WITH the 2026 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 awards, the number of South African Sauvignons most highly rated by the top panels of judges during the year to date climbed to 37 – see below, with the Top 10 announced by the SA Sauvignon Blanc association highlighted in green, and the top SA Sauvignon Blanc track records over the past 10 years listed here.
The Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 competition attracted 159 entries from 95 producers in this, the country's biggest and most popular category of wines. At the premium end of the market, there appears be an ongoing shift towards wooded styles, with six of the Top 10 winners having spent time in barrel. And in terms of which wine routes include the most top Sauvignon cellars, Stellenbosch has the edge on Durbanville, followed by Elgin and Franschhoek – bearing in mind that many wineries truck in grapes from areas outside their production areas, e.g. from Elgin in the case of Tokara Reserve (Stellenbosch cellar), or from Stellenbosch in the case of Wildeberg Terroirs (Franschhoek cellar).
MOST HIGHLY RATED IN 2026
Alvi's Drift Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025
96/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R165pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Benguela Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2025
95/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R195pb ex-cellar, Hermanus
Black Oystercatcher Blanc Fumé 2017
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R370pb ex-cellar, Elim-Cape Agulhas
Black Oystercatcher Sauvignon Blanc 2010
97/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
Museum Class, Elim-Cape Agulhas cellar
Black Oystercatcher Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2016
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R370pb ex-cellar, Elim-Cape Agulhas
Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2025
96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
R175pb ex-Anthonij Rupert cellar, Franschhoek
Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R158pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Cilmor Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2021
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R135pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Constantia Glen Sauvignon Blanc 2025
96/100 in Internation Wine & Spirit Competition (UK)
R220pb ex-cellar, Constantia Nek-Cape Town
De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
95/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R270pb ex-cellar, Panorama-Durbanville
De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2019
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R500pb ex-cellar, Panorama-Durbanville
Diemersdal Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Master Award at Global Wine Masters (UK)
R320pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Diemersdal Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2021
96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
Museum Class, Durbanville cellar
Fryer's Cove Hollebaksstrandfontein Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Best in Class at Terroir Wine Awards (SA)
R500pb ex-cellar, Doringbaai-Banboes Bay
Ghost Corner Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2025
95/100 at Decanter World Wine Awards (UK)
95/100 in International Wine Challenge (UK)
R340pb ex-Cederberg cellar, Cederberg
Groot Phesantekraal Marizanne 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R285pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Hazendal Bottelary Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2025
95/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R139pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Hermanuspietersfontein Sondagskloof Sauvignon Blanc 2024
96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
R265pb ex-cellar, Hemel-en-Aarde Village
Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2022
Best in Class at National Wine Challenge (SA)
R350pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Iona Sauvignon Blanc 2026
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R214pb ex-cellar, Elgin
KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2024
96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
R109pb ex-cellar, Paarl
La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R190pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Mellish Bakenkop Blanc Fumé 2020
96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
Museum Class, Durbanville cellar
Land's End Cape Agulhas Sauvignon Blanc 2023
95/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R120pb ex-Du Toitskloof cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Lomond Seven Rows Ben Nevis Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R275pb ex-cellar, Gansbaai-Cape Agulhas
Misty Mountains AnaMae 2023
97/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R195pb ex-cellar, Stanford
Nitida Golden Orb 2018
97/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R615pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Nitida Sauvignon Blanc 2017
98/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
Museum Class, Durbanville cellar
Nitida Wild Child 2025
97/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R200pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Nitida Wild Child 2020
96/100 on Gilbert & Gaillard (FR)
R270pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2025
95/100 at Fine Wine Awards (SA)
R125pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Quoin Rock Nicobar 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R515pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2023
R96/100 at Trophy Wine Show (SA)
R275pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Steenberg Black Swan Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R320pb ex-cellar, Tokai-Constantia, Cape Town
Tokara Reserve Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R195pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Wildeberg Terroirs Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10
R325pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Zevenwacht Z Sauvignon Blanc 2025
95/100 at Decanter World Wine Awards
R330pb ex-cellar, Kuils River-Stellenbosch