Not your average Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. La Lapine is Foxes Island's flagship Sauvignon, produced only in exceptional vintages and given the time and attention usually reserved for fine white Burgundy. Fermented with indigenous yeast in large French oak foudres and then cellared extensively before release, the 2014 vintage offers layers of white peach, preserved citrus, honeycomb, flint and savoury herbs woven together by a silky, almost creamy texture. Richly flavoured yet remarkably focused, it shows just how compelling mature New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be when patience is part of the recipe.

The bottle you open for someone who thinks they've already got Sauvignon Blanc figured out...

Founded by renowned winemaker John Belsham, Foxes Island has long championed a slightly old-school idea in New Zealand wine: that great wines should be grown from a single site, crafted with patience, and released when they're ready rather than when the market demands them. Based around Marlborough's Awatere Valley, the winery is particularly known for cellar-aging its wines before release, allowing them to develop complexity and character rarely seen in New Zealand offerings. The result is a collection of wines that feel a little more European in outlook, favouring texture, structure and longevity alongside fruit purity.