Our Story

1685

The German soldier Laurens Campher was the first person to farm on Muratie from 1685. He was officially granted ownership of De Driesprong, as Muratie was originally known, in February 1699 by the then governor of the Dutch Cape Colony, Simon van der Stel. His instruction upon receiving the title deed of the farm was to “bezaayen, beplanten, bepoten, betimmeren“ – and failure to properly cultivate the farm would see him having to return it to the authorities. Today Muratie’s flagship white blend carries the name of our pioneer farmer.

1699

When Laurens first arrived at the Cape from his native Mohrow in Poland, he met and fell in love with a slave woman, Ansela van de Caab, who spent much of her early life captive in the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town. To visit Ansela, Laurens would regularly travel the arduous 50 km between Stellenbosch and Cape Town by foot or ox wagon, as he didn’t own a horse. When Ansela was finally emancipated on 28 June 1695 and came to live with Laurens on the farm, they already had three young children. Their original homestead still stands on Muratie, as does the giant oak tree Laurens planted for Ansela. Our flagship Bordeaux-style red blend proudly bears her name.

1763

When the Camphers sold the farm in 1735, Muratie traded hands between 6 owners before Martin Melck bought the property in 1763. Like many of his predecessors at Muratie, Melck came to the Cape as a soldier in service of the Dutch East India Company. He was born in East Prussia, in the Baltic seaport of Memel, and was trained as a builder. Despite his humble beginnings, Martin Melck became an influential businessman and one of the biggest land barons in the Cape. After his death in 1781, his daughter Anna Catherina inherited Muratie who farmed it with her husband Johan David Beyers. The farm remained in the Melck-Beyers family for 120 years. Our award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon is named after this very distinguished owner of Muratie.

1909

Sir Walter Ernest Mortimer Stanford KBE CB CMG bought Muratie in 1908 and lived here until September 1911. Stanford entered the Cape Legislative Assembly in 1908 as an independent member for Tembuland and was selected to represent the views of the African people at the National Convention of 1909, which led to the Union of South Africa. He argued strongly for universal franchise, regardless of race and gender but his proposal was not accepted. From 1910-29, he served in the Senate. The Senator Cape Late Bottled Vintage 2015 pays tribute to this great leader, statesman and humanitarian.

Lady Alice Stanford

As the wife of a senator, Lady Alice Sarah Stanford would rub shoulders with ministers, dine at ‘Tuinhuis’, host balls, officiate at college sports days – and by all accounts every event she attended turned into a dance party. Hers was the life of the English ‘landed gentry’, from hunting and shooting to lawn tennis and fancy dress, so life at Muratie was very festive  indeed after she bought it in 1909. This Méthode Cap Classique bubbly made from 100% Pinot Noir is a toast to a lady for whom every day was a celebration.

1926

The German George Paul Canitz acquired Muratie from Pieter Wouter Lotz, who took over the farm after the Stanfords’ brief tenure. He was an artist who was born in Leipzig and grew up in Saxony. He was inspired by the masterpieces of the Renaissance and spent time in Italy studying these works. He often drew inspiration from this bohemian time of his life when he lived on Muratie. His art studio where he spent endless hours painting can still be seen on Muratie along with many works from his collection. He lends his name to the Pinot Noir, a grape he helped to pioneer in the Cape.