2013 La Lapine — Library Collection

Single-Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc | Awatere Valley, Marlborough

The 2013 La Lapine is a wine shaped as much by vision as by place. Crafted by founder and winemaker John Belsham, it embodies his belief that Sauvignon Blanc—when grown in exceptional terroir and handled with restraint—can sit confidently among the finest examples in the world, including the great expressions of Sancerre, the grape’s ancestral home.

Sourced from one of the Awatere Estate’s most expressive parcels, the fruit was hand-picked at first light and carried in small bins to protect its delicacy. Fermentation took place in a large, oval-shaped French oak foudre, a vessel chosen not to impart oak flavour, but to build depth, texture, and quiet complexity. This approach allows the wine to present an indigenous, site-specific expression that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

Over 10 months, the wine evolved gently in foudre before being cellar-aged prior to release, offered only when its balance, purity, and structure were beautifully aligned—while still holding significant potential for further ageing in the cellar.

More than a technical accomplishment, La Lapine reflects John’s philosophy: that time, patience, and a deep respect for terroir can elevate Sauvignon Blanc into a wine of sophistication, longevity, and global stature.