A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME opportunity to showcase our country, our winemaking community and our Sauvignon Blanc on an international stage is around the corner. The excitement of hosting the biggest and most prestigious Sauvignon Blanc competition in the world for the first time in a New World Country, on African and specifically South African soil, is tangible.
Concours Mondial Du Sauvignon will take place in Franschhoek from 13 to 17 March 2023. Sauvignon Blanc regions will be showcased through excursions to Durbanville, Constantia and Stellenbosch. The results will be announced on 20 March in Düsseldorf, Germany, at Prowein.
“This is a dream come true,” says RJ Botha, Chairman of Sauvignon Blanc SA. “We started negotiations four years ago, and after months of discussions, and bringing partners on board, it’s here. What a wonderful opportunity for our cultivar organisation, our wine industry, and our country, to showcase our resilience, excellence and Mzansi magic.”
More than 1 000 wines will compete for the attention of 50 judges of which 40 are international and 10 are South African wine experts. The esteemed tasters hail from Europe, South America, Great Britain as well as the United States (full list here). Renowned SA judges are Cape Wine Masters Dr Winnie Bowman and René Groenewald, as well as Heidi Duminy, Francois Rautenbach, Dr Carien Coetzee, Cathy Marston, Christian Eedes, Fiona McDonald, Joseph Dhafana, and Malu Lambert.
Bringing this competition to home soil was no mean feat. “Collective support was instrumental in making this bid a reality,” says Botha. “Thank you to our platinum partners, Vinventions, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, the National Convention Bureau and WESGRO, and all other partners.”
Good news for Sauvignon Blanc enthusiasts is that an Around the World Sauvignon Safari will be hosted in the Cape Winelands in celebration of International Sauvignon Blanc Day during May 2023, offering a taste of Concours competing wines.
Follow Sauvignon Blanc SA on Twitter as @SauvignonSA and on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as @sauvignonblancsa, and join the conversation with #CMSauvignon and #SauvignonBlancSA. For more information, click here, or contact Sauvignon Blanc SA at [email protected] or 082 808 1114.
