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All the medal-winners from The Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters
While the heartlands of Sauvignon Blanc, such as New Zealand and Chile, were well represented in our competition, Siobhan Turner MW discovers a host of great offerings from other parts of the globe.
Sauvignon Blanc – herbal, citrusy, grassy, sometimes smoky – is perhaps not the wine one would think about tasting on a gloomy and chilly London day in early November as one mourns the daylight that seems to have suddenly disappeared with the changing of the clocks.
Besides, isn’t Sauvignon Blanc now just effectively the same thing, variations on gooseberry over and over? Thankfully, although nothing could be done about the Novemberishness, the wines themselves provided a joyous and varied treat.
Stylistically, we saw a range from the overt expressionism of full-on wines from Marlborough, and Casablanca, Chile, through to much more subtle Bordeauxesque expressions, and two lovely blends; one from Provence, the other from Rueda, where Sauvignon was fully integrated into a harmonious and pleasurable whole.
We tasted 146 wines over the course of the day, and while more than half were, as expected, from New Zealand (52) and Chile (32) combined, there were entries from 13 countries, and Golds or Masters awarded to eight. It was particularly encouraging to see that Indian wines received two Bronze medals. It was also a positive sign that there were very few faulty wines, probably helped by the preponderance of screwcap closures, but on the other hand, too many producers are still creating – and entering into competitions – dilute and dull liquids, with sugar being used to cover up a lack of interest on the palate. There’s not much more disappointing, in vinous terms at least, than expecting something special from the nose, only for everything to disappear the moment it’s in your mouth, and producers need to consider yields carefully if they want to make medal-winning wines. While there was a lovely Gold medallist from Rueda, Spain in particular needs to work harder to develop Sauvignon Blanc worth the alcohol units, as six of its eight entries did not win medals.
We were very pleased to find delights at every end of the price spectrum, and the Luis Felipe Edwards Echo Reserva, at £7.99, especially, is a masterclass in what inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc can and should be.
It is also particularly pleasing that both wines that were awarded Master medals are under £23. One, unsurprisingly, hails from Marlborough, and has a true sense of place and lovely elegance.
The other, to all of our astonishment, was from England – Gloucestershire to be precise. Engaging and utterly enjoyable, the Woodchester Valley was the wine of the tasting for me.
Unoaked 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Winery | Name of Wine | Region | Country | Vintage | Medal |
Under £10 | |||||
Luis Felipe Edwards | Echo Reserva | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Gold |
Cono Sur | Organic Sauvignon Blanc | Chile | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Brancott Estate | Letter Series B | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Invivo & Co | Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Luis Felipe Edwards | LFE Gran Reserva | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Luis Felipe Edwards | Veleros Gran Reserva | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Aldi Ireland | Freemans Bay | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Luis Felipe Edwards | Ocho Millas Reserva | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Aldi Ireland | Freemans Bay | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Invivo & Co | GN Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough & Gisborne | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Distell | Cape Garden Sauvignon Blanc | Western Cape | South Africa | 2021 | Bronze |
Cavit S.C. | Mastri Vernacoli Trentino DOC | Trentino Alto Adige | Italy | 2021 | Bronze |
Aldi Ireland | Pierre Jaurant French Sauvignon Blanc | France | France | 2022 | Bronze |
Invivo | Graham Norton’s South African (Limited Release) | Western Cape | South Africa | 2021 | Bronze |
Distell | Zonnebloem Sauvignon Blanc | Western Cape | South Africa | 2022 | Bronze |
Luis Felipe Edwards | La Corriente Reserva | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Viña Valdivieso | Valdivieso Sauvignon Blanc | Central | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Aya Estate Vineyards | Colorito Sauvignon Blanc | Struma Valley | Bulgaria | 2021 | Bronze |
De Bortoli Wines | DB Winemakers Selection | Riverina | Australia | 2021 | Bronze |
Distell | Durbanville Hills Cool Climate | Western Cape | South Africa | 2022 | Bronze |
Cono Sur | Bicicleta | Chile | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
MontGras | MontGras De Vine | Central Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Triplebank | Triplebank Awatere | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Viña Valdivieso | Winemaker Reserva | Casablanca | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
