FEATURE | The Art of Wine
A Tale As
OLD AS TIME Inside the rich history of the Muratie Wine Estate
T
ucked into the Knorhoek Valley, you’ll find the beautiful Muratie Wine Estate. The farm dates back to 1685 when it was granted by Simon van der Stel who was Governor of the Cape of Good Hope—making it one of the oldest estates in South Africa. As you can imagine, with such a long and rich history at its heart, the estate is over-flowing with fascinating stories, unbelievable tales and characters. Now, run by Rijk Melck and his wineloving family, together they have worked hard to revive the farm’s rich heritage. Following the classical evolution of the brand over time, the team chose to name many of their wines after these colourful characters. Amongst the award-winning Muratie Range, you’ll discover the likes of Martin Melck Cabernet Sauvignon,
A
named after Martin Melck, who owned Muratie from 1763 to 1781. A mercenary from Prussia who’s greatest love was for his daughter, Anna Catherina, for whom he bought Muratie. Then, there’s the Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux Blend that’s named after Ansela van de Caab. Born into slavery at the Cape’s Castle, Ansela fell in love with a dashing German soldier called Laurens Campher. After years of secrecy, and once the laws allowed, Laurens eventually moved Ansela and their three children to live at Muratie. To find out more about the wonderful people and stories behind these wines, best you visit the Muratie estate. Whether it’s a wine tasting at the Tasting Room or a leisurely lunch at the Farm Kitchen—Muratie’s rich history is captured in every nook and cranny. Wherever you find yourself on the estate, you can’t help but be moved by the many generations that have lived and worked here.
SOUTH AFRICAN CONNOISSEUR
VISIT WWW.MURATIE.CO.ZA TO FIND OUT MORE | CONTACT 021 865-2330/6 | EMAIL INFO@MURATIE.CO.ZA
