Claypot Merlot

Beef fillet steak, Slow-cooked venison, Braised beef short ribs

The preceding winter was another dry one, with less rain than the previous one and warmer day and night temperatures. A warm spring resulted in early budding. Regular rain showers during flowering and berry set, with a high presence of pests. The picking season was very dry with limited water for irrigation, but with cooler nigh-time temperatures during February.

The wine is then moved to 100% new Francois Freres and Seguin Moreau barrels for 16 – 27 months ageing. No finings before bottling.

Hand harvested in the early mornings. If the season requires, the grapes are chilled for a pre cold soak in small stainless tanks. The grapes are then destemmed, and hand sorted. Some of the grapes will go into small open top fermentation tanks for a quick warm natural fermentation and some of it will go in closed tanks for an extended maceration. Sometimes up to 30 days after picking. This creates additional structure, as well as softening of the tannins. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel and the finished wine is left on the sediment for another 3 months before racking.

The history of our wine farm can be traced back until the year 1818. Originally named “Good Success” and owned by Dutchman Daniel Johannes van Ryneveld from Amsterdam, this vast farm extended to most of the catchment area in the valley enclosed by the Simonsberg, Kanonkop and Klapmuts. The property was later divided into three farms: Warwick, De Goede Sukses and the remainder of the farm Good Success, which has become Laibach in 1994, when entrepreneur Friedrich Laibach realized his dream of owning a vineyard. Laibach Vineyards was then sold to current owners, Johann & Paul Krige of neighbouring Kanonkop Wine Estate in April 2022. The picturesque Ladybird Vineyards are flanked by the renowned vineyards of Kanonkop, Warwick, Marklew and Lievland. Ultimately, our wine quality is forever linked to the land where our grapes are grown. Site selection is essential in the making of fine wines, because flavour starts in the vineyards. The Simonsberg terroir with its lean deep red soils (Glovelly, Glenrosa) and cooling maritime winds from nearby False Bay is ideal for red wines of body and complexity.