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The cultivar association Sauvignon Blanc SA has joined forces with platinum partner EVER Solutions, Top 10 title partner FNB, as well as the Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute (SAGWRI) at Stellenbosch University, to create a “must-attend” opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking.

According to RJ Botha, Chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc SA, this annual seminar provides winemakers with the know-how they need to increase their competitiveness in a rapidly growing market segment. "As an association, we are motivated by knowledge transfer. We want to be a bridge between academia and practice, keeping our members up to date on international trends and techniques while encouraging them to experiment and try new things."

Distinguished experts from South Africa and abroad will discuss topics ranging from the most recent research to local and global industry insights. The programme includes the following:

• RJ Botha, Chairperson of Sauvignon Blanc SA, will share information on the association’s activities.
• Professor Paul Kilmartin will join live from the University of Auckland to discuss Sauvignon Blanc Research in New Zealand.
• Prof. Wessel du Toit, Chair of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology and the South African Grape and Wine Research Institute (SAGWRI): Faculty of AgriSciences will give a presentation about the effect of different grape treatments on varietal thiol levels in Sauvignon Blanc.

Several other experts from the Department of Viticulture and Oenology/SAGWRI will present their research:

• Prof. Melané Vivier – Exploring the vineyard “memory” of a Sauvignon Blanc wine through the integrative grape to wine analyses
• Prof. Benoit Divol  –  Yeasts and varietal thiols in wine: A Review
• Dr. Jeanne Brand  – Sensory benchmarking: A tailor-made approach for Sauvignon Blanc

• Emma Moffat of Vinpro and Prof Wessel du Toit will discuss the Gen-Z Vineyard Project and Sauvignon Blanc with a tasting.
• Christo Conradie, Manager of Wine Business at Vinpro, will conclude the programme with a Sauvignon blanc-Team talk.
• Bennie Avenant, Technical Sales Consultant of EVER Solutions, representing the Italian-based company EVER in South Africa, will give an overview of Mycostarter Protocol.
• There will be an informal tasting of the 2022 FNB Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 20 finalists.

Pre-registration at www.sauvignonblanc.com/technical is compulsory (by Friday 25 November 2022).

The registration fee is R900.00 for members and R1 100.00 for non-members (tea/coffee, lunch and wine tasting included). The programme starts at 07:45 for 08:15 and ends at 14:00. The venue is the J.H. Neethling Building in Victoria Street.

For more information or to join Sauvignon Blanc SA as a member, email reinette@sauvignonblanc.com or call 021 975 4440.

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