Ten South African Sauvignon Blanc Wines Named 2026 FNB Top 10 Winners
Ten South African Sauvignon Blanc Wines Named 2026 FNB Top 10 Winners. Sauvignon Blanc South Africa has announced the 10 winners of the 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10, with the competition reaching its 20th edition.
The winners were announced on Wednesday, 14 October, at Weltevreden Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. This year’s selection includes nine wines from the 2025 vintage and one from 2026.
The competition received 159 entries from 95 producers across four vintages. Six of the winning wines are wooded expressions, while four are unwooded.
Cape Town and Elgin feature prominently among the winning regions.
The 2026 winners, listed alphabetically, are Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2025, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Groot Phesantekraal Marizanne 2025, Iona Elgin Highlands Sauvignon Blanc 2026, La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Lomond Seven Rows Ben Nevis Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Quoin Rock Nicobar Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Steenberg Black Swan 2025, Tokara Reserve Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Wildeberg Terroirs Sauvignon Blanc 2025.
Dr Carien Coetzee, who convened the judging panel, said the combination of wooded and unwooded wines reflected the range of styles being explored by South African winemakers.
She said the winning wines demonstrated precision, varietal character and a sense of place, while describing 2025 as an exceptional year for Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa.
The judging panel included wine professionals Dr Winifred Bowman, Anton Swarts, Morgan Steyn and Johann Fourie, alongside Cape Winemakers Guild protégés Reneilwe Senosha and Marché Hendricks.
Sauvignon Blanc SA chairperson Elunda Basson said the 20th edition provided an opportunity to recognise developments in South African Sauvignon Blanc over the past two decades.
FNB Commercial provincial head for the Western and Eastern Cape Stephan Claassen also congratulated the winners, highlighting the bank’s long-term partnership with Sauvignon Blanc SA.
The 2026 Top 10 wines are available through selected retailers and online platforms, with the winning wines identifiable by the Sauvignon Blanc SA cultivar leaf-shaped logo.
