Rolling vineyards with rows of trees and a mountain range in the distance

Grape variety · White

Sauvignon Blanc

Pale dust on your shoes after a walk through the rows: the soils of the Robertson Valley are rich in lime. No other part of the country grows more Sauvignon Blanc.

Robertson lies on the Breede River, summers are hot, rain is scarce, and the south-easter pushes moist air into the valley. With 1,853 hectares the Robertson Valley has the largest Sauvignon Blanc area in South Africa, just ahead of the Breedekloof with 1,772 hectares. Stellenbosch has 1,463, the Paarl statistical region with Franschhoek and Wellington 899, and Worcester 796 hectares.

of South Africa's vineyards, SAWIS, as of 31 December 2025
12.1%
of Sauvignon Blanc nationwide
10,442 ha
in the Robertson Valley, more than any other region
1,853 ha
share in 2018
10.2%

SAWIS counts exactly 10,442 hectares nationwide at the end of 2025, 12.1 per cent of the vineyard area. That makes Sauvignon Blanc number two after Chenin Blanc. And it keeps gaining: in 2018 its share was 10.2 per cent. It is not new at the Cape either; WOSA says it was already widespread in the 18th century. If a label says Fumé Blanc, WOSA says it usually means a wooded Sauvignon Blanc.

Tokara on the Simonsberg concentrates on two grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. La Motte in Franschhoek has a Sauvignon Blanc in its Pierneef range. Springfield near Robertson was hit hard: in the flood of mid-May 2026, 90 of its 220 hectares were under water, and the estate said goodbye to its Sauvignon Blanc blocks on Instagram with a simple RIP. Sources disagree on how much newly planted ground was washed away: Harpers says 15 hectares, the estate 20.

Our tipSpringfield near Robertson runs tastings without booking and is closed on Sundays. After the May 2026 flood, check the estate's website before you drive out (as of September 2026).

Sauvignon Blanc to order

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Sauvignon Blanc: frequently asked questions

What is Fumé Blanc?

In South Africa, Fumé Blanc is, according to Wines of South Africa, usually a Sauvignon Blanc that has been aged in oak.

Where does South Africa grow the most Sauvignon Blanc?

South Africa's largest Sauvignon Blanc plantings are in the Robertson Valley, with 1,853 hectares, just ahead of the Breedekloof with 1,772 hectares (SAWIS, as of 31 December 2025).

Did the 2026 flood hit Sauvignon Blanc in Robertson?

In the Breede River flood of mid-May 2026, 90 of the 220 hectares at Springfield Estate were under water. The estate reported its Sauvignon Blanc blocks as lost.