£10-£15 | |||||
Marisco Vineyards | Leefield Station | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Felix Solis Avantis | Pulpo | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Gold |
Awatere River | Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
te Pa Family Vineyards | Signature Series | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Matahiwi Estate | Sauvignon Blanc | Wairarapa | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Yealands Estate Winery | Babydoll | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Cono Sur | Reserva Especial | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Cavit S.C. | Bottega Vinai Trentino DOC | Trentino Alto Adige | Italy | 2021 | Silver |
Villa Maria | Reserve Wairau Valley | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Viña Morandé | Morandé Estate Reserve | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
De Grendel Wines | Sauvignon Blanc | Cape Town | South Africa | 2022 | Silver |
Mission Estate | Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Yealands Estate Winery | Single Vineyard | Awatere Valley | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Stoneleigh | Wild Valley | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Cantina La Vis | Classici | Trentino | Italy | 2021 | Silver |
te Pa Family Vineyards | Pa Road | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Felix Solis Avantis | Pulpo | Western Cape | South Africa | 2021 | Silver |
MontGras | Amaral | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Villa Maria | Private Bin | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Elgin Vintners | Sauvignon blanc | Elgin | South Africa | 2022 | Silver |
Stoneleigh | Rapaura Series | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
ACW | Espíritu de Chile Explorador | Leyda | Chile | 2021 | Bronze |
Constellation Brands NZ | Kim Crawford Marlborough | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Aigner | Niederösterreich Sauvignon Blanc | Niederösterreich | Austria | 2021 | Bronze |
MontGras | MontGras Day One | Leyda Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Yealands Estate Winery | Reserve Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Domaine les Fumées Blanches | Domaine les Fumées Blanches | Côtes de Gascogne | France | 2021 | Bronze |
Felix Solis Avantis | Southern Ocean | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Bronze |
ACW | Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva | Leyda | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
te Pa Family Vineyards | Montford Estate | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Yealands Estate Winery | The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Viña Casa Silva | Terroir de Familia Reserva | Colchagua Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Seaglass Wine Co. | Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc | Central Coast | USA | 2021 | Bronze |
Concha y Toro | Casillero del Diablo Reserva Especial | Colchagua Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Hacienda Araucano | Humo Blanco Sauvignon Blanc | Lolol | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Casas del Bosque | Reserva Sauvignon Blanc | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Unoaked 100% Sauvignon Blanc continued
Winery | Name of Wine | Region | Country | Vintage | Medal |
£15-£20 | |||||
Sileni Estates | Straits Grand Reserve | Hawkes Bay | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Sidewood Estate | Sidewood Estate | Adelaide Hills | Australia | 2022 | Bronze |
Warwick | Professor Black | Stellenbosch | South Africa | 2021 | Silver |
Viña Estampa | Estampa DelViento | Colchagua Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Tokara Stellenbosch | Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin | Western Cape | South Africa | 2022 | Silver |
Mission Estate | Glazebrook | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Viña Casablanca | Nimbus Sauvignon Blanc | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
te Pa Family Vineyards | te Pa Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Yealands Estate Winery | Single Block S1 | Awatere Valley | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
te Pa Family Vineyards | Reserve Collection Hillside | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
Casas del Bosque | La Cantera | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Bronze |
Stoneleigh | Latitude Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
Nuala | Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
te Pa Family Vineyards | Reserve Seaside | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Viña Morandé | Morande Gran Reserva | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2021 | Gold |
Yealands Estate Winery | Single Block L5 | Awatere Valley | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Viña Casa Silva | Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc | Colchagua Valley | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Napa Cellars | Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc | Napa Valley | USA | 2021 | Bronze |
