The year is drawing to a close. The Cape is teeming with tourists. In Stellenbosch, we are struggling to find parking. This makes it a challenge to deliver some of our liquid assets to our friends in the village, but we cannot complain. We are happy to welcome guests to our shores, sharing our stories, history and wines with them gives us great pleasure.
I have just spent some time in Porto and up the Douro Valley, tasting some interesting white blends as well as some of the red blends from the Alentejo. What a pleasure for the palate. There is such a rich history, and in certain areas the simplicity is still so tangible. A few of the tasting experiences were a bit too commercial for my liking, but it was still wonderful to be “on the other hand of the bottle,” so to speak.
This trip made me realise once again what a privilege we have to live at the foot of the majestic Simonsberg, shaded by our beautiful old oak trees. We continue to focus on making wines of character and personality. Wines created by the influence of our soils, microclimate and the weather patterns bestowed upon us. We are not here to produce generic wines at all. It is a journey for us. We hope that you will join us on this journey.
This year, we are celebrating 340 years of Muratie Wine Estate’s existence. The story of Laurens Campher and Ansela van de Caab still evokes such emotion when I talk about their hardship, determination and eventual success that they created. It serves as a constant inspiration to all of us here on Muratie.
I have asked the team to make a celebratory offer to 25 wine club members (first-come, first-served). For every case of Ansela van de Caab purchased until the end of December 2025, we will add a celebratory 1.5 L magnum of Ansela. It makes a magnificent centrepiece for the festive dinner table or special gift.
We wish all our friends a well-deserved break. I think 2025 will go down in the history books of the new South Africa as one of the most interesting.
Those of you who will be visiting Stellenbosch over the festive season, please try and make some time to come and visit us. We would be most happy to chat about our plans for 2026.