Ever noticed how many wines in South Africa have “Chateau” as part of their name? Only one: Chateau Libertas.
In 1935, the country signed an agreement with the French* that prevented the use of the term by any local producer from that point on. Why the exception for Chateau Libertas? It was established in 1932, before the deal was inked, so it escaped the prohibition.
At almost 90 years old, this fine, classic, Cabernet Sauvignon-led red blend is still being exceptional. Earlier this month the 2019 vintage featured as a top ten wine in the 2021 Prescient Signature Red Blend Report. The winning wines in the line-up scored between 94 and 91 points each. Chateau Libertas achieved a highly respectable 92. There’s more. It was also selected as the very best buy of all, retailing as it does for a mere R59 a bottle.
Here are some other interesting facts about Chateau Lib, the name given by the South African wine community to this granddaddy of red blends:
Crazy price
- A bottle of the 1957 vintage fetched R93 800 on a Strauss & Co Virtual Live Auction in September 2021.
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