Home // News

Topical pic – Klein Karoo regional tasting for Platter’s 2012

By , 28 July 2011

Comment

3

Just back from a two-day trip to the Klein Karoo to taste wines of the region for Platter’s 2012. I traveled with Greg de Bruyn CWM, James Pietersen, beverage manager for Belthazar and Balducci’s restaurants at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town and Cathy van Zyl MW. We were based at Joubert-Tradauw Private Cellar outside Barrydale and worked in teams of two, each team reviewing some 40 wines on Tuesday afternoon and another 30 on Wednesday morning. The rationale behind the regional tastings is to taste the wines in context as well as to provide an opportunity for interaction between tasters and producers once the formal tastings are complete.

Comments

3 comment(s)

Please read our Comments Policy here.

    Greg de Bruyn | 16 November 2011

    For the record, Platter is painfully aware of jaundiced attempts to find fault or insinuate dishonesty. The trips were paid for entirely by the Guide (to Andrew’s chagrin), venues were as neutral as could be found and the get-togethers were hosted and paid by the Guide. Having tried both tasting environments, my personal view is that the wine gets its best chance as a “Home” tasting, where there’s the opportunity to go back later, try it with food, compare it to disparate peer samples and check its past performance.

    BobO | 31 July 2011

    Perhaps a bit of post-Bok Blues or misguided Bos-arrogance, but this is a bit of a short-sighted yobo comment. For the 2nd year in a row the illustrious Guide has taken the effort to shine a little light on the lesser known regions, including Robertson! Well, at least Karoo lamb might have been the persuasive fare of choice instead of the budget babotie or a StreetWize 2! This comment might just show a total lack of knowledge of the wines that are not PR clientele? Dalk moet jy maar braaibroodjies op ‘n George Forman!

    Emile | 30 July 2011

    All wines may not be created equal, but tasting for an influential guide should entail attempting to taste all wines under equal circumstances and equal conditions. The producer who can host a guide taster in the country, bend a bit of ear and offer another round of bobotie to accompany the tasting has a broad advantage over the winemaker who has to be content with the sighted tasting occurring in a familiar study in the suburbs. Having said that, getting Platterists into the sticks could perhaps help in changing perceptions of outer-regional wines as these have been sucking the hind nipple in the guides’ scoring system for some time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Like our content?

Show your support.


Subscribe