Welcome to Muratie

The farm on which Muratie Wine Estate is situated started life back in 1685 when it was granted  to a young German soldier, Laurens Campher, by Governer Simon van Der Stel. This surely must make Muratie one of the oldest estates in the Cape and judging by the delightfully olden tasting room, along with cobwebs, there are interesting stories from all the characters that lived there!

Perhaps, though, the most influential owner to commence wine production on Muratie was George Paul Canitz. He started life in South Africa after he had come here for reasons of health, which obviously improved as he decided to stay and opened up an art school in Stellenbosch. One day in 1925 he and his family, while out riding on horseback, became slightly lost and they eventually stumbled across a derelict old farm called Muratie (a Dutch word for ruins!).

History welcomes one to the cellar and tasting room

He fell in love with the tranquil beauty of the farm and took possession of it in 1927 with a decision to plant new  vineyards. As he was an artist and knew very little about farming, he sought help from  wine scientist, Professor Perold, of Stellenbosch University . Perold analysed the rich and fertile soils and encouraged Canitz to plant a number of red varieties including Pinot Noir, which was the first time this variety had been planted in the Cape. Canitz continued his career of painting (a number of which hang in the tasting room today)  as well as producing good red wines with the Muratie Pinot Noir being the most famous. Canitz lived till 1958 after which his daughter took over the reigns and along with winemaker Ben Prins they managed the farm until Ronnie Melck purchased Muratie in 1988.

The famous tasting room with equally old cobwebs in place.

Today Muratie is owned and managed by Ronnie’s son, Dr Rijk Melck, who has revived the rich heritage of this estate as well as the brand by naming his range of wines after the many characters that have made up its history along its way! An invitation last week to attend a vertical tasting of Muraties three premium wines was a great opportunity, especially as these wines are perfect  for enjoying during the winter months ahead. Muratie’s wine maker since 2005, Francois Conradie, started us off with a flight of 5 vintages of their Isabella Chardonnay (named Isabella after Rijks first daughter). First in the line up was the 2008, a rich creamy wine with flinty, honeyed aromas leading to a silky mouthfeel of buttered toast, biscotti and lime filled fruit flavour, and yet still retained an impressive lingering freshness. A similar pattern followed through the next 4 vintages ending with the current 2012, which we felt had the structure to develop into a wine similar to the 2008. Shiraz was next and  we were guided through six impressive vintages from the 2005 to 2010. There was a similar thread with each wine offering an intrigueing  development of dark berry spicy aromas with intense rich and meaty flavours with supporting savouriness complimenting the fruit. The tannin grip held well with the big fruit flavours, with the 2007 vintage adding some liquorice flavours on the finish. I thought of winter stews and venison would compliment this style of Shiraz!

Now to the final flight of six vintages of their flagship red blend, The Ansela van de Caab. Named after Laurens Campher’s girlfriend, who having been born into slavery, was only able to marry her after emancipation in 1699!  Since 2006 the blend for this wine is made from predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with lesser parts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Prior to this we tasted the outstanding 2005 which is Merlot driven with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. The Ansela van de Caab is a rich full bodied  wine which ages gracefully, and express’s the suitable terroir for the three red varieties used in this blend and which are grown on the estate. The 2009 is the current vintage available and showed beautifully on the day. The wine shows a deep ruby red colour with enticing aromas of minty scrub, violets and liquorice which leads to a rich silky palate of wild berry fruit flavours with gentle tannins complimenting the overall elegance of the wine.

We enjoyed the wine with Kim’s (Rijks wife) delicious Lambs Shank with vegetables grown on the farm. Kim looks after the small restaurant next to the tasting room which offers a choice of four to five home cooked meals each day. She is also well known for her nougat aptly called “Sticky Fingers”!

Expect to pay: R215.00

Now in its third year, Wine Concepts’ premier Burgundy Lover’s Festival is set to be bigger and bolder as it celebrates the Capes finest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Guests will be treated to one of the most impressive selections of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs ever seen in the country. 35 of the country’s top producers have been invited to showcase their fine wines complimented by delicious snacks suited to the style of wines.

As an added bonus all wines presented at the Festival will be on offer at a 10% discount for guests wishing to purchase.

This event at The Vineyard Hotel and Spa will be from 17h00 till 20h00 in the graceful Summer Room.

Entry to the festival will be R150 per person for pre-booked tickets and R170 at the door subject to availability. The ticket price allows guests to taste all the wines on offer at the festivals and includes light snacks as well as a chance to win wonderful prizes in a lucky draw. Tickets are available from Wine Concepts Newlands (021 671 9030) and Wine Concepts on Kloof (021 426 4401), as well as through www.webtickets.co.za. Mail us to reserve your ticket or for any further information.

The Vineyard Hotel and Spa is offering a special stay over package for those who prefer to extend this lovely evening till the next morning. R995 for a single room and R1690 for a double room includes a three course dinner in the Square restaurant as well as their famous breakfast the next morning. Booking is essential and can be done directly with the hotel via email

The holidays are finished and we hope you were spoilt by the Easter Bunny earlier this month with copious amounts of delicious goodies like wine, chocolates, biltong, olive oils etc! The long warm days are slowly coming to an end and the vineyards are resting after the harvest, now almost complete, with most of the grapes/wine fermenting for our 2013 vintage.

