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EDITORIAL
PHILIPPE GAILLARD - EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
SOUTH AFRICA AND ITS SAUVIGNON BLANC ERA
Sauvignon blanc has long appealed to many wine
regions around the world, from the Loire Valley to
Bordeaux, New Zealand and Italy via Chile. It has also
gained traction in South Africa and birthed extremely high
quality wines in vineyards virtually across the Cape, both
in the Northern Cape and in every corner of the Western
Cape, in Robertson, Stellenbosch and Breedekloof. From
here, it gravitates towards the coast and the cool slopes
of the undulating valleys (Cape Town and the Cape South
Coast), then climbs in altitude in the continental Cederberg,
where it foils the hazards of the heat and drought,
and the dangers of the wind. This myriad of vineyard sites,
elevations and exposures elicits multiple personas from
Sauvignon.
The varietal has been grown in South Africa since 1880, at
Groot Constantia, and has successfully continued to play
a significant part in the wine industry with 9,987 hectares
under vine. It is the country’s second most widely planted
grape variety. A trade association that focuses on showcasing
and promoting the varietal – Sauvignon Blanc
South Africa – was established at the turn of the 2000s.
Its primary mission is to support the local wine industry,
and it also organises the annual FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top
10 annual competition to award innovation and excellence.
The event does not just establish a hierarchy – the ten best
wines are analysed at length and the information is shared
through technical seminars and workshops as part of an
outreach approach promoted by the association. The aim
is to enable all its members to benefit from all types of
information that can help them to move forward. Read
our fascinating report from within the country on page 70
to find out everything you need to know about ‘Sauvignon
mania’ in the Western Cape.
SUMMER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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