South Africa’s top Sauvignon Blanc wines are versatile and elegant and consumers around the world can only expect the best. This, according to the panel of leading wine experts who this year had to select the best ten out of 161 wines during the prestigious 2022 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition.
This year’s Top 10 (in alphabetical order) are:
- Bonnievale The River Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Cilmor Winemaker’s Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Diemersdal Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2022
- Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2020
- Paul Clüver Village Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- Strandveld Pofadderbos Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Zevenwacht Z Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Sauvignon Blanc South Africa announced the winners on Thursday 13 October during a special awards function at FNB Portside in Cape Town with Success Lekabe as the MC and Sunset Sweatshop as the entertainment. This year’s competition, the only competition fully dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc, was once again held with the support of the Top 10 title partner, FNB, and platinum partner, EVER Solutions. Of the ten champion wines, six are from the 2022 vintage, three from 2021 and one from 2020. The winners come from various diverse regions – Bonnievale and Worcester, Durbanville and Cape Town, the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch, Elgin and Elim.
The expert panel of wine judges at this year’s competition was convener, Dr Winifred Bowman (Cape Wine Master, wine judge and writer), Fiona McDonald (wine judge and writer), Johann Fourie (head winemaker at Benguela Cove), Morgan Steyn (winemaker at De Grendel), René Groenewald (Cape Wine Master), and aspirant judge Mahalia Kotjane (assistant winemaker at Lievland).
“This year’s Top 10 is exciting and particularly striking,” says RJ Botha, Sauvignon Blanc SA’s Chairman. “It’s amazing how our winemakers take advantage of their particular terroir to produce their distinctive styles of Sauvignon Blanc. The 102 producers who entered 161 wines deserve praise for the mark they make on the styles and flavour profiles from various terroirs and regions. This year is once again recognised for the excellent balance of winning wines that appear in the Top 10 for the first time, as well as those that have already achieved this feat before. Many thanks to our partners FNB and EVER Solutions for understanding our industry and their contribution to our success,” says Botha.
Stephan Claassen, Provincial Head FNB Business in the Western and Eastern Cape, congratulated the 2022 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 winners who continue to excel in a very volatile and competitive environment. “In order for South African Sauvignon Blanc to remain competitive and sustainable at a global scale, it is essential that we continue to celebrate and offer platforms to talented producers that allow them to hone and showcase their skills. Our local Sauvignon Blanc producers continue to produce great quality wine. As FNB, we are pleased to be associated with this exciting and growing part of our wine industry,” Claassen says.
Emanuele Bartolucci, Export Manager of EVER srl, congratulated the Top 10 winners in a video message from Italy. EVER, a leading international producer of winemaking solutions since 1973, has been trading in South Africa since 2006. “We are proud to have been a platinum partner of Sauvignon Blanc SA for the past two years, alongside our South African sister company, EVER Solutions. This collaboration is a great example of how we can all grow together, and we are excited to continue our partnership. Congratulations to the Top 10 winners and to all Sauvignon Blanc producers. We are looking forward to the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in South Africa in 2023.”
Taste, buy and learn more about the Top 10
- What do the judges say? Watch a short video of the judging at www.sauvignonblanc.com/top10awards.
- A tasting of the 2022 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 wines takes place (less than 24 hours after the announcement) on Friday 14 October 2022 from 13:00 to 14:00 at the Toyota US Woordfees. Tickets are available at R130 per person at WebTickets and at R150 per person at the door (if still available).
- An online booklet with tasting notes of the Top 10 wines is available free of charge at www.sauvignonblanc.com.
- Buy the 2022 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 collection online via www.wineofthemonth.co.za or at Wine Stellenbosch TOPS.
- Chat with us about the #FNBSauvignonBlancSATop10 and follow Sauvignon Blanc SA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as @sauvignonblancsa and on Twitter @SauvignonSA.
Local and international
Sauvignon Blanc SA promotes South African Sauvignon Blanc locally and internationally. A technical seminar will be held on Wednesday 30 November 2022 in collaboration with the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University. The Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, the biggest and most important international competition dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc, takes place outside Europe for the first time in its 14-year existence when Sauvignon Blanc SA presents this competition from 13 to 17 March 2023 in Franschhoek.
For more information on membership, or to subscribe to the Sauvignon Blanc SA newsletter, visit www.sauvignonblanc.com or call 021 975 4440.
