Laibach The Ladybird - Organic 2009

This is our signature Organic wine. Starting to use organic practices since the beginning of the century we quickly realized the advantages of this so called "old fashion" approach. Our minds were poisoned in the mid 70's with all these new pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers. Sure everything is easy, actually so easy that you really kill everything living in the area where grapes are grown. Many people said you are crazy, farming this way in Stellenbosch, but you know with hands on attention to detail we proved them all wrong. This is the success of winemaking in general, treat every vine, every bunch and every berry with absolute affection and you will get the best wine, most reflected of your terroir.

A beautiful dark colour. Lovely flavours with oodles of fruit and concentration. White milk chocolate with hints of wild berry, spice and leather. Medium bodied with sleeky almost velvety tannins, with a good structure and great length.

Will complement meat, poultry and rich game dishes.

variety : Merlot [ 54% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot ]
winemaker : Francois van Zyl
wine of origin : Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
analysis : alc : 14.0 % vol  rs : 1.5 g/l  pH : 3.75  ta : 5.5 g/l  
type : Red  body : Medium  
pack : Bottle  closure : Cork  

ageing : Enough complexity, identity and natural tannin to last 5 - 7 years after the vintage.

in the vineyard : We see ourselves as traditionalist. We make wine with minimal intervention to show what the special Simonsberg - Stellenbosch deep red soils can produce.We have no irrigation on the farm and we very much rely on our deep clay soil to keep the roots cool and happy. Average yield is around 35 - 40 hectoliters per hectare which is very low for South - Africa.

about the harvest: We pick everything by hand in the early mornings and then we have a rigorous sorting regime after destemming but before crushing. We do around 2 tons per hour and remove all green, herbaceous unwanted stems.

in the cellar : After a gentle crushing the mash is moved to 5 ton open top stainless steel fermentation. Manuel punch downs or "pigeage" is used for gentle extraction of flavour and colour. Tanks are sometimes inoculated, but more and more we make use of the natural yeast on the grapes to carry out the alcoholic fermentation. A warm short fermentation is used before gentle pressing in a 3 ton modern Euro press. The wine is aged in 100% French oak barrels for 12 – 15 months before a filtration just before bottling.

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OTHER VINTAGES

Merlot
Merlot
Merlot