Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report 2020: Wooded Top 10
Introduction
This year’s Sauvignon Blanc Report convened by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient is to be released sequentially. There were 115 entries in total and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
Wooded Top 10
The 10 best wooded wines are as follows:
Benguela Cove Estate 2019
Price: R170
Wine of Origin: Walker Bay
Abv: 13.71%
Cape Point Vineyards Reserve 2019
Price: R210
Wine of Origin: Cape Town
Abv: 13.78%
DA Hanekom Familie Wyne Klipmuur 2018
Price: R185
Wine of Origin: Durbanville
Abv: 14.2%
Groote Post Seasalter 2020
Price: R151
Wine of Origin: Darling
Abv: 13.99%
Iona Elgin Highlands Wild Ferment 2019
Price: R195
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Abv: 13.52%
Le Bonheur Blanc Fumé 2019
Price: R200
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 12.82%
Le Bonheur The Weather Blocks 2020
Price: R100
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 12.83%
Mulderbosch 2019
Price: R100
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.5%
Stark-Condé Round Mountain 2019
Price: R195
Wine of Origin: Jonkershoek Valley
Abv: 13%
The Giant Periwinkle Blanc Fumé 2019
Price: R200
Wine of Origin: Cape Agulhas
Abv: 13.43%
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 Wooded Sauvignon Blanc go for?
The average cellar-door price of the Top 10 is R170,60 a bottle with Le Bonheur The Weather Blocks 2020 and Mulderbosch 2019 jointly the most affordable at R100 each.
In-depth analysis
To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines, buyer’s guide and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report 2020