A record number of 1,210 Sauvignon wines across the globe this year competed for the highly coveted Concours Mondial du Sauvignon medals.
Fifty international judges awarded silver and gold medals to wines from 20 countries, announced on Monday 20 March at ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany.
South Africa makes significant headway
South Africa ratified its ranking as a major Sauvignon Blanc producer country, winning 56 medals – 26 gold medals (see list below) and 30 silver medals – along with an international trophy.
The Villiera Bush Vine 2022 by Villiera Wines was awarded the Tonnellerie Sylvain trophy which rewards the best wine matured in oak casks.
Darling Cellars’ Gustus Sauvignon Blanc 2020 received the Revelation South Africa trophy for the best-performing South African wine at the show.
South Africa was well represented with a record number of nearly 13% of entries. France continues to dominate with 40% of wines entered, also winning the International Trophy for the Best Blend of Gascon wine for the Saint-Lannes Sauvignon Chardonnay by Duffour Père & Fils. It is followed by Austria with 225 wines entered (18.6%), with the Dubourdieu Trophy for the top Sauvignon in the competition coming from Steiermark, awarded to Sauvignon Blanc Sieme Eichberg by the Adam-Lieleg winery. Italy and New Zealand complete the top five line-ups of participating countries.
Showcasing South Africa to the world
This 14th edition of the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, the first outside of Europe, was hosted by Sauvignon Blanc South Africa in Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands, together with the international organisers, the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. In addition to the tastings, the 50 judges from across 4 continents and 19 nationalities, including journalists, winemakers, and buyers, discovered the diversity of South Africa’s wine regions through conferences, visits, and opportunities for engagement with the local wine industry.
According to RJ Botha, Chairman of Sauvignon Blanc SA, the competition was a huge success. “We are extremely proud of all the compliments that continue to pour in for our country, people, and wines,” Botha says. “We are confident that this is only the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, and it was a pleasure to collaborate with the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles organising team.”
“Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone for their support in hosting the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in South Africa, including our platinum partners, Vinventions, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, the National Convention Bureau and WESGRO, our bronze partners Boutes, Tonnellerie Garonnaise, Tonnellerie Sylvain, Enartis, Beveratech, FNB, Porex, Hillebrand GORI, and Anchor Oenology, as well as Wines of South Africa (WoSA) and all other partners.”
South African gold medal winners are:
- Almenkerk Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- Blaauwklippen Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Rustenberg Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Rustenberg Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Alvi’s Drift Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Groot Phesantekraal Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Maastricht Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Vrede en Lust Artisan Blanc Fumé 2020
- Vrede en Lust Artisan Blanc Fumé 2021
- Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2020
- Diemersdal Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2022
- Lomond 7Rows Ben Nevis Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- Darling Cellars Gustus Sauvignon Blanc 2020 (Revelation South Africa)
- Darling Cellars Lady Ann Darling 2021
- Du Toitskloof Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Cape Garden Cape Town Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- Durbanville Hills The Tangram White Blend 2020
- Durbanville Hills Cool Climate Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Spier Seaward Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Spier Good Natured Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Spier Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Grand Vin De Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- The Pledge Our Origin Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- Zorgvliet Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2022
- Villiera Bush Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Tonnellerie Sylvain Trophy – Revelation Oaked Sauvignon)
- Vergelegen Schaapenberg Sauvignon Blanc 2021
View the full results here: www.resultats.cmsauvignon.com/en/results.
Taste Sauvignon Blancs from around the world
The good news for Sauvignon Blanc enthusiasts is that in celebration of International Sauvignon Blanc Day in May, Sauvignon Blanc SA will host a Sauvignon Safari with tastings of participating Concours competing wines from around the world.
For more information, visit www.sauvignonblanc.com or contact Sauvignon Blanc SA at in**@sa************.com or 082 808 1114.
Follow Sauvignon Blanc SA on Twitter as @SauvignonSA and on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn as @sauvignonblancsa, and join the conversation with #CMSauvignon and #SauvignonBlancSA.
South African Sauvignon Blanc snapshot
- Sauvignon is the best-selling varietal in the domestic market – with 14.3 million litres in 2022 – and the most exported, at 67.7 million litres.
- Currently, Sauvignon holds a 12.2% share of the total area under vine in South Africa and is the second-most planted grape in the country, irrespective of colour.
- The introduction of Sauvignon to South Africa cannot be precisely dated but it is known that Sauvignon vines were planted at the highly lauded Groot Constantia estate in the late 1880s. The first commercial Sauvignon varietal wine was produced by Verdun (now Asara) in 1977, with Backsberg and De Wetshof entering the fray in 1980. The oldest existing Sauvignon vineyards (planted in 1965) can be found at Spice Route’s Klein Amoskuil in the Swartland.
