Diners Club, new owners of the Platter sighted wine guide, are ringing in the changes. The first thing to be exploded is the myth that “Platter is a wine guide not a competition” advanced by so many Platter apologists to justify their sighted tasting algorithm. Well clearly Platter is a competition as it sells SAP-style shields to compete with other competitions like the Michelangelo. But an artwork this one clearly ain’t. Strange that such a class act as Diners associates itself with such a clunky design that looks like the bonnet badge ripped from a budget Asian rental car.

By making their SAP shields double the size of the competition, Diners are appealing to those elements of the SA public who appreciate wine with their eyes, rather than their hooters and cake-holes. Of course I’m referring to those wine snobs who buy bottles to impress others. Is this what SA wine has come down to? Perhaps Wine Spectator should start up some labels in competition to Platter. A $ sign would be most fitting.