South Africa’s Wine List Awards 2012

Who doesn’t appreciate a great wine list when dining out? A great wine list can make or break your experience at a restaurant. Food 24 stands by this notion and decided to venture out and see what establishments are including in their wine lists – are they making the grade? So together with some of South Africa’s most esteemed wine judges, Food24 set out to judge wine lists around the country. Here are the results:

South Africa’s National Awards 2012

South Africa’s Best Short List: The Blue Train
South Africa’s Best Medium List: Pondoro Game Lodge
South Africa’s Best Long List: Ellerman House
South Africa’s Best Wine by the Glass List: Rhapsody’s, Lynwood

Regional Awards

Gauteng, Free State & the Northern Provinces

Best Short List: The Blue Train
Best Medium List: Pondoro Game Lodge
Best Long List: Restaurant Mosaic
Best Wine by the Glass List: Rhapsody’s, Lynwood

KwaZulu Natal

Best Medium List: Fourdoun Hotel & Spa
Best Long List: The Grill Room at the Oyster Box
Best Wine by the Glass List: The Grill Room at the Oyster Box
No award for Best Short List

Western & Eastern Cape

Best Medium List: Wild Peacock Emporium
Best Long List: Ellerman House
Best Wine by the Glass List: Wild Peacock Emporium
No award for Best Short List

Wine lists were awarded either 1, 2 or 3 Flutes according to percentages reached when matched by the Judges to the scoring criteria for Short, Medium or Long Lists.

Short Wine Lists

Kwa Zulu Natal
Riverside Hotel, 1 Flute
Three Trees at Spioenkop, 3 Flutes

Gauteng & the Northern Provinces
The Blue Train, 3 flutes
De Kloof, 3 flutes
Shangri La Country Hotel, 2 flutes
Toadbury Hall Country House, 1 flute

Western & Eastern Cape
No Entries

Medium Wine Lists

KwaZulu Natal
Colcacchio Gateway Umhlanga, 2 Flutes
Fern Hill Hotel, 2 Flutes
Fordoun Hotel & Spa, 3 Flutes
Three Trees at Spioenkop, 3 Flutes

Gauteng & Northern Provinces
The Bull Run, 3 Flutes
Col’cacchio Bryanston, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Atholl, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Emperor’s. Palace 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Lynwood, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Brooklyn, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Park View, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Fairland, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Northgate, 2 Flutes
Kong Roast Restaurant, 2 Flutes
La Madeleine, 3 Flutes
Mount Grace, 3 Flutes
Orient Restaurant, 3 Flutes
Pondoro Game Lodge, 3 Flutes
Rhapsody’s, Lynwood, 3 Flutes
Royal Madikwe, 3 Flutes
Wangthai Sandton, 2 Flutes
Zest Restaurant & Fine Wines, 3 Flutes

Western & Eastern Cape
Abalone House Boutique Guesthouse, 3 Flutes
Bayside Cafe, 3 Flutes
Bertha’s Restaurant, 2 Flutes
Black Marlin, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Cape Town, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Camp’s Bay, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Cavendish Square, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Canal Walk, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Willowbridge, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Blouberg, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Franschhoek, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Westlake, 2 Flutes
Col’cacchio Belvedere Square, 2 Flutes
Dish Restaurant at The Inn on The Square, 2 Flutes
The Garden Lounge at The Vineyard Hotel, 3 Flutes
Greens on Park, 2 Flutes
Greens Plattekloof, 2 Flutes
Greens Restaurant Constantia, 2 Flutes
Hildebrand Ristorante, 2 Flutes
Sage Restaurant, 1 Flute
The Pavilion at The Marine Hotel, 3 flutes
The Sands at The Plettenberg, 3 Flutes
Upstairs at Quay Four, 2 Flutes
Wild Fig, 2 Flutes
Wild Peacock Emporium, 3 Flutes
Zinzi at Tsala, 2 Flutes

Long Wine Lists

All the wine lists in this category received 3 Flutes.

KwaZulu Natal
The Grill Room at The Oyster Box Hotel

Gauteng & the Northern Provinces
Hemingway’s Restaurant & Wine Cellar
Kievits Kroon
Lukimbi Safari Lodge
Makanyane Safari Lodge
Maximillien
Prosopa
The Raj Indian Restaurant
Restaurant Mosaic
Ritrovo Ristorante
Silver Orange Bistro
TSG 4Way Mediterranean Grill Cafe
Tuningi Safari Lodge
Villa San Giovanni

Western & Eastern Cape
96 Winery Road
Azure @ The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa
Bosmans Restaurant @ Grande Roche Hotel
Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve
Catharina’s @ Steenberg Hotel
Ellerman House
French Toast
Grill Room @ The Oyster Box Hotel
Harveys at Winchester Mansions
Makaron at Majeka House
Mange Tout @ Mont Rochelle Hotel
Myoga Restaurant
One & Only
Peddlars on the Bend
Pierneef @ La Motte
Signal Restaurant at The Cape Grace Hotel
The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel
The Square Restaurant at The Vineyard Hotel
Umgazi River Bungalows

The Judges for the Awards were: 

Head Judge
Cathy Marston, Wine educator and Wine Writer for food24

Judges
Ntsiki Biyela, Winemaker at Stellekaya
Catherine Boutell Coackley, Wine List Judge & Waiter Service Educator
Dr Jim Coackley, Wine List Judge & Waiter Service Educator
Ginette de Fleuriot, Cape Wine Master
Rey Franco, Director Fedhasa
Billy Gallagher, Legendary Chef
Ingrid Motteaux, Wine Consultant
Allan Mullins, Cape Wine Master
Myrna Robins, Wine Writer
Anna Trapido, Author

Head Judge Cathy Marston, Wine Writer for food24, said of the lists “It was great to see people exploring wineries outside the very familiar ones – I saw lots of smaller wineries from the more unusual areas, which is fantastic in giving people more choice. On the negative side, I did find far too many restaurants offering very limited choices by the glass – I know that it can be hard to keep wines in good conditions but nowadays, when everyone is concerned about drink-driving, it’s even more important that people have a wider choice of good wines by the glass.”

Dr Bill Gallagher, Gauteng based Judge and respected Chef, commented: “It is wonderful to see the commitment of our hoteliers and restaurateurs in promoting quality wines to their guests, the variety and uniqueness shows a true commitment that honours fine wine and the role it plays when dining.”

Catherine Boutell Coackley, experienced wine list judge, who judges with her husband Dr Jim Coackley, said “we were very impressed with most wine lists. Some restaurateurs have gone to great effort on the presentation style. Quite a few offered “flights of wine” at a reasonable cost, which is wonderful. We both queried the lack of sherry on most lists! Surely this should be a norm under aperitifs? On the whole, there is a great improvement as I look back over the many years of judging. Probably due to a more educated and demanding public as well as restaurateurs.”

Myrna Robins, Wine Writer for The Argus and author, said “perusing the wine lists in the mid-sized category was enjoyable and offered a pleasing diversity of labels, prices and regions. Mostly the choice suited the type of restaurant well, while some supported the wines of their area, a big plus. One or two wine lists were outstanding, to the point that the menu paled by comparison! Presentation was mostly good, with only one proving hard to decipher, thanks to an odd style of dispensing with spaces between words.”

For further information contact:

Michael Olivier
sawinelistawards2012@iafrica.com
082 532 8320

Sasha van Zyl

I love wine – simple as that! I must be one of the luckiest people on earth as my job (web editor of this website) allows me to submerge myself in the world of South African wine each and every day. I hope you enjoy discovering our country’s best wines and wineland experiences with me.

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