The news was announced on Saturday, 21 May 2022 in the Calabrian city of Cosenza in Italy, to an audience of 310 wine experts representing 45 nationalities, at the international Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
The competition is hosted by the cultivar association Sauvignon Blanc South Africa in partnership with national, as well as international partners.
Over the past decade, the competition has taken place in winegrowing regions all over Europe including Bordeaux, Touraine, Styria, Rueda, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Torres Vedras. Sauvignon Blanc has in recent years become an extremely popular varietal in the international marketplace.
"Sauvignon Blanc is South Africa’s top-selling cultivar and our most exported varietal," says RJ Botha, Sauvignon Blanc SA Chairman. "South African Sauvignon Blanc is a unique asset which helps build and maintain a strong brand reputation for the country. It makes perfect sense to host this competition, the largest and most significant international competition entirely dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc, in the Cape Winelands. To be the first host ever outside of Europe and in the Southern Hemisphere is an amazing accomplishment for our country and our wine industry."
"We are excited to work closely with our platinum partners: Wesgro, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Vinventions, as well as our bronze partners: Boutes South Africa, Tonnellerie Sylvain, Enartis and Beveratech to bring together hand-picked specialists from around the world to taste and evaluate some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc wines.
"The Concours Mondial du Sauvignon is more than just a competition between producers and appellations. It is aimed at fostering dialogue and creating a meeting point for industry specialists. In 2022, a total of 1,120 entries from 23 producer countries were evaluated by over 70 judges representing 20 nationalities, guaranteeing the outstanding diversity that sets the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon apart from other wine competitions.
"We look forward to hosting these international members of the wine industry, journalists, and wine writers on local soil. We are excited to introduce them to our country, our people, and our unique South African hospitality," concludes Botha.
