From: Muratie Winter 2009 Newsletter
We have just come to the end of a series of highly successful music concerts that had us rocking away until the early hours every time. The ever popular Kitchen Jammin' Blues kicked off the season in December followed by the likes of Gian Groen, Gerald Clarke and Rick Stander who performed during the 'Woordfees'. They were a huge hit, belting out some top notch blues and impressing us with spectacular guitar work.
Koos Kombuis ended off the season in March with his collection of 'protest'music. It was gut-wrenchingly funny at times, but also thought-provoking; all the more digestible with a good dose of Muratie wine.
The annual port stomp was a great success with Jannie "Hanepoot" van Tonder and his Big "Eish" band taking us through the late afternoon and early evening. The children had fun stomping some port grapes in the stomping bins. Last year's visitors picked up their complimentary bottle of Ruby Port crushed the previous year, while first-timers are looking forward to getting their bottles next year.
We also proudly hosted the annual Stellenbosch Child & Welfare's art auction. This art auction is the brainchild of well known art teacher Marie Stander. She gives her pupils a topic and they present their own version on canvas. The art is auctioned on the evening and the money raised is donated to charity. This year they collected in excess of R115 000!
Back to business: The harvest is over and the last of the wines are fermenting in tanks, some having gone into barrel already. I am sure the Europeans will be glad to know that the alcohols are a little lower than usual!
The harvest began on the last day of January, which was a little later than usual for us, but then we had a heat wave at the end of February which brought everything forward again. But early or late, we are really happy with the quality of the grapes which was probably due to the long, wet winter we had last year.
With the 2009 harvest coming to a close, we have released a few wines from previous vintages.
Isabella Chardonnay 2008
This wine spent 7 months in French oak, 30% of which was new wood. This is an elegant Burgundian style Chardonnay with delicious notes of citrus, sweat yellow plums and a lingering minerally finish.
Pinot Noir 2007
In 1927 Muratie was the first estate in South Africa to plant Pinot Noir and the only farm to produce this wine till 1975. The erstwhile owner of the farm, Professor George Paul Canitz, and his good friend Professor Abraham Izak Perold experimented with Pinot Noir on Muratie, hence George Paul Canitz`s famous quote: 'Muratie Burgundy is a tonic' and ' Muratie Burgundy is bottled sunshine'. The same still applies today.
The grapes were all hand harvested and fermented in classic open fermentors. Gentle punch-downs on pump-overs were performed. The wine went through malolactic fermentation in 225l French oak barrels (30% new oak). We kept the wine in the barrels for 14 months before bottling. This is the first Muratie Pinot Noir in screw cap.
The wine has an impressive garnet colour. The nose shows elegant whiffs of cherry and strawberry flavours. The palate is elegant; a well-structured tannin backbone gives the wine a long finish. This wine has the structure to be kept and enjoyed in 5-8 years time. To enjoy it now with a great meal would be great, but keeping this wine for a further 5-8 years will enhance your enjoyment so much more.
Ronnie Melck Shiraz 2006
A bold, hand-crafted wine made in memory of the late Ronnie Melck. Produced from a thirty-eight year old, single-vineyard block of Shiraz and matured in 100% new French oak barrels, only 2 000 bottles of this magnificent wine were made, all individually numbered.
This wine is made with the serious Shiraz lover in mind, one who would like to "buy and let lie". Remember that our Ronnie Melck Shiraz 2005 scored the highest points (94) out of a flight of SA wines tasted by German wine writer Mario Scheuerman at the 350 year celebration of SA wine tasting held in Germany.
1763 Methode Cap Classique 2007
Our very first Cap Classique: my idea, Francois's responsibility.
The reason we named it 1763 was that during this year Martin Melck bought Muratie for his daughter Anna Katerina Melck. My late father Ronnie Melck fulfilled his lifelong dream by purchasing Muratie and bringing it back into the Melck Family fold in 1987.
It is a blend of 79% Chardonnay and 21% Pinot Noir and a true Mèthode Cap Classique bubbly. The base wine was made and kept in 3rd fill French oak for 6 months. The wine was then bottled and capped for the customary second fermentation and then kept on the lees for 16 months before being hand riddled. (Come and look for the Muratie team member with the biggest forearm!)
Then the wine was dégorged, corked and labelled. It is a fabulous bubbly which caresses the tongue with a fine mousse and dazzles the eye with its golden tint. On the palate there are hints of honey, biscuit and a well-balanced acidity.
Don't miss out on our specials this winter season. We currently have the Merlot 2005 selling at R80 a bottle, a 20% discount on the usual price. For those looking for something sweet to warm them up this winter we have our Cape Ruby Port selling for R60 per bottle, an ideal nightcap for those insomniacs!
From a very cold and wet Muratie, I bid you adieu and remember: Seeing is believing, but tasting is the naked truth!
Dr Rijk Melck
Managing Director
Muratie Wine Estate
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