This month we have a lovely recipe from Michael Olivier, a garden party in Wellington and a wonderful new restaurant in Constantia. Classical movie evenings at Steenberg, great competitions and don’t forget our daily wine tastings from well known and newer estates.

We look forward to seeing you again soon and may we remind you of our new trading hours from the 1st April:

Newlands:
Monday – Friday 09.00 – 18.00
Saturday – 09.00 – 16.00

Kloof Street:
Monday – Friday 10.00 – 18.00
Saturday – 09.00 – 18.00

Read our April newsletter now.

Mail us if you would like to receive our monthly newsletter.

Lovely easy drinking wines from our team this month with a bottle of each.

• Zorgvliet Silvermyn Sauvignon Blanc 2012
• Nabygelegen Lady Anna 2012
• Noble Hill Syrah 2008
• Paradyskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
• Hermit on the Hill The Red Knight Syrah/Cinsaut 2009
• De Krans The Original Espresso Fortified Wine NV

The special price for the 6 pack is R350.00, which is a discount on our normal shelf price. Please either call in your order (numbers at the bottom of the letter) or email us with your details. Multiple packs are just as easy and delivery is free in the Cape Town area.

Historical Groot Constantia

South Africa’s oldest wine farm Groot Constantia,  has been around for 328 years and wine has been produced on the property without missing a vintage since 1685!!. Groot Constantia has evidence of this as bottles, pieces of bottles and bottle seals dating back as far as 1774 have been discovered in various places around the world. One bottle was found at the bottom of the ocean in the archipelago outside Stockholm in the late 1940’s by a diver; three bottles were discovered in the cellar of a castle near Belgium that date to the period 1760 – 1840; a bottle piece featuring the Constantia bottle seal was discovered on a beach in the Delaware Bay and identified by historians to be part of the cargo of the Severn – a ship that was stranded there in 1774; another find was a very crude example of the Constantia wine seal – evidently far older than all the other examples – which was unearthed in an excavation in Meiningen in Germany.

To honour Groot Constantia’s rich history as the origin of the South African wine industry the estate decided to resurrect and re-use an original, historic wine label, which prominently features a sketch of the Manor House and use them on the Gouverneurs Reserve Range.  “Groot Constantia’s main point of difference within the industry is the fact that the estate is the oldest in the country and it is for this reason that we chose to use an old label as our ‘new’ wine label,” states Boela Gerber, Winemaker for Groot Constantia.  “This special label not only honours the estates history but it also distinguishes the Reserve range of wines.

Boela launched the new vintages of the Gouverneurs Reserve just after the official opening of Groot Constantia’s revamped tasting room last week. The Gouverneurs Reserve  2012 white is a Bordeaux style blend of 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine imparts intense aromas of tropical fruit, gooseberries and apricots with subtle hints of freshly cut grass.  The silky rich palate combines  minerally and flinty flavours with an exhilarating citrusy finish. Whilst the wine drinks extremely well now, it is should develop even greater complexity with further maturation.

The Gouverneurs Reserve Red 2010 shows intense plum colour which encourages you to enjoy bracing aromas of black cherries, ripe plums with hints of dark chocolate! These senses all come together on the palate which bring out the flavours of the dark fruits discovered on the aroma backed up by black pepper and spice on the finish. The structured tannins along with the firm acid will allow extra complexity after a few more years of cellaring.

Expect to pay:
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2012 White @ R232.50
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2010 Red @ R300.00

Far from the maddening crowd in-between Noordhoek and Fish Hoek lie the vineyards belonging to Cape Point Vineyards. Well known particularly for their Sauvignon Blanc’s and Semillons produced under the Cape Point premium range they are also the winery behind the popular Splattered Toad Sauvignon Blanc and Red Blend.

The man who orchestrated the success of these fine wines is winemaker and viticulturist, Duncan Savage. Having graduated in 2002 he was approached by Cape Point Vineyards owner, Sybrand van der Spuy, who offered Duncan the position of winemaker. Duncan jumped at the opportunity especially as his outdoor hobby is surfing which meant he would have  Noordhoek beach close by!

Now having 11 vintages under his belt, he realised it was time to fulfil his lifelong dream which was to make a range of wines under his family name before he was 35! With Sybrand’s blessing, allowing Duncan to divide his time at Cape Point, he achieved this albeit only a few months after his 35^thbirthday! The wines, a white and a red, were proudly launched last month under the brand name of Savage Wines!

Duncan Savage

The Savage White 2012 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (70%) and Semillon grapes which were specifically selected by Duncan from some of the finest elevated and maritime vineyards in and around the Western Cape.    With each vineyard’s unique terroir contributing in its own distinctive way, along with the use of new and old large French Oak barrels, the wine offers extraordinary complexity and elegance with an ability to age for a further four to five years. The wine has a bright straw yellow tinge colour with fresh aromas of green apples and citrus with subtle hints of passion fruit. The invigorating palate offers silky lanolin flavours of  freshly cut  peach and apple leading to a well rounded finish.

