The Diners Club Winelist Awards honours the best wine lists in the country. Recently the Western Cape’s Winelist Awards was held and winners were presented with Diamond, Platinum and Gold awards.
The Diners Club Winelist Awards has taken place for over two decades and attracts restaurants eager to gain recognition for the energy and commitment they put into their wine lists. The Awards has established a benchmark for excellence in the restaurant industry, and as many as 47 restaurants countrywide achieved Diamond status this year.
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This year 205 restaurants from the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng submitted wine lists for judging by a select panel led by publisher of the Platter’s by Diners Club Wine Guide, Jean-Pierre Rossouw.
2019 saw a year-on-year entry growth of over 10% – which reflects that an ever-growing number of establishments and patrons appreciate that the perfect meal is greatly enhanced by a fine wine to match.
“It’s clear that dining establishments are giving their wine lists ever-more attention, and a trend that I’d really like to applaud is the growing number of wine stewards and sommeliers that curate and present the lists,” says Rossouw. “It’s also encouraging to note the number of establishments offering a wider choice of wines by the glass.”
In addition to Head Judge JP Rossouw, the judging panel comprised leading experts, Pete Goffe-Wood, Spencer Fondaumiere, Karin Visser and James Mukosi.
Of the 51 award entrants, 16 restaurants received Diamond Awards – 20 Platinum Awards and 15 Gold Awards.
Stellenbosch Golf Course was the winner of the Western Cape Best Winelist Award at a Golf Course, but also took National honours in this category. It is a first-time entrant in this new category, which stems from Diners Club’s partnership with the Professional Golfers Association of South Africa.
Western Cape Winners
Diamond Award Winners
Azure, The 12 Apostles Hotel – Camps Bay
Bientang’s Cave Restaurant & Wine Bar – Hermanus
Bushman’s Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat – Clanwilliam
Casabella at The Sanctuary – Somerset West
Cavalli – Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff Restaurant – Stellenbosch
Ellerman House – Bantry Bay
Grootbos Lodge – Gansbaai
Indochine Restaurant at Delaire Graff – Stellenbosch
Karibu Restaurant – V&A Waterfront
Karoo Art Hotel – Barrydale
La Colombe – Constantia
La Residence Hotel – Franschhoek
Noop – Paarl
The Hussar Grill Camps Bay
The Hussar Grill Worcester
Platinum Award Winners
Casabella GrandWest – Goodwood
Cattle Baron De Waterkant – Cape Town
French Connection Bistro – Franschhoek
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve – Gansbaai
Stellenbosch Golf Club
The Conservatory, The Cellars-Hohenort – Constantia
The Forum Embassy Hill – Constantia
The Hussar Grill Durbanville
The Hussar Grill Franschhoek
The Hussar Grill Grand West
The Hussar Grill Mouille Point
The Hussar Grill Paarl
The Hussar Grill Rondebosch
The Hussar Grill Somerset West
The Hussar Grill Steenberg
The Hussar Grill Stellenbosch
The Hussar Grill Willowbridge
The Marine Hotel – Hermanus
Turn ‘n Tender – Somerset West
Viande Grande Roche – Paarl
Gold Award Winners
Bistro @ La Vierge – Hermanus
Col’Cacchio Pizzeria Cape Town
Col’Cacchio Pizzeria Cavendish
Col’Cacchio Pizzeria Paarl
Den Anker – V&A Waterfront
The Shelley Point Hotel & Spa – St Helena Bay
Best Winelist at a Golf Course – Western Cape and National Winner
Stellenbosch Golf Club
