The Top 100 South African Wine List Award winners were announced this week in a special event held at Rodwell House in St James, Cape Town. The Top 100 SA Wines brand is based on South Africa’s finest wines, vineyards and restaurants. The 2013 challenge awarded restaurants for both long (and expensive to stock) wine lists often associated with fine dining establishments, and short ‘n sweet wine lists for more relaxed dining occasions.
These awards are both prestigious, in that only 100 restaurants are awarded per year, and fair, given that all that is really required of restaurants is visible effort in planning their wine lists.
Jörg Pfützner, Challenge Chair had this to say, “Tremendous to see new entrants again this Challenge. Now in its third successful year, the 100 point scoring protocols are fully effective. The rigour and the methodology ensure those restaurants who make a sincere effort, are recognised and rewarded. That’s as fair as it gets.”
Top 100 SA Wines, associated with South Africa’s best vineyards, restaurants and wines. © Top 100 SA Wines
Founder Judge Higgo Jacobs added, “Always pleasing to have repeat entrants who value our professional and objective approach to awards. The three tiers of awards, Inspirational, Outstanding and Highly regarded, reflect each restaurants own value proposition to its own customers. The fit is smart and commercial.”
Some of the Challenge’s other, highly repsected judges were Dax Villanueva and Joanne Gibson, and they were real tough cookies when it came to the judging, so you know that you can trust the results! This year nearly 70 restaurants submitted their wine lists, but in the end only 30 were awarded in the various categories.
The Top 100 brand is set to continue its growth in wine related promotion activity. Winning restaurants will gain entry into the Top 100 2014/15 ebook edition along with the Top 100 SA Wines 2014. There are already a number of promotional events planned throughout SA and abroad for 2014.
Here are some of the winning restaurants we have listed on Dining-OUT
Fine Dining (long wine list)
Inspirational (90+%):
• Aubergine Restaurant
Outstanding (60+% – 90%):
• Azure Restaurant
• Browns Restaurant
• Karibu Restaurant
• The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel
• The Grill Room at the Oyster Box Hotel
• The Big Easy Restaurant & Wine Bar
• De Oude Kraal
Highly Regarded (50+% – 60%):
• DW Eleven – 13
• Hemingway’s Restaurant and Wine Cellar
• Kong Restaurant
• Orient Restaurant
Relaxed Dining (short wine list) awards were also handed out as well as awards for Uniqueness.
