THE LADYBIRD Red 2015
TECHNICAL DETAILS
VARIETAL | 44 % Cab. Sauv., 35 % Merlot, 11 % Cab. Franc, 7 % Petit Verdot, 3 % Malbec |
ALCOHOL | 14% |
TOTAL ACIDITY | 5,9 g/l |
pH | 3,59 |
RESIDUAL SUGAR | 2,6 g/l |
TASTING NOTES
A new release of our most popular wine the Ladybird Red. It seems like yesterday when we released the first ever certified organic wine from the Stellenbosch appellation. That was our vintage 2003 released in 2004. The wine has a huge following and for many it is the benchmark organic wine in South–Africa for quality and value. Volumes of this wine have grown steadily and we still managed to make the final blend only of grapes grown and farmed on our farm. We do not change much at Laibach so the style for us is freshness and purity of fruit. We bottle with very little sulfur and absolutely no finings, like egg white, casein and gelatin etc. As pure as possible, as dry as possible and as drinkable as possible. The grapes are all grown organically on our farm. Vineyards aged between 8 and 20 years so very much in their prime. It is a blend of the five classic Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec. We do not have irrigation on our reds, which adds to the uniqueness of our terroir. Very deep clay soils not only keep moisture well, but also keep the temperatures lower around the roots. We do not have a lot of vigour in our canopies which helps us to have good, slow ripening which usually results in lower alcohol wines. If you farm dryland vineyards you just get a different tannin expression and much more structured wines. All grapes are handpicked and if necessary, cooled until destemming. All grapes are hand sorted with modern vibrating tables before crushing. We take out all green herbaceous stems and other unwanted material. It is a slow process but a very important one for our style of wine. Fermentation is mostly done at warm temperatures in 5 ton open top fermentation vessels with regular manual punch downs and pump overs. No fixed recipes are allowed in our cellar and we adjust vintage to vintage. The wine is all aged in small French oak barrels for 12 months before sterile bottling. Deep dark colour. Oodles of fruit with blackberry, sour cherry and wild spice evident. Some leather, tomato cocktail and cherries on the palate with just a hint of oak. A medium bodied wine with soft plummy tannins and a beautiful long finish. Good complexity and dimension to really over deliver. A wine to drink 3–7 years after harvest.

More of Our Wines

Natural Sweet Wine 2019

Natural Sweet Wine 2018

Natural Sweet Wine 2017

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Pinotage 2015

Pinotage 2017

Pinotage 2016

Merlot 2015

Merlot 2017

Merlot 2014

Pinotage Rosé 2014

Chenin Blanc 2014

Natural Sweet Wine 2016

The Dogleg 2003

FOUR Red 2005

Chenin Blanc Sur Lie 2019

Chenin Blanc Sur Lie 2018

Chenin Blanc Sur Lie 2017

Grand Pinotage RR 2016

Claypot Merlot 2016

Claypot Merlot 2015

Friedrich Laibach The Founder's Blend 2014

Friedrich Laibach The Founder's Blend 2016

Friedrich Laibach The Founder's Blend 2018

Claypot Merlot 2014

The Widow's Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Red 2004

MCC 2016

MCC 2017

MCC 2018

Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Red 2015

Red 2017

Red 2016

Organic Rosé 2020

Organic Rosé 2019

Organic Rosé 2018

Organic Rosé 2017

MCC 2014

MCC 2015

MCC 2013

Red 2014

Red 2015

White 2015

White 2016

White 2020

White 2018
White 2019

White 2017

Chenin Blanc 2016

Chenin Blanc 2019

Chenin Blanc 2018