Colle Manora | Mimosa | Piedmont | Italy | 2021 | Bronze |
£20-£30 | |||||
Woodchester Valley | Sauvignon Blanc | Gloucestershire | UK | 2021 | Master |
Rimapere Vineyards | Rimapere Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Gold |
Nautilus Estate | Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Weixelbaum | Niederösterreich Wahre Werte | Niederösterreich | Austria | 2021 | Silver |
Cantina Valle Isarco | Sauvignon Aristos | Alto Adige | Italy | 2021 | Silver |
Rimapere Vineyards | Rimapere Plot 101 | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Alpha Estate | Alpha Estate Sauvignon Blanc | Florina | Greece | 2021 | Silver |
Wakefield/Taylors Wines | Jaraman | Adelaide Hills | Australia | 2022 | Silver |
The Prisoner Wine Co | Unshackled Sauvignon Blanc | California | USA | 2021 | Silver |
Simi | Simi Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc | Sonoma County | USA | 2021 | Silver |
Langlois-Chateau | Sancerre Château de Fontaine Audon | Loire Valley | France | 2021 | Bronze |
Oaked 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Winery | Name of Wine | Region | Country | Vintage | Medal |
Under £10 | |||||
Distell | Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc | Western Cape | South Africa | 2021 | Silver |
Marqués de Cáceres | MDC Sauvignon Blanc | Rioja | Spain | 2021 | Bronze |
De Bortoli Wines | Deen Vat 2 Sauvignon Blanc | Riverina/King Valley | Australia | 2021 | Bronze |
£10-£15 | |||||
Invivo & Co | Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker Sauvignon | Blanc Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
De Bortoli Wines | Windy Peak Sauvignon Blanc | Riverina/King Valley | Australia | 2021 | Bronze |
Sula Vineyards | The Source Sauvignon Blanc Reserve | Nashik | India | 2021 | Bronze |
£15-£20 | |||||
Viña Valdivieso | Valdivieso Single Vineyard | Casablanca | Chile | 2022 | Gold |
Constellation Brands NZ | Kim Crawford Small Parcels Marlborough | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Church Road | Church Road Grand Reserve | Hawke’s Bay | New Zealand | 2019 | Silver |
The Coterie | Spoke ‘Resolute’ | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Viña Valdivieso | Valdivieso Valley Selection | Casablanca | Chile | 2022 | Silver |
Murphy-Goode | Sauvignon Blanc | California | United States | 2021 | Bronze |
Cantina Kurtatsch | Sauvignon DOC Kofl | Alto Adige | Italy | 2020 | Bronze |
£20-£30 | |||||
Marisco Vineyards | Pride & Glory Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Master |
Attems | Cicinis | Friuli Venezia Giulia | Italy | 2020 | Gold |
Casas del Bosque | Pequeñas Sauvignon Blanc | Casablanca Valley | Chile | 2022 | Gold |
Nautilus Estate | The Paper Nautilus | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Silver |
Ktima Gerovassiliou | Sauvignon Blanc | Epanomi | Greece | 2021 | Silver |
Terre a Terre | Down to Earth | Wrattonbully | Australia | 2021 | Silver |
Alpha Estate | Ecosystem Fume Single Block Kaliva | Florina | Greece | 2021 | Silver |
£30-£50 | |||||
Gladstone Vineyards | Gladstone Sauvignon Blanc | Wairarapa | New Zealand | 2021 | Bronze |
Nals Margreid | Mantele Sauvignon | Alto Adige | Italy | 2021 | Bronze |
£50-£70 | |||||
Terre a Terre | Crayères Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc | Wrattonbully | Australia | 2021 | Gold |
Unoaked Blend (minimum 50% Sauvignon Blanc)
Winery | Name of Wine | Region | Country | Vintage | Medal |
Under £10 | |||||
Stoneleigh | Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Gold |
Brancott Estate | Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Silver |
£10-£15 | |||||
Mayor de Castilla | Pata Negra Rueda Fauna | Rueda | Spain | 2021 | Gold |
Marisco Vineyards | The Ned Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2022 | Bronze |
The Woolshed Vineyard | Mud House Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Bronze |
£30-£50 | |||||
Château Léoube | Léoube Singulier Blanc | Provence | France | 2021 | Gold |
Unoaked Blend (minimum 50% Sauvignon Blanc)
Company | Wine Name | Region | Country | Vintage | Medal |
£10-£15 | |||||
Church Road | Church Road McDonald Series Sauvignon Blanc | Hawke’s Bay | New Zealand | 2021 | Gold |
£15-£20 | |||||
The Coterie | Spoke Brink Sauvignon Semillon | Marlborough | New Zealand | 2021 | Bronze |
£20-£30 | |||||
Kendall-Jackson | Vintners Reserve Sauvignon Blanc | California | USA | 2021 | Gold |
La Roncaia | Eclisse IGT Venezia Giulia | Friuli Venezia Giulia | Italy | 2021 | Silver |
About the competition
With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters provides a chance for your wines to star.
The 2022 competition was judged on 2 November at Vinegar Yard, London, employing experienced judges. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding in their field received the ultimate accolade – the title of Sauvignon Blanc Master. This report features the medal winners only.
Please visit the Global Masters website for more information, or, to enter future competitions – giving you the chance to feature online and in print – please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com