Duncan Savage with an Amphora

The Savage Red 2011 is an intriguing yet delicious blend of three  cultivars led by Syrah at 72% with  Grenache at 21% ending off with 7% of  Cinsault. Duncan sources these grapes from farms where he has developed excellent relationships with their owners who understand the quality Duncan requires for this particular style of wine. These attributes are certainly evident in the wine and I was amazed to find that although the wine is complex and full bodied it has an appealing alcohol of only 12.8%. From its deep dark velvet colour you will discover aromas of  red cherries, and warm savoury spice. The palate is rich and intense with silky flavours of dark spicy fruit followed by firm tannins with a savoury aromatic finish. The wine is eminently drinkable now but has the pedigree to enjoy over the next ten years under correct cellaring conditions.

Two wonderful wines from Duncan and for the future, I am told, will be joined by several interesting single vineyard wines which will be released from 2014, also under the Savage Wines label.

Expect to pay:
Savage White: R180.00
Savage Red: R180.00

The unique Bouchard Finlayson cellar

The Hemel en Aarde Valley on the outskirts of Hermanus is home to a collection of top class wineries where some of South Africa’s finest Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are produced. Contributing to this is that the Valley lies in one of the coolest growing areas in the Cape and being so close to the cold ocean the soils and vineyards benefit from the on shore winds. The result is a semi-Mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild frost free winters. The soils are predominantly Bokkeveld (Malmesbury) Shale with duplex layers of clay and gravel (rich in ironstone and granite) with an underlying layer of fine clay shale which provides a source of moisture. However wonderful all these perfect conditions are for the vines in the vineyards there is always a team responsible to make sure it all happens correctly in the vineyards so that the finale of perfect grapes at harvest can be delivered to the cellar.

Peter Finlayson, the leader of the pack

Heading the team at the Bouchard Finlayson winery is none other than Peter Finlayson who I am sure must be the  longest standing wine maker in the Valley. Peter started out as wine maker on the neighbouring farm, Hamilton Russell, where he received the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Award in 1989 for The Hamilton- Russell Pinot Noir 1986. The prize allowed him the opportunity to travel to France where he spent four days with well known negociant, Paul Bouchard. It was here that Paul and Peter formed a Franco-Cape wine venture and started the Bouchard Finlayson winery in the Hemel and Aarde valley. As Peter thrived on making wines from the Burgundy varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it made sense for him to pursue his dreams on this newly acquired piece of land. Not surprising then that after the first few vintages their wines were winning trophies and awards world wide!

Since these early days and after Paul Bouchard sold his stake to the Tollman family in 2001, the winery has grown to new heights with Peter continuing  at the helm. Today the Bouchard Finlayson range of wines includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a white blend called Blanc de Mer, an Italian/ French red blend named Hannibal, an unwooded Chardonnay as well as a range of exceptional wooded Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.

The range of wines produced

Peter invited us to visit the farm recently where he led us through a tasting of  his latest vintages and at the same time afforded us the opportunity to taste older vintages as well, proving how well each of his wines continue to improve in bottle. I imagine that wine lovers have particular preference to a wine style from their favourite wineries and mine are the Pinot Noirs from Bouchard Finlayson!  My cellar at home comprises several vintages of the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir and also a few bottles of the flagship Tete De Cuvee.

After the tasting we were invited to go down to the cellar of the homestead  where lunch was served and each course designed to pair the flight of wines we had previously tasted.  What a feast of the senses from the delicious whites to the sublime reds all complimenting the delicious food! However it was the finale I was waiting for which was a selection of cheese, brie, emmental, goats and blue and served with the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2011. Named after the surrounding mountain which helps to trap the moisture from the sea this Pinot has the breeding for many more years of maturation! The wine is elegant and balanced and full of silky rich black cherry and plum fruit flavour which lingered on the palate well into the long savoury finish!

Expect to pay: R285.00

Lovely easy drinking wines from Mike and his team this month with a bottle of each.

• Gabrielskloof Sauvignon Blanc 2012
• Wildekrans Caresse Marine White NV
• Leeuwenkuil Chenin Blanc 2012
• Eikendal Merlot/Shiraz Rose 2012
• Freedom Hill Pinotage 2009
• Steenberg H.M.S Echo Red Blend 2010

The special price for the 6 pack is R350.00, which is a discount on our normal shelf price.

Click here to send your special request for this offer.
Multiple packs are just as easy and delivery is free in the Cape Town area.

The usual heat in the Cape over the picking season over the past couple of months, with some rain added to the mix, has resulted in some speedy picking once the winemakers were happy with the correct phenolic ripeness and sugar levels of the grapes. Chatting to winemakers this vintage seems challenging with temperatures fluctuating a lot. Some wineries in the Wellington area have already completed harvest with some other along the coast not even nearly halfway.

We have been busy sourcing and tasting wines for your ultimate enjoyment and from our selection we have chosen several to add to our shelves. Come and discuss with our professional staff the wine which is best suited for you!

Read our March newsletter now.

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