In the 2020 edition, a total of 125 wines and one brandy achieved the coveted 5-star (95+ point) rating. The 5-star accolade is reserved for wines that are “South African classics” and score 95 points or more on the internationally recognised 100-point scale.

We are proud to announce Flagstone Wines is the winner of the

Platter’s Pinotage Wine of The Year Award
with
Time Manner Place Pinotage 2017

Another amazing accolade for winemaker, Gerhard Swart, hailed as a Pinotage King!

Publisher of Platter’s by Diners Club, Jean-Pierre Rossouw, says: “Our warm congratulations to all! These represent the pinnacle of South Africa’s wines, as all were highly rated in the initial sighted review and then went into a second round of tasting where they were assessed against their peers. Since this second round was conducted blind (without sight of the label), the stringency of this model means that our 5-star wines truly proved themselves as being best-of-best.”

“Flagstone does the high-end SA flag-flying for global wine giant Accolade, its characterful, applauded wines reflecting skill and creativity (in wine-making and -naming). One of the country’s first ‘wineries without a vineyard’. It’s always been about the vineyards, far and wide, from which Gerhard Swart continues to source distinctive parcels. The team is delighted to be extending the easy-drinking Poetry range with a pinotage and chenin, two varieties with a strong local association.” ~ Platters 2020 Wine Guide

Flagstone’s 2020 Platter’s Wine Guide Entries

Flagstone Icon Range

Time Manner Place Pinotage – 5 Stars Heaps of sex appeal ex Breedekloof single-vineyard, tiny parcel of ’17 (97) on par with stellar ’14 (95); plush fruit with cool minty edge & authoritative oak (all new, French, American & Hungarian; ’16 (93) only 50% new). Roast nut character, mineral freshness & compact tannins to unfurl pleasurably over next decade. No ’15.

Velvet Red Blend – 4.5 Stars Luxury packaging (& price) for sumptuous wine from 67% shiraz with mourvèdre & cinsaut. ’17 (93) billows mulberry fruit laced with vanilla (mainly American oak, 50% new) in pliable tannic frame, sweet feel (not heat) from alcohol on the finish. No ’15, ’16.

Music Room Cabernet Sauvignon – 4.5 Stars Classic in style, ’17 (91) melds fruit from both cool & warmer climes into harmonious melange of rich cassis, cooler cranberry & nuances of wild mint & fynbos. Clever oaking (68% American, 30% new, 18 months) & attention to detail create a tour de force with good prospects.

Writer’s Block Pinotage – 4.5 Stars Breedekloof single-vineyard delivers, as always; ’17 (90) both sophisticated & modern, berry compote fruit with a touch of spicy American oak, the richness & concentration also seen in ’16 (93)  under tight control, firm tannin in place to aid longevity.

Dark Horse Shiraz – 4.5 Stars ’16 (90) cements rating upturn noted in ’15 (90); beautifully composed to deliver a full-bodied, ripe-berried style, with leavening whiffs of white pepper spice. Very smooth, American oak dominance fully assimilated. Sumptuously moreish.

Treaty Tree Reserve White –4.5 Stars Captivating sauvignon & semillon (65/35) blend. ’18 (90) shows cool Elim source, vibrating with cut-grass aromas, grapefruit flavours & tense acidity, flinty minerality spotlit by finessed oaking (30% wooded, 75% new, all French). Food wine par excellence, like ’17 (91).

Flagstone Core Range

Dragon Tree Cape Blend – 4 Stars Multi-region ’17 (88) dominated by pinotage & shiraz, cab adding vibrancy. Bold fruited, tannins equally forthright in youth, but velvet texture hints at pleasure that awaits the patient.

Fiona Pinot Noir – 4.5 Stars French, American & Hungarian oak temper the Elgin fruit of ’16 (85) adds spice to strawberry, cherry & blackcurrant flavours. Delicate & delicious everyday pinot.

Treaty Tree Reserve Red – 4 Stars Alluring cabernet-led Bordeaux-style ’17 (89), ripe, scented dark fruit, powerful tannin & toasty duo American & French oak creating a smart, focused wine that lingers.

Truth Tree Pinotage – 4.5 Stars Again with dash pinot noir, ’17 (84) as interesting & delicious as previous, red berries brushed with mocha, sweet spicy oak to savour in the finish.

Tributary Chenin Blanc – 4.5 Stars Replete with tropical charm, ’18 (90) from sunny Wellington & Paarl delivers ample peach & apricot flavour, a limy edge adds freshness to the palate while vibrant acidity ensures balance. Now only French oak (35%, rest tank), portion wholebunch. Less showy than ’17 (90).

Free Run Sauvignon Blanc – 4.5 Stars Captures essence of cool-climate Elgin, Walker Bay & Agulhas. Bright, steely grass & greenpepper fruit, tense acidity & suggestions of oystershell minerality in both aroma & texture. ’18 (90) aided by 6% (unoaked) semillon & reductive winemaking. Mouthwatering.

Two Roads Chardonnay – 4 Stars A loud celebration of lime fruit in ’18 (85), amplified by 60% all-new oak & 14.5% alcohol. Rich & spiced, not as delineated, deft as ’17 (86) . WO Coastal.

Word of Mouth Viognier – 4.5 Stars Bunch-pressed ’18 (90) proffers peach, apricot & spice; stonefruit leads on palate too, but more restrained, better defined than party-goer ’17 (88) . Judicious oaking (30% wooded, 40% new French, 6 months) adds structure to mineral-toned finish

Ice Vine Dried Sauvignon Blanc – 4.5 Stars Stunning ’16 (93) nectar from vineyard-desiccated Simonsberg grapes, intended to be poured over ice. Old-gold sheen, tangerine vies with fig, mango & honey in a fruit cornucopia braced by almost startling acidity. 375 ml (notably svelte wax-sealed bottle).

Last Word Cape Late Bottled Vintage – 4,5 Stars Port-style ’14 (85) from Swartland touriga with splash shiraz for the meal’s end. 100% American oak adds spice to the plummy dark chocolate flavours, finishes sweet. 375 ml.

Flagstone Lifestyle Range

Longitude – 3 Stars Crowd-pleaser ’18 (82) packed with red berries, spiced with smoked meats, seamed with tealeaf. Shiraz-led sextet shows nimble tannins, restrained oak. Well priced & versatile.

Noon Gun – 3 Stars Fresh appetiser ’18 (82), unoaked chenin with sauvignon & viognier, unbridled fruity flavour for al fresco fun.

Poetry Merlot – 3 Stars Mulberry-toned ’18 (80), with splashes other black grapes, spiced by French & American oak to gluggable & moreish effect.

Poetry Cinsaut Rosé – 3 Stars From in-vogue grape, in fashionable drier, lighter style, crimson pretty ’18 (82) & tasty, sweet-fruited red berries & limes, brisk finish.

Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon – 2.5 Stars Somewhat austere ’18 (78), with chunky fruit & wood tannins freshened by a minty thread.

Poetry Sauvignon Blanc – 2.5 Stars Melon & granadilla perked up by zesty acid in tangy ’18 (77).

Poetry Chardonnay – 2 Stars A go-to budget chardonnay, brushed with oak ’19 (76). Not too big, not too simple, hits the sweet spot especially when paired with chicken over coals.