Muratie Ronnie Melck Shiraz 2019

As a direct descendant of Martin Melck (who owned Muratie from 1763 to 1781), Ronnie rekindled a centuries-old love affair and fulfilled a lifelong dream when he bought this gracious old wine farm in 1987, welcoming it back into the Melck fold. Humble, honest and full of integrity, he lived for Muratie and is the only owner whose remains rest here, under the trees on the highest part of the farm. Made in traditional open fermenters and matured for 16 months in 100% French oak (20% new), this wine honours his warm personality, ‘photographic palate’ and instinctive flair for winemaking.The wine was made in traditional open fermenters which enable plunging and pump overs to be done with ease. The wine was matured for 18 months in French oak barrels (20% new).

At Muratie they implement various vineyard practices during and after the growing season to ensure optimal growth and yield. Practices include green pruning, fertilisation after the growing season and the growing of cover crops during the winter months. The vineyards yielded approximately 7 tons per hectare. The grapes were handpicked at optimum ripeness, then gently crushed and destalked.

This wine can be enjoyed now. It can be cellared for a further 7 years.

Shiraz

Great with Beef, Lamb, Game (deer, venison), Poultry.

Muratie is a historic wine farm in the Simonsberg ward. Owned by the Melck family since 1763, at Muratie they take pride in offering hand crafted wines, instructive and tutored tastings, home cooked food, and challenging mountain bike tracks all in a stunning setting. At Muratie, the passion for preserving their rich heritage, and the wonderful human stories that are woven into the very fabric of our history, are matched only by the way in which they produce their fine wines. The wine industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, bringing with it some necessary advances and, sadly, losing at times some of the skill that makes winemaking the enigmatic endeavor that sets it apart in a modern world of mass production. At Muratie they are at pains to balance this blend of tradition and evolution to ensure that they continue producing the same classic wines for which they have become internationally renowned for. Muratie still handpicks all their grapes as they believe this gives them a better understanding of the quality of the harvest even before they start extracting the juice. Not content with that, they then hand select the grapes on a sorting table - ensuring that only the best bunches are used in the winemaking. Even the way they extract the juice is considered. A 3-ton open pneumatic bed presses the grapes, using a rubber membrane. They believe this is the gentlest method, avoiding mechanical crushing and grinding of the skins and seeds. Throughout the process - from fermenting to bottling - they use a balance of winemaker's intuition, time-honored processes and contemporary best practice. Even the vineyards themselves are kept pest-free by ever-vigilant flocks of ducks and geese, avoiding the need for environmentally insensitive pesticides. If you wish to witness how wine is made in the truest sense, you are invited to visit them at the farm.