Sauvignon Blanc: What’s Makes It SA’s Most Popular Wine?

Sauvignon Blanc is a summer staple amongst South Africans due to its fruit-driven, aromatic and fruit-forward flavours and crisp, invigorating acidity. In 2021, the local market bought approximately 28.8 million bottles of Sauvignon Blanc wine, but what makes this wine so popular, and how did it make its way to South African shores?

In this blog post, we will explore the origins of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa, explain what makes this particular wine so popular, and answer some frequently asked questions about this incredible varietal.

The Origin

Sauvignon Blanc is a variety of green-skinned grapes that originate from the Bordeaux area in France. The Sauvignon Blanc meaning was likely derived from the French words ‘sauvage’, which translates to ‘wild’, and ‘blanc’, referring to ‘white’, reflecting its early roots as a native grape in South West France. It’s believed that Savagnin, a white grape from Jura in France, could be a potential ancestor of the grape variety.

Its Journey to South Africa

Early historical records hint at the planting of a Sauvignon Blanc vine at Groot Constantia around 1880, yet despite this, the oldest verified vineyard for this grape variety in South Africa is in the Swartland region, dating to around 1965. During South Africa’s early winemaking days, the planting materials were unfortunately often disease-ridden, particularly with phylloxera, and tended to be of inferior quality.

Unfortunately, the disease-ridden vines led to the disappearance of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa for approximately 80 years, but in the 1970s, it resurfaced and slowly started to gain popularity, and according to South Africa Wine Industry Information and Systems (SAWIS), the domestic sales of Sauvignon Blanc more than doubled from 2009 to 2019.

Currently, Sauvignon Blanc holds an impressive standing in South Africa’s wine industry as it covers more than 10,000 hectares, accounting for over 10% of the country’s total vineyard area. It ranks as the third most planted white grape variety in South Africa after Chenin Blanc and Columbar and plays a substantial role in the sale of wine at 2.4 million cases (12 bottles per case) each year.

5 Reasons South African Sauvignon Blanc Is So Popular

There are many reasons why wine connoisseurs and novices the world over love South African Sauvignon Blanc. Let us take a closer look at 5 of these:

1. Unwavering Quality

South Africa, with its rich history of winemaking, has earned a reputation for consistently producing high-quality wines. Bonnievale Wines Sauvignon Blanc is no exception, regularly receiving high ratings and critical praise from wine critics and enthusiasts worldwide. We are proud to say that we produce some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa, and this was proven yet again at this year’s Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge, where Bonnievale Wines River Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023 won gold.

2. Excellent Value

South African Sauvignon Blancs deliver excellent value for the price, as a high-quality bottle of Sauv Blanc can be acquired at a very reasonable price point. This makes many Sauvignon Blanc brands accessible to wine lovers of all means.

3. Distinctive Taste Palette

South African Sauvignon Blancs are celebrated for the unique taste palette that distinguishes them from other Sauvignon Blancs globally. They usually showcase a complex mix of tropical fruits, citrus, and herbs, coupled with a notable mineral and flinty aspect due to our warmer climate.

4. Good for Ageing

While Sauvignon Blanc is typically known as a wine best enjoyed young, the top-notch Sauvignon Blancs produced in South Africa have a reputation for ageing gracefully. Given proper storage conditions, some of these wines can mature for ten years or more, gaining even further complexity and depth over time.

5. Well Paired with a Variety of Food

South African Sauvignon Blanc is a flexible wine that complements a broad range of foods. It can be enjoyed with anything from seafood to chicken, salads, and a variety of cheeses. Its acidity and freshness also make it an ideal apéritif.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How To Pronounce Sauvignon Blanc?

Sauvignon Blanc pronunciation can be a bit tricky for some as it is derived from French. The wine is pronounced as ‘soh-vee-nyon blahnk’, and there is a helpful video by French wine expert Julien Miguel, in which he helps show wine lovers how to pronounce the name as it should be.

2. Is Sauvignon Blanc Sweet?

While Sauvignon Blanc wine is quite often blended with Muscadelle and Semillon, it is affected by noble rot, which creates a lush, nectarous wine with intricate notes of apricot, nuts and fig.

South African vineyards are recognised for their production of late harvest and noble rot wines derived entirely from Sauvignon Blanc. These distinctive wines flaunt a spectrum of flavours and aromas, including fig, quince, apricot, caramelised ginger, almond paste, and orange peel. This rendition of the wine offers a delightful sweetness, perfectly offset by a subtle yet lively acidity.

3. What Does Sauvignon Blanc Taste Like?

Sauvignon Blanc is a wine that can exude a variety of flavours depending on where it is grown. These flavours range from citrus and late summer fruits to mineral, flinty and grassy notes. White wine Sauvignon Blanc attributes many of its unique characteristics to the presence of methoxypyrazines, a nitrogen-containing plant metabolite.

These methoxypyrazines contribute to the aroma of the wine and produce descriptors such as green capsicum, green bell peppers, herbaceous, tomato leaf, earthy, grassy, peas, and asparagus. It’s interesting to note that about 95% of methoxypyrazines are located in the grape skins, and their concentrations tend to diminish as the grape matures.

Tasting Notes from Bonnievale Wines

Bonnievale The River Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023

The River Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is fresh and crisp and reveals a slight flint undertone beneath an impressive display of tropical fruit. This essence is carried through to the palate, where it’s harmonised by a subdued herbaceous touch, culminating in a prolonged and gratifying finish.

Bonnievale The Vale Sauvignon Blanc Brut

Our Vale Sauvignon Blanc Brut boasts a lively zing, beautifully balanced with refined notes of tropical fruit. The abundant effervescence enhances the tasting experience, persisting through to the long-lasting finish.

4. What Should You Pair with Sauvignon Blanc?

Due to the vast expression of the tasting notes of the wine, you can combine it with a large variety of foods depending on whether it exudes citrus, mineral, oaked, or grassy flavours. It can be paired with light meats containing white meats, flavourful soft cheeses, fresh green salads and various Asian-style foods.

Bonnievale Wines

Our wines are available from our online shop, with the 2023 River Collection Sauvignon Blanc price being only R73.00 a bottle and our The Vale Sauvignon Blanc Brut priced at R101.00 a bottle.

Keep up-to-date with everything happening at Bonnievale Wines by joining us on Twitter or Instagram. Should you have any questions about our Sauvignon Blanc, or if you wish to know more about our brand, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 023 616 2795 or send an email to info@bonnievalewines.co.za.