Cape Town - I’ve had the pleasure of sampling a range of wine estates, but Muratie, 10 minutes outside Stellenbosch, has a special place in my heart.
Small, family-run and full of character, with wonderful wines and hearty country cuisine, Muratie is under the stewardship of Dr Rijk and Kim Melck.
It’s below the steep wooded slopes of the Knorhoek Valley at the foot of Simonsberg.
A German soldier called Laurens Campher was allocated the land in 1685 and everything is old, historic and organic in spirit.
The cellars smell of earth and wood and leaves.
The white-gabled manor house is shaded by ivy-covered oaks. Nowhere have I been so strongly reminded of the history of South African wine, or that it takes people with an exceptional joy in life to produce exceptional wines.
Their sought-after wines are made as natural as possible.
To quote former owner George Paul Canitz: “Muratie supplies the vitamins. No chemicals, no sulphur ever come into contact with Muratie wines.
“You can drink as much as you like – the morning after is a pleasure, not a pain, and the tonic and nourishing qualities of these wines make you fit for the hardest work.”
Remember, Muratie wines are a necessity, a tonic, a nourishment. In the words of a celebrated English surgeon: “There is no finer thing for the human body than red wine and sunshine.”
Sunshine was in short supply when we arrived one recent near-freezing weekend. Low clouds blocked the view towards Table Mountain, but a warm welcome awaited in the cobwebbed, ancient tasting rooms before we plonked our luggage in the guest cottage.
Five-star luxury is fine, but being the only resident guests – much to the envy of other visitors – carries a certain exclusivity.
A friend of Calitz brought a grand piano from Hamburg, protected by a carpet, and in 1926 he built a studio around the size of the carpet.
He put in a skylight and painted his idiosyncratic, often racy, pictures there in the mornings.
Rijk’s dad, Ronnie, added a kitchen, double bedroom and bathroom. The furniture and fittings are period – bar the flat-screen TV – and it is a place I could stay for long stretches, both in winter with the fireplace ablaze and a small library of books for company, and in summer with the door open, well-known musicians playing at the foot of the stairs and happy folk enjoying fine wine and hearty food.
We tested Canitz’s theories on Muratie wines thoroughly without any after-effects the next morning.
We then made our way up the Knorhoek road to Delheim, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of their famous Spatzendreck late harvest this year.
This was the one weekend of the year where around 600 people hope to secure one of 40 places for the annual mushroom do, with a presentation from specialist Gary Goldman (who grew up on the farm) before foraging for fungi in the woods.
We browsed through the extensive wine menu instead of foraging for fungi. I was sceptical about pairing wine with pancakes and cupcakes, but executive chef Yvette Horn delighted my tastebuds with the pairings and her lunch menu.
Try the camembert parcel with sundried tomatoes, olive tapenade and fynbos honey in phyllo pastry, with greens, beetroot, pickled pumpkin and pomegranate kernels, or the fig crème brûlée and pinotage ice cream with boerejongens (grapes in brandy).
It’s a great place for families, and for cheese fondue and jazz on a Sunday.
We sampled something very different at Glenelly Estate on the far side of Stellenbosch.
May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the owner of a famous Bordeaux Chateau for 30 years, invested heavily in this estate, launching the super-modern and environmentally friendly winery in 2009 – 6 000m² anchored in the mountains on four floors.
The clean lines and spaces are complemented by a collection of gorgeous glass art and artefacts, and by gorgeous wines carefully crafted by a team headed by Luke O’Cuinneagain.
The Chardonnays caught my attention, as did the Glass Collection syrah and the flagship Lady May.
The Melcks are a dynamic duo, with rakish Rijk in the tasting rooms and elegant Kim concocting wonderful country fare.
They are passionate about much more than wine. The manor house is crammed with art, and music events are popular with visitors and returning artists.
A rich harvest indeed and, as Canitz wrote: “Many an idea or image flows from a glass of Muratie wine that would never have emerged from a glass of water”.
Call 021 865 2330. Visit ww.muratie.co.za, www.delheim.com or glenellyestate.com
Sunday Tribune