South African sauvignon blanc producers walked away with 30 medals at the Sauvignon Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2026, with one wine earning the country’s top honour at the international competition.
The benchmark competition, held earlier this month in Varaždin, Croatia, brought together nearly 1 000 samples from 25 countries. Fifty international experts conducted blind tastings of wines made exclusively from the sauvignon grape variety.
South Africa recorded a 12.5% increase in entries compared to the previous year, with 30 medals awarded including one grand gold and 13 gold medals.
Alvi’s Drift Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2024 won the Vinolok Trophy South Africa Revelation Award for the top South African sauvignon blanc. The wine also earned a grand gold medal, a distinction awarded to only 18 wines across all countries this year.
South Africa’s gold medal winners:
Sweef Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Convergence Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Diemersdal Wild Horseshoe Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Alvi’s Drift 221 Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Alvi’s Drift Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2024
Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Escapades Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Boschendal Appellation Series Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Zorgvliet Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A further 16 South African wines received silver medals. Thirty-one local wines achieved the new CMB Merit label, awarded to wines scoring 86 points or more without receiving a medal.
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Elunda Basson, chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc South Africa and cellar master at Steenberg Vineyards, said international recognition remains the benchmark for the category.
“Local recognition is important to us, but it is on the international stage that the true quality of South African sauvignon blanc is tested,” she said. “When our wines are assessed by judges who understand the global profile of sauvignon blanc and still win top honours, it confirms that we belong among the world’s best.”
The competition also saw strong performances from France, Austria, Italy and New Zealand.
Full results are available at sauvignonselection.com.
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