Franschhoek, Cape Winelands, South Africa, June 2, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / For the first time in the 14-year history of the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, South Africa will be the host country of this prestigious competition dedicated to world-class Sauvignon Blanc, making it the first country outside of Europe to host this competition.
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The 2023 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon will take place from Monday 13 March to Friday 17 March in Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands. The competition is hosted by the cultivar association Sauvignon Blanc South Africa in partnership with local, 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 Sauvignon Blanc SA Chairman, RJ Botha. “South African Sauvignon Blanc is a unique asset which help 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 is an amazing accomplishment for our country and our wine industry.”
“We are excited to work closely with our platinum partners: WESGRO, Concours Mondial du Bruxelles and Vinventions, as well as our bronze partners: Boutes South Africa, Tonnellerie Sylvain and Enartis 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.”
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“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,” Botha concluded.
About the competition
The competition was launched in 2010 to promote white wines and showcase one of the world’s most popular white grape varieties. Since then, the event has become an international competition, with the number of producer countries taking part increasing year-on-year. Technical management of the tastings is handled by the organisers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles who boast over 20 years’ experience in organising world-class wine competitions. The Concours Mondial du Sauvignon is open to all wines made from a majority percentage (51% min.) of Sauvignon blanc and/or Sauvignon gris, irrespective of their producer, origin or category. Since 2017, a new category has allowed Sauvignon-based sparkling wines to take part.