'Come let us prepare
We brothers that are
Joined on this merry occasion;
Let's drink, laugh and sing;
Our wine has a spring,
Here's health to the men of the nation.'

How The West Was Won, 1987, Opus Dei
Welcome to Laibach wine reviews. Here you will find tasting notes and information on Laibach wines that I have tried. These wines come from Laibach Vineyards, Stellenbosch, South Africa, and it is only coincidence that they bear the Laibach name. The vineyard was bought in 1994 by Friedrich Laibach, and has gone on to produce a number of award winning wines.
I understand that Laibach, the band, have sourced some local Slovenian wines for their own label. These would be interesting to try but Slovenian wines are hard to find in the UK.
I hope you enjoy reading about these wines as much as I enjoyed tasting them.

Laibach wines can be purchased in the UK at the following merchants:
Susman's Best Beef Biltong
YN Emporium
CM Wines
Balls Brothers

 
The Wines
Laibach, Pinotage, 2005

 Pinotage is the signature red grape of South Africa, a cross between the elegant 'Pinot Noir', and the robust 'Cinsault'.
Laibach Pinotage has excellent ageing potential, and since this wine is young, and I don't want to wait years to review, it must be approached considerately.

I opened the wine and poured a small amount. The harsh smell and taste indicated that the wine needed to seriously breathe. I carefully decanted the wine into a wide necked jug and left it for 2 hours.
Upon returning I poured a small amount into a Reidel red wine glass and appreciated the colour, a rich deep purple.
I swirled the wine around and took a deep sniff. There were aromas of dark fruits, such as black cherry, plum, and an interesting vanilla smokiness. Easily detected were the famed Pinotage nuances of acetone/paintbox that some people find appealing and some detest.
Upon tasting the wine I picked up bountiful flavours of dark forest fruits, plum, and black coffee. There were also background hints of green banana and liquorice. There was a noticeable harshness to the taste, which I attribute to the youth of this wine and it's high alcohol content; though this doesn't ruin the experience. The wine had a soft velvet feel in the mouth, and reasonable length of taste for it's age.

My overall thoughts for this wine are that it is a serious example of Pinotage that needs at least 4 years before opening. The aromas and flavours are intense and need time to soften and open up. Decanting the wine is essential, especially if you open this 'young', as Laibach Pinotage requires serious breathing. I note that the 2005 vintage was difficult for Laibach vineyards, and it is a testament to their skill that this wine is still impressive. Give this wine time and effort and you will be rewarded.
(reviewed May, 2007)

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Producer: Laibach Vineyards
Grape Variety: Pinotage
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 15% vol

Notes: 'The grapes for this wine were harvested by hand in the middle of February. After fermentation in open fermenters and maceration of the skins, the wine was matured in new small French oak barrels for 14 months.'
Laibach, Sauvignon Blanc Special Selection, 2005

The Sauvignon Blanc grape produces some of my favourite dry white wines. It varies from the elegant French, Loire Valley style, with vegetal, mineral, flinty complexity, and the gooseberry, tropical fruit style most pronounced in Marlborough, New Zealand. I enjoy fine examples of either style and so was looking forward to trying this Laibach, Sauvignon Special Selection. Unfortunately the word Laibach does not appear boldly on the front label, except for on a small coat of arms, but is mentioned on the back.

The wine, at two years old, does not need any further ageing. After chilling to 7°C the review could commence.
The look of the wine in the Reidel glass was clean, with a pale white pear colour.
I swirled a small amount of wine in the glass and took a sniff. The smell was surprisingly light with hints of under-ripe honeydew melon, and minerals.
The tasting of the wine confirmed the lightness of the aroma. The taste opens with a nuance of green pepper, and a slight mineral prickle (a characteristic that I enjoy in the Loire white wine 'Muscadet sur lie'). As this initial taste subsides you are left with a subtle hint of under-ripe honeydew melon. I found the tastes similar to a couple of other South African Sauvignon Blancs that I have tried.

Overall I feel this is a pleasant, easy going, just above average Sauvignon Blanc. It leans more towards the vegetal Loire style, but without the intensity of flavour, or complexity for it to compete with the likes of a good 'Sancerre' or 'Pouilly Fume'. Of all the wines reviewed here, Laibach Sauvignon Banc Special Selection is the only one that you can just open and enjoy without regard to ageing, breathing, or 'serious' wine snobbery.
This wine would complement a crisp green salad with perhaps some fresh brie or unripened goat's cheese. It would also suit drinking on it's own outdoors on a nice summer's day.
(reviewed June, 2007)

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Producer: Laibach Cellars
Grape Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 12.5%

These grapes were harvested by hand and specially selected from vineyards with different microclimatic conditions.
Laibach, Old Bush Vine Red Special Selection, 2003

I really looked forward to this wine. It is a blend of three grape varieties; an almost Bourdeaux blend, with the exotic added variable of Pinotage. Unfortunately the word Laibach does not appear boldly on the front label, except for on a small coat of arms, but is mentioned on the back.

The wine is from the 2003 vintage and should be right for drinking now. I carefully decanted the wine into a wide necked jug and allowed the wine to breathe for approximately 30mins.
The look of the wine in the Reidel glass was a reddish purple plum colour.
I swirled the wine in the glass and took a deep sniff. I was rewarded with pronounced berry aromas of blackcurrant and strawberry with a good acidity. A exciting bouquet which perhaps promised great things for the tasting.
The taste was even better than I had been hoping for. Dry zesty flavours of fresh rhubarb, under-ripe raspberry, followed by a lingering soft blackcurrant aftertaste. The classic Bordeaux nuances of cedar wood, and lead pencil had been lightly and delightfully skewed by the Pinotage accent of green banana/acetone.
By the third glass the taste of the wine had quite noticeably smoothed and softened. The previous vigorous fruity complexity had been replaced with velvet plummy flavours. I would say that this is a product of over-breathing as by this time the wine had been in the jug for nearly two hours.

I really liked Laibach Old Bush Vine Red Special Selection. The age was just right. The flavours complex, intense, yet tasty and inviting. It is a wine that should appeal to any lover of good red wine, and would be perfect to show off at a dinner party. My advice is not to let it breathe for too long, unless you are looking for a pleasantly smooth, yet far less interesting taste. I whole heartedly recommend Laibach Old Bush Vine Red Special Selection.
(reviewed June, 2007)

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Producer: Laibach Cellars
Grape Varieties:
76% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Pinotage
09% Merlot
Alcohol: 13.5%

Bush vine is an old system to cultivate vines without trellising.