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Diners Club Winelist Awards
Diners Club Winelist Awards
This year saw a variation of restaurants vying for top honours including Brasseries and Bistros, Cafés, chain restaurants, destination and fining dining eateries.
Seven restaurants achieved diamond status, the highest accolade with a total score of 91% or higher, while 6 restaurants were awarded platinum, gold winners tallied to 9.
The Diners Club Winelist Awards do not only attract restaurants eager to gain recognition for their class and style, it also attracts an ever growing number of patrons who understand that the perfect meal is greatly enhanced by a matching fine wine.
This year a panel of judges led by by veteran wine critic and author Dave Hughes assessed hundreds of restaurant menus that had been submitted by licensed local restaurants that met the entry criteria.
Commenting on the quality of the entries, head judge Dave Hughes said: "Each year it becomes increasingly difficult to select the best restaurants that offer outstanding wine lists. However, the cream always rises to the top and this year has been no different. The winning restaurants are tenacious, almost pedantic, in ensuring that their offering continues to excite the palettes of their customers."
The Diners Club Winelist Awards acknowledge excellence in participating restaurants in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western and Eastern Cape.
KwaZulu-Natal Diners Club Winelist Award Winners: Diamond Winners: Grill Jichana, Hartford House, Beverly Hills Hotel, Butcher Boys, 9th Ave Bistro, Oyster Box Hotel and Granny Mouse Country House & Spa. Platinum Winners: La Pizza Pazza, Olive and Oil Umhlanga, Jayz Grill, Col'Cacchio Pizzeria - Gateway, Surf Riders' Café, Ebb & Flo. Gold Winners: Intabaview, Emdoweni Lodge, La Piazza, Alpine Heath Resort, Three Trees @ Spioenkop, Skye Restaurant, Royal Court Grill, Giorgio's and Umthunzi Hotel.