Press release
The 20th edition of South Africa’s only competition dedicated exclusively to Sauvignon Blanc attracted 159 entries from 95 producers, all competing for a place in the 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10.
Presented by Sauvignon Blanc South Africa, together with Top 10 Title Partner FNB and Platinum Partner Ever Solutions South Africa, judging took place over three days from Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 August 2026 at Bontevlei outside Stellenbosch.
The entries, spanning five vintages (2022–2026), were judged by an expert panel convened by oenologist Dr Carien Coetzee. Joining her were Dr Winifred Bowman, Cape Wine Master and esteemed international judge; Anton Swarts, Cape Wine Master, procurement manager and senior winemaker at Spier Wine Estate; Morgan Steyn, winemaker at De Grendel Wine Estate and a committee member of Sauvignon Blanc SA; Johann Fourie, cellarmaster at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate; and two Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) protégés as guest judges, Reneilwe Senosha, an intern at Neil Ellis Wines, and Marché Hendricks, an intern at Warwick Wine Estate.
Above: A panel of leading wine experts, convened by oenologist Dr Carien Coetzee, gathered for three days, from 25 to 27 August, at Bontevlei in Stellenbosch to identify the country’s finest Sauvignon Blanc wines in the 20th edition of the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition. From left are Cape Winemakers Guild protégé Marché Hendricks, Cape Wine Master Anton Swarts of Spier Wine Farm, Cape Winemakers Guild protégé Reneilwe Senosha, Andries van Zyl of FNB Agriculture, Cape Wine Master Dr Winifred Bowman, panel convenor Dr Carien Coetzee, Bennie Avenant of Ever Solutions SA, Morgan Steyn of De Grendel Wine Estate, Elunda Basson of Steenberg Vineyards and Chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc SA, Mélanie Briers of Tonnellerie Sylvain and Johann Fourie of Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate. Photo: Natalie Gabriels Photography.
Refined precision, balance and oak integration
Coetzee says the entries reflected the diversity of South African Sauvignon Blanc, as well as a high level of technical skill across styles and vintages.
“In the unwooded category, the 2026 vintage delivered a range of clean, well-made Sauvignon Blanc wines, with technical precision evident across the entries,” says Coetzee. “While the warm season meant that expressive varietal intensity was sometimes softer, the top wines clearly demonstrated the vintage’s potential for excellence, as well as some wines with promising ageing potential.
“The 2025 vintage produced a range of elegant and varietally expressive Sauvignon Blancs. The cooler growing conditions appear to have favoured the retention of fruit and cultivar character, with delicate aromatics and good varietal purity evident across many of the entries. Acidity was very well controlled, with a rounded, integrated quality that contributed to a sense of fullness and elegance.”
A particularly positive observation from the panel was the continued refinement in the use of oak in Sauvignon Blanc. The strongest wooded wines showed greater restraint, with oak contributing texture and complexity without overshadowing the cultivar’s character.
The judges noted that winemakers are increasingly using oak as part of the wine’s structure rather than as a dominant flavour, with well-integrated examples retaining freshness while gaining depth and complexity.
Above: Dr Carien Coetzee, the panel convenor of the 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 judging panel. Photo: Natalie Gabriels Photography.
Top 20 to be announced on 14 September, Top 10 on 14 October
The Top 20 finalists will be announced on Monday 14 September, followed by the reveal of the 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 on Wednesday 14 October at the prestigious FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 Awards.
Elunda Basson, Chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc South Africa, says the 20th year of the competition is an important milestone for the association and the category.
“We are grateful for the support of our long-time Title Partner FNB, Platinum Partner Ever Solutions SA, and all our other partners. Their continued support enables us not only to recognise excellence in Sauvignon Blanc, but also to invest in initiatives that contribute to the credibility, innovation and premiumisation of the category.
“French cooperage Tonnellerie Sylvain supported our collaboration with French company Winespace for a second year, allowing us to use the TASTEE judging platform for real-time tracking of scores. This technology gives judges immediate access to data during the evaluation. For the top-performing wines, judges’ tasting notes are used to generate sensory profiles, providing winemakers with valuable, data-driven insights that are shared confidentially.”
Basson says the association is looking forward to sharing more Sauvignon Blanc stories with consumers and the trade in the months ahead:
- On Thursday 8 October at 18:00, The Story of Sauvignon Blanc will form part of the lifestyle programme of the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees. The event will explore the stories behind the cultivar, together with Stellenbosch winemakers led by RJ Botha, Cellarmaster at Kleine Zalze Wines, accompanied by a tasting of Sauvignon Blancs ranging from fresh coastal styles to more complex wines with ageing potential. The ticket includes a copy of The Story of South African Sauvignon Blanc, a coffee-table book featuring 100 stories. Tickets can be booked through Quicket (https://www.quicket.co.za/events/377941-die-storie-van-sauvignon-blanc).
- The Sauvignon Blanc SA Seminar and AGM follows on Wednesday 11 November, offering producers cultivar-specific insights and an opportunity to engage with developments in the category.
For more information, visit sauvignonblanc.com or contact [email protected] or 083 256 9814. Follow Sauvignon Blanc SA on X (@SauvignonSA), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn (@sauvignonblancsa), and join the conversation using #SauvignonBlancSA.
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