Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report 2024: Top 10
By Christian Eedes, 27 August 2024
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Introduction
This year’s Sauvignon Blanc Report convened by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by global financial services company Prescient is now out. There were 98 examples of single-variety Sauvignon Blanc and 20 Sauv-Sem blends received and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
Sauvignon Blanc Top 10
The 10 best are as follows:
95
De Grendel Koetshuis 2023
Price: R235
Wine of Origin: Cape West Coast
Abv: 13.28%
94
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Cape Mist 2023
Price: R140
Wine of Origin: Durbanville, Cape Town
Abv: 14.38%
94
Eagles’ Nest Constantia 2023
Price: R195
Wine of Origin: Constantia
Abv: 13.5%
94
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2023
Price: R284
Wine of Origin: Coastal Region
Abv: 13.5%
94
Land’s End Cape Agulhas 2022
Price: R165
Wine of Origin: Cape Agulhas
Abv: 13.787%
94
Le Grand Domaine The Pledge Our Darling 2023
Price: R150
Wine of Origin: Darling
Abv: 13.35%
94
The Giant Periwinkle Blanc Fumé 2021
Price: R300
Wine of Origin: Cape South Coast
Abv: 12.51%
94
Zevenwacht Estate 2023
Price: R120
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.88%
93
Constantia Royale 2022
Price: R160
Wine of Origin: Constantia
Abv: 14%
93
Groot Phesantekraal 2024
Price: R105
Wine of Origin: Cape Town
Abv: 13.44%
Sauv-Sem Blends Top Four
The six best are as follows:
96
Morgenster The Reserve White 2023
Price: R360
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.07%
95
Constantia Royale Don’s Reserve 2022
Price: R300
Wine of Origin: Constantia
Abv: 13.75%
95
Durbanville Hills The Tangram 2022
Price: R245
Wine of Origin: Durbanville, Cape Town
Abv: 13.44%
95
Tokara Director’s Reserve White 2021
Price: R340
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.5%
About the category
Sauvignon Blanc is an extremely popular variety that typically makes aromatic, crisp, dry and extremely distinctive wines all over the world. The appellations of Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre in the central France’s Loire Valley produce benchmark versions of the variety while New Zealand has also become closely associated with it in modern times. In Bordeaux, meanwhile, Sauvignon is frequently blended with Semillon to good effect.
Most Sauvignon Blanc is fermented at relatively low temperatures in stainless steel with the intention of preserving as much primary fruit as possible. Picking dates and winemaking have a huge influence on style, but the best examples provide a recognisable sense of place, too. Barrel fermentation and maturation as well as the addition of Semillon are two ploys to provide the wines from the variety with extra depth and complexity.
What does a top Sauvignon Blanc go for?
The average price of the 59 wines to rate 90-plus is R194 a bottle and of the Top 10 is R185.
Best Buy
Offering the best quality relative to price is Charles Lang & Daughter Limited Release NV with a rating of 90 and selling for R45 a bottle.
The nose shows a grassy top note before citrus and peach. Clean and fresh on the palate
In-depth analysis
To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines, buyers guide and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report 2024
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