FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 names 20 finalists for 2026
FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 names 20 finalists for 2026. The FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 has announced 20 finalists from 159 entries submitted by 95 producers, as the competition marks its 20th year.
The finalists span wines from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 vintages, with 11 wines from the 2025 competition, seven from 2026 and two from 2024.
Half of the 20 finalists are wooded wines, ranging from those with a more pronounced barrel influence to wines that are predominantly tank-fermented with smaller portions of older oak.
Dr Carien Coetzee, who convened the judging panel, said the leading wines demonstrated balance, concentration and varietal expression. Judges also noted the ageing potential of several wines and the range of regions and vintages represented.
The finalists include Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2025, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Escape Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2024 and Fryer’s Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2026.
Other finalists include 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 and Steenberg Black Swan 2025.
The judging panel included Coetzee, Dr Winifred Bowman, Anton Swarts, Morgan Steyn and Johann Fourie. Cape Winemakers Guild protégés Reneilwe Senosha and Marché Hendricks participated as guest judges.
For the second year, Sauvignon Blanc SA partnered with French company Winespace to use the TASTEE judging platform. The system enables real-time scoring and data tracking and generates sensory profiles from judges’ tasting notes.
The Sauvignon Blanc Aroma Wheel, developed in 2025 by Stellenbosch University’s South African Grape and Wine Research Institute and Sauvignon Blanc SA with industry experts, was also used.
The Top 10 wines will be announced at the FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 awards on 14 October 2026.
