Laibach Natural Sweet Wine

TASTING NOTES

We proudly present a new release of our “sweetie”. Made from the same old bush vine Chenin Blanc vineyard that we have used for many years. This block is dry land and very old, we therefore get a very low yield from it. What started out as a fun project many years ago, after visiting the famous Mosel area in Germany, now has gone the full circle and we can proudly say that this vintage was selected by the John Platter wine guide as their Natural sweet wine of the year and the only 2019 wine to receive a 5 star rating. Truly remarkable because in the beginning the wine authorities did not understand how you can make a 7% alcohol wine.

We pick everything by hand as ripe as possible. No botrytis, only raisins with potential alcohol of nearly 20% by volume. We treat the juice reductively and we press everything whole bunch and let it settle with an enzyme to get the juice as clean as possible. We inoculate with a Red wine yeast for slow and cold fermentation. This will take 3 – 4 weeks and as soon as we reach 7% alcohol we stop the fermentation with cooling, sulfur and filtering. We then bottle as soon as possible, usually the first week in April, to stop the wine from restarting fermentation. It is a unique wine with not your typical South – African characteristics but is great fun to drink and to match with food, like spicy curry dishes and even fat oily meals.

Lovely refreshing colour. A nose of pineapple, white peach and pear. The palate is a fruit explosion with a perfect balance between sugar and acid. An almost sweet sour sensation with oodles of enjoyment and satisfaction. Truly one of a kind and a completely different direction for South – African Natural sweet. Just showing again that Laibach is really doing things differently. Enjoy 1 – 10 years after harvest.

The wine is a light straw yellow. Remember it is a Natural Sweet and not a typical South–African Noble rot wine. The nose is tropical, with hints of pineapple and white peach. Some lactic characters also evident. The palate is juicy and full with a lovely lingering acidity. Well balanced with a great harmony between sugar and acid. A wine that can be enjoyed at any occasion but with enough dimension to complement some rich oily dishes.

ACCOLADES

• John Platter Wine Guide: 5 Stars Natural Sweet Wine of the year - 2020 vintage