This year, the 30th annual Diners Club Wine List Awards were held at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands, a fitting venue given that the Cape’s first grapes were cultivated in what is today known as Newlands. The Western Cape event was significant as it saw a record number of restaurants entered.
How Are the Awards Judged?
Once the wine lists were submitted, the judges rated them according to a set of standards.
- Wine Selection:This was an overall category which looked at the size of the list, the originality of the selection and the ratio of wines by the glass to wines by the bottle among other things.
- Balance of the Selection:Here the judges looked at the pricing and whether the selection was appropriate to the style of the restaurant for example.
- Presentation of the Wine List:This category analysed the basics such as the spelling, lay out and accuracy of the list, and whether it was easy to read and understand.
Each category was worth a certain percentage of points and at the end the total from each category was added to give a restaurant’s overall score. Restaurants with 91% or higher received the coveted Diamond Award, those with 81%-90% received the the Platinum Award and those with 71%-80% received the Gold Award
A number of restaurants on Dining-OUT’s listings did exceptionally well! Here are some of the winners.
Diamond Award winners
The Bombay Brasserie
Platinum Award winners
So there you have it. If you are in the Western Cape, and in the mood for a meal with excellent wines, try one of these exceptional restaurants.
