International Sauvignon Blanc Day is celebrated globally on the first Friday of May. This year, a long weekend and school holidays in South Africa set the perfect stage for a #SauvBlancDay celebration from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 May.
TRY A NEW STYLE – OR EIGHT
“Life’s too short to drink just one style of Sauvignon Blanc,” says Elunda Basson, Cellarmaster at Steenberg Vineyards and Chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc SA. “This May, we’re challenging everyone to step outside their comfort zone and try something new to celebrate #SauvBlancDay.”
“Sauvignon Blanc’s real strength lies in the diversity of our regions, the vision of our winemakers and the inspiring range of styles they create. Be a little adventurous this year and explore the incredible variety South African Sauvignon Blanc has to offer.”
“It’s often assumed there are only a few styles of Sauvignon Blanc,” says oenologist Dr Carien Coetzee, technical advisor to Sauvignon Blanc SA since 2016 and newly appointed convenor of the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 from 2025. “In truth, there are around eight core style categories, namely tropical, fruity, citrus, herbaceous, mineral, floral, toasted, and alternative.”
“Sauvignon Blanc styles often overlap or blend into one another, creating even more nuance,” Coetzee adds. “Do you always know exactly what you’re getting when you pick a bottle off the shelf? Not necessarily, but you might just find a new favourite. One thing’s certain: Sauvignon Blanc is always elegant, flavourful and full of finesse.”
According to Coetzee, competitions like the Sauvignon Selection by CMB (Concours Mondial de Bruxelles) and the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 offer wine lovers helpful guidance on what to try next.
TERROIR-DRIVEN, OAKED WINES AND OLDER VINTAGES SHINE
Now in its 18th year, the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition continues to celebrate innovation and excellence in the category. In 2024, 91 producers entered 160 wines.
A striking number of site-specific Sauvignon Blanc wines rose to the top, with winners representing three regions, six districts and seven wards. These included five from the Coastal Region, four from the Cape South Coast and one from the Breede River Valley.
Notably, six of the Top 10 were oaked, a style growing in popularity. That’s a big leap from just one oaked wine in 2021. Older vintages also stood out: seven winners were from 2023, two from 2024 and one from 2022, further underlining the ageing potential of South African Sauvignon Blanc.
STYLISTIC DIVERSITY IMPRESSES INTERNATIONAL JUDGES
At the world’s largest Sauvignon Blanc-only competition, the prestigious Sauvignon Selection by CMB, South African Sauvignon Blanc impressed international judges with its remarkable stylistic diversity. This is according to Coetzee, who was among the 60 judges from across the globe who gathered from 11 to 13 April 2025 in Burgas, Bulgaria.
More than 1,000 Sauvignon Blanc wines from 26 countries were judged in the competition’s 16th edition. South African producers earned 31 medals: one Grand Gold, seven Golds and 23 Silvers. Impressively, 48% of South African entries were awarded medals, the second-highest medal rate after New Zealand.
“South Africa’s performance reaffirms our reputation as a world-class producer and a serious contender globally,” says Coetzee. “To stay competitive, we must keep pushing boundaries, especially in the cellar. Just weeks ago, Diemersdal launched its first Sauvignon Blanc aged in unique glass globes called WineGlobes. Not only is it a first for the winery, it’s a first for the industry. No other producer has released a wine matured in a large-volume glass vessel before.”
THREE WINNING STYLES FROM ONE PRODUCER
Flagstone’s The Surge Sauvignon Blanc 2024 from Darling claimed a Grand Gold medal and the Revelation Trophy for the best South African wine in the 2025 Sauvignon Selection by CMB. The winery, who sources grapes from four distinct regions to create its diverse Sauvignon Blanc range, also received a Gold and a Silver.
“We’re incredibly proud of Flagstone’s three award-winning wines,” says Head Winemaker Gerhard Swart. “It’s an honour for The Surge 2024 to win the top award. Grown in the Darling Hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, it shows the hallmarks of cool-climate Sauvignon: green fig, granadilla, asparagus and citrus.”
“Our Free Run Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is a lighter, more tropical and citrus-driven wine with a touch of minerality, a blend of grapes from Walker Bay, Elgin and Stellenbosch. It’s like a chef using different flavours to create one exceptional dish.”
“Then there’s our Treaty Tree Classique White, a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend, partially fermented and aged in small French oak. It’s an excellent seafood pairing and shows yet another face of this multifaceted grape.”
Wine lovers can explore the award-winning Flagstone collection at their tasting room in the historic dynamite factory in Paardevlei, Somerset West.
