Advent Calendar #3 2022, a Muratie Chenin Blend| Michael Olivier

Muratie Laurens Campher 2020

Muratie Wine Estate is nestled up the West facing side of that most iconic mountain, the Simonsberg in the very heart of the Stellenbosch Wine Appellation. Muratie was first granted to Laurens Campher, a German soldier based at The Dutch East India Company’s Barracks in Cape Town. He installed his wife, a freed slave called Ansela van de Caab, there and they had three children. Laurens used to walk from Cape Town once a month to visit them taking 9 hours to do so. Their house is still standing at Muratie. For me, there is more of a feeling of the Cape Wine history at Muratie than anywhere in the winelands. I don’t think a spider web has been removed from the tasting room in a hundred years.

Annemie Canitz

In the past, Muratie was renowned for its Port. The same wine now bears the name of Ben Prins, Stellenbosch’s legendary barefoot winemaker. There is a raft of wines available from the Estate, beautifully made reds, and a sweet wine called Forever Amber, which has a painting of Amber by George Canitz, a previous owner of Muratie. He was a well-known Artist and after his death the Estate was run by his formidable daughter Annemie, who I had the pleasure of knowing in her later life. It was from her that Ronnie Melck, another winelands legend, bought Muratie.

Rijk and Kim Melck

Ronnie Melck’s son Rijk and Kim Melck are the current custodians.

Annatjie Melck, fabled Stellenbosch Cook

Annatjie Melck, The Chatelaine of Muratie and matriarch of the family, and the most fabled of Stellenbosch cooks, lives in the old Manor House.

Hattingh de Villiers, Muratie’s Winemaker

Hattingh de Villers, the Estate’s Winemaker has produced a gem of a wine here. Bringing out the best aspects of each variety and creating a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tuna Crudo