Top Rated: Sauvignon Blanc

Off the back of a line-up of strong vintages in the west, Margaret River dominates the Adelaide Hills in the sauvignon stakes this year, both in top scores and sheer numbers. Age comes into play here, with more than three in five of our top contenders hailing from the 2018 or 2019 vintages.

Oak is another increasingly important element of Australia’s top sauvignons, with five out of seven nominations for Sauvignon Blanc of the Year relying on barrels for fermentation and/or maturation. The final taste- off was hotly contested by the Margaret River big guns of Moss Wood and Cullen, but the great work of Xavier Bizot in Wrattonbully proved to secure the win (just!).