Wines created by vitners of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine farms featured among the best of the best in the 20th FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition.

The annual challenge, presented by Sauvignon Blanc South Africa, FNB and Ever Solutions, celebrates the progress of the varietal in South Africa and pays tribute to a challenging 2025 vintage that delivered exceptional results.

The 10 winning wines – nine from the 2025 vintage and one from 2026 – demonstrate the cultivar’s versatility and the distinctive character of its growing regions.

The winners were announced during a ceremony at Weltevreden Wine Estate in Stellenbosch on Wednesday 14 October.

The garden celebration brought together wine, art and music, with masters of ceremonies Ryan O’Connor and Success Lekabe treating guests to a sculpture hunt that culminated in the reveal of the top 10 wines from the 20 finalists.

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The 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 are:

• Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (wooded) – Cape Town, Coastal Region (Stellenbosch)
• De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (wooded) – Cape West Coast, Coastal Region
• Groot Phesantekraal Marizanne 2025 (wooded) – Cape Town, Coastal Region
• Iona Elgin Highlands Sauvignon Blanc 2026 (unwooded) – Elgin, Cape South Coast
• La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (wooded) – Cape South Coast (Franschhoek)
• Lomond Seven Rows Ben Nevis Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (wooded) – Cape Agulhas, Cape South Coast
• Quoin Rock Nicobar Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (wooded) – Western Cape (Stellenbosch)
• Steenberg Black Swan 2025 (unwooded) – Constantia, Coastal Region
• Tokara Reserve Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (unwooded) – Elgin, Cape South Coast (Stellenbosch)
• Wildeberg Terroirs Sauvignon Blanc 2025 (unwooded) – Stellenbosch, Coastal Region (Stellenbosch)

Exploration of texture and complexity

The 2026 competition attracted 159 entries from 95 producers, spanning four vintages. It remains SA’s only competition dedicated exclusively to sauvignon blanc.

Six wooded and four unwooded wines feature in this year’s winning selection, reflecting the breadth of styles being explored by winemakers.

“The presence of wooded expressions alongside fresher, unwooded wines shows that South African producers are not tied to a single formula,” says oenologist Dr Carien Coetzee, who convened the judging panel.

“Winemakers are exploring texture and complexity while retaining the vibrancy that makes sauvignon blanc so appealing. Across all styles, these wines share precision, clear varietal character and a strong sense of place. Together, they confirm what many of us suspected: that 2025 was an exceptional year for sauvignon blanc in SA.”

Coetzee led an expert panel comprising Dr Winifred Bowman (Cape Wine Master, CWM) and international judge; Anton Swarts CWM, procurement manager and senior winemaker at Spier Wine Estate; Morgan Steyn, winemaker at De Grendel Wine Estate and Sauvignon Blanc SA committee member; Johann Fourie, cellarmaster at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate; and Cape Winemakers Guild protégés Reneilwe Senosha and Marché Hendricks as guest judges.

Two decades of growing

“This 20th edition of the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 is an opportunity to recognise how far South African Sauvignon Blanc has progressed,” says Elunda Basson, chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc SA.

“Over two decades, the competition has helped producers showcase their wines, explore new possibilities and build recognition for the quality and diversity of our cultivar. As producers continue to refine their craft and push stylistic boundaries, we are broadening perceptions of what South African sauvignon blanc can be.

“This milestone belongs to the producers who continue to raise the bar and to our partners, whose support enables us to invest in the reputation and future of South African Sauvignon Blanc. We extend our sincere thanks to our title partner, FNB, our platinum partner, EVER Solutions, and all our other partners. We look forward to the next twenty years of discovery, diversity and distinction.”

Taste and learn more

The top 10 winners will display the distinctive, cultivar leaf-shaped logo on their labels. Wine lovers can buy the collection online at GetWine and at Wine Stellenbosch TOPS and KwikSpar Somerset West @Lion’s Square.

A booklet featuring tasting notes on the winning wines and the sauvignon blanc aroma wheel can be downloaded here.

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