pts
Semillon vineyard produces red-skinned grapes among the predominantly white; step-up 2023’s red berries skin-fermented for onionskin hue, white portion bunch-pressed/barrel fermented. Like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts), memorable fragrances of pressed flowers & oolong tea, bruised apple & quince flavours, slightly tannic, very long.
Wine Tasted by Cathy van Zyl.
R2,160.00Original price was: R2,160.00.R2,052.00Current price is: R2,052.00.Add to basketPlatter’s 5 Star 2025 Mixed Case
5% Discount & free delivery
Julien Schaal’s ‘Mountain Vineyards’ Pinot Noir 2023 – Platter’s Pinot Noir of the Year
Thorne & Daughters ‘Tin Soldier’ Semillon Gris 2023– Platter’s Semillon Gris of the Year.
Thorne & Daughters ‘Snakes and Ladders’ Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Hogan Chenin Blanc 2023
Scions of Sinai ‘Swanesang’ Syrah 2023
Trizanne Seascape ‘Elim’ Syrah 2023
R400.00Add to basket
Hogan 'Mirror for the Sun' Cabernet Franc 2023
5 star 95 pts
A dazzler from 14 year old Helderberg vines just 2 km from the ocean. 2023 expressive berries & cherries perfumed with rose & crushed green herbs, fine tannin support & texture. Seamless, balanced & lingering, made for the long haul, decant in youth.
Wine tasted by Winnie Bowman.
R385.00Add to basket
Hogan Chenin Blanc 2023
5 Star 96 pts
Citrus, lemon blossom, spicy baked apple & vanilla create a riot of flavour & aroma in 2023. Refined, rounded & wonderfully vibrant, mineral finish. Pure delight from Swartland grapes, like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts); wholebunch fermented/9 months older barrels.
Wine tasted by Winnie Bowman.
R290.00Add to basket
Hogan 'The Galvanised' Chardonnay 2023
5 star 95 pts
Graceful 2023 eschews Kaaimansgat for 100% Banghoek grapes, maintains stellar standard & understated elegance as it unspools intricate layers of citrus, melon & apple, followed by roasted nuts & warm pastry to a stony mineral conclusion. Superb now, with handsome rewards for the patient. 10 months older oak.
Wine tasted by Winnie Bowman.
R400.00Add to basket
Thorne & Daughters 'Snakes & Ladders' Sauvignon Blanc 2023
5 star 96 pts
Mould-breaking blanc fumé from Olifants River marches to a different sauvignon drum. Like 2022 (95 pts), 2023 nods to variety’s blackcurrant & citrus but mostly embraces savoury tones of clean earth, dusty grassland & nori. Good vinosity at 14.5% alc, deep mid-palate & bracing acid seam integral to compelling wine that should develop well.
Wine tasted by Cathy van Zyl.
R400.00Read more
Thorne & Daughters 'Paper Kite' Old Vine Semillon 2023
5 star 96 pts
From vines planted 1963, quintessential expression of Swartland semillon. 2023 showcases purity, substance, precision & depth variety delivers in hands of a master, more so than in 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts). Lemon-grass, -verbena & -thyme nuances, savoury, salted apple finish. Barrel ferment, majority 2nd-fill 500L Austrian, rest older French.
Wine tasted by Cathy van Zyl.
R440.00Add to basket
Scions of Sinai 'Granietsteen' Chenin Blanc 2023
5 star 95 pts
Dryland chenin planted 1978, 2023 raised in 80% concrete, remainder old oak; 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts) only concrete. Defined by white citrus tension & green apple vivacity, the flavours are resonant & long. Partial skin-contact adds fine texture, delicious touch of honeyed quince hints at potential for positive evolution.
Wine tasted by Malu Lambert.
R440.00Add to basket
Scions of Sinai 'Swanesang' Syrah 2023
5 star 95 pts
From tiny plot of rare-in-Stellenbosch syrah bushvines, planted in 1990s. Cool-toned & exquisitely formed 2023 impresses even more than 2022 (4.5 stars, 94 pts). Chiselled definition & purity of cherries, florals & spice are borne on clean minerality & velvet tannin, shaped by 90% wholecluster ferment & year in combo concrete & 20% old oak.
Wine tasted by Malu Lambert.
R340.00Add to basket
Trizanne Seascape 'Elim' Syrah 2023
5 star 95 pts
Weightlessness & purity of red fruit & florals flow with seamless ease in 2023, like 2022 (4.5 stars, 93 pts). Despite the delicacy, the sound structure, bound by fine yet dense chalky tannin, will allow for extended ageing. Natural ferment/10 months oak, 20% new.
Wine tasted by Angela Lloyd.