Laibach Organic Vineyards

At Laibach Vineyards we are committed to producing wines of outstanding quality, that best reflect the unique terroir and the microclimate of the Simonsberg ward near Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s prime wine-growing areas for noble cultivars. Therefore we use a blend of tradition and innovation, adhering to a philosophy of continuous improvement.

At the beginning of this century we started to convert our vineyards gradually to organic farming. The question of agricultural sustainability may not be fully answered with organic farming practices, but it’s a great start. The elimination of toxic agricultural chemicals may reverse the pollution of our surface and groundwater supplies, save the farm workers from certain chronic maladies and even spare wildlife some hideous malformations. The reduction of highly soluble synthetic fertilizers may reduce yields in some crops for a time, but through soil building practices, like recycling of manures and other wastes through composing, and the revitalization of soil with organic matter, we try to create soils capable of sustaining production levels without sacrificing economic concerns.

We see ourselves as traditionalists. We make wine with minimal intervention to show what the special Simonsberg-Stellenbosch deep red soils (Clovelly and Glenrosa) can produce. On the whole farm we use very little irrigation and we rely on our deep clay soil to keep the roots cool and happy. Our average yield is around 35-40 hectoliters per hectare.

To grow organic grapes without herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers was a huge challenge for us. The main advantage of organic growing is that there are far fewer chemical residues in the soil, atmosphere, groundwater and the wine itself. Organic vineyard management is based on farming fundamentals: building organic matter in soil with cover crops, controlling weeds by physical means, encouraging natural air flow around the fruit and welcoming the natural enemies of vineyard pests by seeding fennel and yarrow around the vineyards as an inviting breeding ground for them.

Our principle guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the different parts of the farming system into an ecological whole. We have our own wormery. We don’t use animal-derived finings for our organic wines. The wines are listed in the South African Vegan Directory.

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 Klapmutsberg. Later on it was divided in three farms: Warwick, De Goede Suces 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.