Collisheen Estate near Umhlali took the countrywide Best Silver category award in the 2010 Diners Club Winelist Awards for the KwaZulu-Natal region, announced on September 15.
The award for the best winelist countrywide went jointly to Zachary’s Restaurant at the Pezula Hotel & Spa in Knysna and Bosman’s Restaurant at the Grande Roche in Paarl. They were followed by The Turbine Hotel & Spa in Knysna which won the Best Platinum award. Glenroy du Plessis from Bosman’s Restaurant received the award as best wine steward.
Here Nathi Dube from Collisheen Estate accepts the estate’s Best Silver category award.
Commenting on the standard of the competition, chairman of the judging panel Dave Hughes said that many of the wine lists entered this year offered a wider choice in terms of price, with entry-level and mid-level wines providing a proper balance for the award-winning ones at the top.
“These are establishments which understand that in the present economic climate offering value is key and has as much influence on the dining experience as the food itself.
“Another heartening sign was that restaurants seem to be increasingly offering wine by the glass. In my experience people don’t readily order a bottle of wine they don’t know. Wine by the glass gives them the freedom to experiment without having to commit themselves to a considerable expense.”
Delighted
Diners Club Western Cape regional manager Jane Ledger said they were delighted by the sizeable increase in the number of entries, especially for the KwaZulu-Natal region.
“For nearly 20 years we have strived to recognise those establishments offering the best dining experience for our card holders and this year the increased number of entries bears testimony to the value these awards hold for the hospitality industry. We would like to thank all the restaurants for entering and their continued efforts in raising the standards and variety of wines on offer across South Africa.”
In addition to Hughes the judging panel for this year’s awards consisted of JP Rossouw, editor of Rossouw’s Restaurants Guide and wine commentator; former editor of WINE magazine and wine judge, Fiona MacDonald; garagiste winemaker and wine educator, Clive Torr; and wine critic and former principal of the Cape Wine Academy, Christine Rudman.
The complete list of the 2010 Diners Club Winelist Awards will be made available on September 17 on the Diners Club website (www.dinersclub.co.za) once all regional ceremonies have been completed.
For info: Jane Ledger, Diners Club Western Cape regional manager
021 795 5400