Long Boat pays homage to the Polynesian explorers who sailed thousands of miles in long boats before reaching what is today called New Zealand.

The winery specializes in grapes grown in higher altitude vineyards (up to 1,000 feet above sea level), in order to extract the most aromatics from the grapes. The cooler parts of Marlborough give the grapes more of a green bell pepper aroma, while grapes from the warmer parts show more tropical fruit. This wine was made from grapes selected row by row, to balance acidity and to develop both green fruit and tropical fruit flavors. Most of the juice was cold fermented in stainless steel and a small portion in older French oak barrels. The older oak added some spice while softening the herbal character inherent in Sauvignon Blanc. This wine offers clearly defined aromas and flavors of green plums and passion fruit with just a hint of lime zest. There's more mineral and lime juice on the palate and the wine finishes fresh and clean with plenty of fruit.

We are not going to lie, we've been getting a little bit bored with some of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. We find the Long Boat somewhat ahead of the rest due to the partial fermentation in oak. It certainly adds roundness and complexity to this wine. The telltale NZ Sauvignon Blanc notes on the nose of grapefruit, lemon and lime, wet stone and floral notes are definitely there as well as the green apple, fresh cut grass, tropical fruit and pink grapefruit on the palate. The citrus acidity is certainly there, but not so much so that you will feel like you are sucking on a lemon. Finishes very clean with the lime and mineral flavors really coming though on the finish.

$15.99 per bottle or $163.10/case $13.59