No less than 160 wines from 91 producers are competing for a coveted place in the 2024 FNB Sauvignon Blanc’s SA Top 10.
This year’s competition drew strong entries across several vintages. Over three days, from 27 to 29 August, a panel of esteemed judges evaluated the entries at Uitkyk Estate in Stellenbosch, led by Cape Wine Master Dr. Winifred Bowman.
Joining Dr. Bowman on the panel were prominent wine experts Johann Fourie, head winemaker at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate; Dr. Carien Coetzee, oenologist at Basic Wine; Morgan Steyn, winemaker at De Grendel Wines; and Mahalia Kotjane, owner-winemaker of Three Quarter Wines. Two protégé judges, Kelsey Nel, assistant winemaker at Hartenberg Wine Estate, and Anke van Zyl, an intern at Neil Ellis Wines, also joined.
Both wooded and unwooded styles show class, balance, and texture
The panel particularly praised the 2023 vintage for its pure varietal expression. Bowman noted the effective use of lees aging in unwooded entries, enhancing complexity and texture, while in wooded examples, oak added depth without overpowering the fruit flavours. The panel also highlighted the balance and vibrancy across the entire style spectrum of the 2024 vintage.
“The best wines exhibited class, balance, and texture,” Bowman said, adding that many excellent wines missed the final cut only by small margins.
Bowman praised Sauvignon Blanc SA for their continued efforts in keeping the variety in the spotlight, acknowledging its status as the country’s best-selling cultivar.
Acknowledging industry support
Coetzee, a member of the Sauvignon Blanc SA managing committee, expressed gratitude for the support of the long-term partners of the competition, which has been hosted since 2007. “The collaboration with FNB as Top 10 title partner and EVER Solutions as platinum partner is crucial to our ongoing pursuit of excellence in Sauvignon Blanc,” she said.
Important dates
The twenty finalists will be announced later this month, with the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 revealed at the awards event on Wednesday 16 October. A technical seminar and the Sauvignon Blanc SA Annual General Meeting are scheduled for Thursday 21 November at Hazendal Wine Estate.
For more information, send an e-mail or call 082 808 1114. Follow Sauvignon Blanc SA on Twitter (@SauvignonSA), and on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (@sauvignonblancsa) and join the conversation using #SauvignonBlancSA.
Photo caption: The 2024 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition judging panel included leading wine experts. Front from left is Pia Carstens from Ever South Africa; Anke van Zyl, an intern at Neil Ellis Wines; the panel convenor and Cape Wine Master Dr. Winifred Bowman; Dr. Carien Coetzee, oenologist of Basic Wine; and Morgan Steyn, winemaker of De Grendel Wines. Back from left are Johann Fourie, head winemaker of Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate; Mahalia Kotjane, owner-winemaker of Three Quarter Wines; Arno Cloete from FNB Agriculture and Kelsey Nel, assistant winemaker at Hartenberg Wine Estate. Photo: Natalie Gabriels Photography.
Issued by: Sauvignon Blanc South Africa
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