Packaging Spotlight: Chateau Libertas 80th Birthday Blend

To mark their 80th birthday, Chateau Libertas has released a limited-edition bottling of the 2010 vintage.

Believed to be South Africa’s oldest red blend, this iconic brand has been producering this wine every single year since 1932.

Only 4 000 bottles of the birthday blend have been made, featuring a unique label depicting some of the highlights of the wine’s history. A sketch of the founder of Chateau Libertas, William Charles Winshaw, features prominently on the label. William came to South Africa in 1900 to join the Bristish forces fighting in the Anglo Boer War. After practicing medicine for several year’s he turned to winemaking and in 1932 Chateau Libertas was born.

Chateau Libertas became a big hit, not only nationally but also internationally. It was the drink of choice to such an extend that it was even served at the official state baquet when the British Royal Family visited South Africa in 1947.

The brand’s success story continued over the years and a bottle of 1940 Chateau Libertas fetched a remarkable price of R20 000 at the 1985 Nederburg Auction. At 2011 Nederburg Auction, a trio of bottles from 1961 went for R20 000. That’s a whopping R6 666 for a 750ml bottle. A six-bottle case of the 1965 sold for R14 000, and a six-bottle case of the 1967, for R8 800. Chateau Libertas made history once again at the 2012 Nederburg Auction when a set of 12 vintages, spanning from 1959 to 1970, sold for R16 000.

As always, this Chateau Libertas features Cabernet Sauvignon that was blended with Merlot, Shiraz and Petit Verdot. The grapes were picked from premier, low-yielding vines in Stellenbosch and Darling.

This limited addition Chateau Libertas 2010 is available from the Bergkelder Vinotèque Wine Bank in Stellenbosch, its online wine shop, www.vinoteque.co.za, as well as selected outlets of the major supermarket and liquor chains. It retails at around R65 a bottle.