This edition, the ultimate Platter’s accolade, Winery of the Year, has expanded to become a trio of pinnacle awards, each saluting excellence in South African wine-making. The Newcomer Winery of the Year recognises the winery that records the best results as a first-time participant in the guide. This honour goes to Erika Obermeyer Wines, with two Five Stars on debut. The Top Performing Winery of the Year award goes to Mullineux, who are no strangers to Platter’s accolades, having twice previously been Winery of the Year. In the new guide they achieve a remarkable four Five Stars plus a Wine of the Year. Finally, the Editor’s Award for 2019 goes to Newton Johnson Vineyards, as editor Philip van Zyl’s personal commendation of this family venture’s consistently superb quality over a range of styles of wine. 

Another first in this edition is the introduction of 100-point scores, printed alongside the familiar “Platter’s Stars”, for the recently tasted wines. Jean-Pierre Rossouw comments: “100-point scoring is the global standard, and by combining this notation with our own long-standing star-rating system, we hope that our international readers in particular will better understand and contextualise our judges’ assessments. We see the two rating systems coexisting in the guide in the future.”