The panel of judges, chaired by veteran wine critic and author Dave Hughes, include South African wine journalist Fiona Macdonald, Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman, Principal of the Cape Wine Academy Kristina Beuthner, Chairman of the S.A. Sommeliers’ Association Neil Grant, and wine list design specialist Nikki Dumas.
In its 21 years of existence, the annual Diners Club
Winelist Awards is a much sought-after symbol of excellence and achievement among restaurateurs that take great pride in their wine selection and pairing of food with wine. Entries are open to all licensed local restaurants that meet the entry criteria.
With their collective impressive experience this year’s panel of judges will adjudicate and award restaurants in four categories, namely:
Silver,
Gold,
Platinum and
Diamond. The
Diamond Award is the highest accolade, with a total score of 91% or higher; the score for a
Platinum Award is 81 to 90%;
Gold Awards reflect a score of 71 to 80%; and a
Silver Award is 61 to 70%.
Restaurants are evaluated according to four criteria:
- Content: Content includes the number of wines on the list, number of wines served by the glass, original and innovative choices, and cultivars sourced from appropriate regions;
- Balance: Balance relates to the relationship between modestly and expensively priced wines, overall value, presence of local and imported varieties, and balance between established and new labels;
- Suitability: Suitability measures the suitability of the wine list with the cuisine, as well as the fit with the image of the restaurant; and
- Presentation: Presentation is judged according to vintages, regions, accurate information, correct spelling and a clear design that is easy to read and navigate.
“The standard of entries are quiet impressive and the judges have the difficult task of choosing the best among the best. Diners Club has an established commitment to supporting and growing the wine and restaurant industries – the Winelist Awards is one of the tools we utilise to achieve this," says Diners Club MD Ebrahim Matthews. “Beyond offering our club members tailored financial solutions, we take pride in curating the best lifestyle options SA has to offer."
The winners will be announced on Monday, 14, Wednesday, 16, Friday, 18, and Monday, 21 September 2015 in Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town the and Southern Cape retrospectively.
For more information, visit the Diners Club website.