SA's savviest wine competition presented for the sixth time

31 July 2012  by Sauvignon Blanc Top 10

With two weeks to go before the closing of entries for the sixth annual Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Competition, a steady stream of samples has been arriving at The Wine Cellar, Observatory, where judging will be taking place from 14 to 17 August 2012 by an experienced panel of judges.

The competition is being run under the auspices of the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group (SBIG), the not-for-profit organisation that aims to increase the awareness of the top-quality Sauvignon Blanc wines produced in all regions of South Africa.

FNB is on board again as sponsor for the competition, and has committed to ensuring that the competition builds on the successes of the past.

Stephan Claassen, FNB Western Cape Chairman, believes that, “FNB and the Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Competition is a natural match, as both aim to identify, and provide, the best quality products and services available in the marketplace.

Through the sponsorship of the competition, FNB is proud to be a supporter of the wine industry and continuously encourages the local and international development of this dynamic industry. This is further supported by our three year commitment to the competition, and developing a long term commercial relationship with the wine industry.”

Christian Eedes, who has been on the panel since the inception of the competition, and who has acted as convenor of judges for the last four years, will again be ensuring that each and every wine entered is given a fair chance to be awarded the ultimate accolade of a place in the Top 10.

Looking back on the last five years of the competition, Eedes comments: “The competition came about in order to promote innovation and excellence in the category.

By the very nature of Sauvignon Blanc, there is a lot of commercially safe but unremarkable wine around but if the category is really going to flourish, then it's important that those endeavouring to make wines of true distinction are rewarded.”

The other judges on the panel are:
Miguel Chan – Group Sommelier, Tsogo Sun
Mark Norrish – GM Wine Division, Ultra Liquors
Richard Kershaw – Master of Wine and Winemaker
Erika Obermeyer – Winemaker and Chairperson of the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group (SBIG)

The FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Competition aims to reward the full spectrum of styles of South African Sauvignon Blanc with quality being the only judging criteria. In 2011 the Top 10 consisted of wines made from grapes originating as far afield as Cederberg, Lutzville, Breedekloof and Cape Agulhas with the more well-known areas such as Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Elgin and Darling also represented in the final line-up.

As was the case for the 2011 competition where a total of 169 entries were received, the Top 20 Sauvignon Blanc wines of 2012 will be announced shortly after judging has taken place.

The producers of these wines will be invited to the awards ceremony to be held at Cassia Restaurant, Durbanville on Thursday the 13th of September where an exciting food-and-wine pairing event, devised by a few of the Cape’s top chefs, will accompany the Top 20 wines.

The 100 VIP’s, media representatives and winemakers present at the awards ceremony will all be given the opportunity to give their prediction of the final Top 10, with the person getting closest to the mark winning a brand new Apple iPad 3, courtesy of FNB.

The Top 20 wines will also be showcased at the Montecasino Sauvignon Blanc Festival in Johannesburg from 31 August to 2 September, as

http://www.montecasino.co.za/whatson/Events/Pages/SpringSauvignonBlancFestival.aspx 

as at Cape Wine 2012 to be held at the CTICC, Cape Town, from 25 to 27 September 2012. Other public tastings will also be presented at a number of venues during October and November.

The FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blanc Awards are without a doubt the crowning glory for any Sauvignon Blanc producer, and landing a spot in the Top 10 a worthy reward for all of the effort and energy invested in the vineyard and the winery.

To request an entry form, or for any further information, please feel free to contact the secretary of the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group (SBIG), Pieter de Waal on sbig@dW.co.za or 083 357 3864