The Platter's by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2026 awards were announced following the assessment of more than 8 000 wines submitted by over 900 producers, from which 316 wines garnered five stars (95pts and over), underscoring the significance of Kleine Zalze’s achievement.
The winery’s top performers – Family Reserve Chardonnay 2024, Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2024, and Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024 – reflect not only precision in the cellar, but also the feature that has long defined Kleine Zalze, namely access to exceptional vineyard parcels across multiple regions of the Western Cape.
RJ Botha, cellarmaster at Kleine Zalze, says a 5-star Platter’s Guide rating remains one of the most desired accolades for a South African winery. “The guide has been rating Cape wines for 46 years and over decades it has become the most comprehensive gauge of the state of South African winemaking,” he says. “It is the only ratings platform where most of the country’s wines are judged, and for Kleine Zalze to achieve three five stars is a remarkable achievement, as it is for any of the other cellars mustering this recognition.”
Botha says Kleine Zalze’s strength lies in being able to draw fruit from a mosaic of vineyards across Stellenbosch and other Cape appellations.
“This geographic diversity gives us the ability to select the finest grapes each year, crafting wines that showcase purity, balance and a distinctly South African character. To have three of these wines recognised with five-star ratings is an incredible honour for our team.”
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chardonnay 2024 is sourced from two contrasting soil types in Stellenbosch and shaped by cooling Atlantic breezes. This Chardonnay is a masterclass in precision. The warm, dry 2024 season resulted in concentrated fruit that was vinified in separate components, including skin contact, whole-bunch pressing, and fermentation in both new French oak and Italian terracotta amphorae. A 50/50 blend of these elements spent eight months on lees before being bottled. The wine shows remarkable purity, with mineral notes, grapefruit pith, subtle oak spice, and a finish of jasmine and crushed oyster shells.
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2024 is a wine defined by two great terroirs: Stellenbosch’s decomposed granite and Robertson’s limestone-rich vineyards. Picked at optimal ripeness after an unusually small Chardonnay harvest, the fruit received extended skin contact and selective whole-bunch pressing before fermentation in a combination of new and seasoned French oak. Slow fermentation encouraged depth, nuance and tension, delivering a Chardonnay of clarity, elegance and poise, characterised by lime zest, citrus blossoms and finely threaded oak.
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024 is crafted from Stellenbosch Heritage Vineyards of 35 years and older, with vines rooted in decomposed granite. Selective harvesting, 12–18 hours of skin contact, and multi-vessel fermentation, including French oak, terracotta amphorae and concrete eggs generate extraordinary complexity.
Botha says: “Like all Kleine Zalze’s wines, these Five-Star winners tell the story of the Cape through its ancient soils, its varied climates, and the privilege we have at Kleine Zalze to work with vineyards that express these elements in such distinctive ways.”