Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are often referenced as Margaret River’s defining varieties, but since the late 1970s, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends have also been a regional stalwart.
The blend became one of Australia’s most recognisable white wine styles through the late ’80s and ’90s for good reason. Fresh, bright and full of energy, it is the kind of wine that fits seamlessly into real life: long lunches, seafood, warm afternoons, somewhere coastal. Timeless and refreshing, it’s a crowd-pleaser across generations.
But what’s happening now is where things get interesting.
As global Sauvignon Blanc leaned further into overt aromatics and instant impact, Margaret River quietly shifted in another direction. Less about volume, more about shape. Less about jumping out of the glass, more about structure, detail and curiosity.
Winemakers have been playing with techniques like grape-skin contact, fermentation in vessels such as large-format oak and concrete, bringing a new wave of wines that feel more considered.
The idea of Sauvignon Blanc as a single, fixed genre has loosened. You can still find the classics: crisp, vibrant and exactly what you want them to be. But alongside them is this growing spectrum of savoury, textural, food-driven and, increasingly, age worthy expressions. They are Sauvignon Blancs full of pleasant surprise, as they reveal their layers of character.
Sauvignon Blanc is back with confidence, and a little edge, driven by a new generation of winemakers not only in Margaret River, but in regions such as the Adelaide Hills and Tasmania too.
If you love Sauvignon Blanc and are ready to enhance your repertoire, or if you think you’ve moved on, it might be time to reacquaint yourself. Here’s some wines to get you back in the spirit of this much-loved grape.
The Best Sauvignon Blanc in 2026 – Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Australia’s Best Alternative Sauvignon Blanc – Young Gun of Wine
Plus discover winning Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon blend producers from the past five Margaret River Wine Shows:
Sauvignon Blanc
2025. Xanadu Vinework Sauvignon Blanc 2025
2024. Xanadu Vinework Sauvignon Blanc 2024
2023. Mandoon Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2023
2022. Once & Well Frankie’s Garden Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc 2022
2021. Wills Domain Mystic Spring Sauvignon Blanc 2021
2020. Paul Conti Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
2025. Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2025
2024. Evans & Tate Fresh as a Daisy Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2023
2023. Wills Domain Mystic Spring Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2023
2022. Clairault Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2022
2021. Xanadu DJL Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2020
2020. Cormack & Co Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2020
