Celebrating the Dogs of Muratie: A Tribute by the Melck Family on International Dog Day
It was International Dog Day on Monday 26 August, a very special day to celebrate Man’s Best Friend. The Melck family is taking this opportunity to pay tribute to all the beloved ‘Dogs of Muratie’, past and present, who have enriched their lives over many years, and continue to do so, with unconditional love, comfort, guardianship, loyalty, friendship and joy.
A visit to the historic Muratie estate, an authentic treasure, would not be complete without a warm welcome from one of the Melck’s stately German Shepherds guarding the werf, reposing gracefully alongside the white memorial gable beneath the ancient oak trees.
Friends of Muratie and visitors to the estate know well that the Muratie animals are part of the very fabric of the farm. In addition to the delightfully named canine crew (Frank Zappa, Axel Rose and Sid Vicious come as no surprise knowing Rijk Melck’s love of rock music), the roaming resident ducks, geese and chickens and the alpacas, Pirate and Kennedy, all add their own unique charm to this family farm.
Just as the legacy of the past custodians of Muratie over the centuries lives on at Muratie, so too the beloved dogs of Muratie who have ‘crossed the rainbow bridge’ are honoured in memoriam.
Frank Zappa: “We miss this great trusted friend and custodian of our Muratie cellar door. I am sure he has a front row seat in Dog Heaven”, says Rijk Melck
Stella Artois: “The Queen of the Muratie slipstream. Your ever-present gaze at our cellar door is forever missed!”
Saartjie: Gracious guardian of the estate!
Sid Vicious: Charming and affectionate, most definitely not vicious!
Jackson: Muratie’s much-loved pocket rocket!
THE DOGS OF MURATIE, LIVING THEIR BEST LIVES
VISIT MURATIE FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY CAPE WINELANDS EXPERIENCE
There are enchanting places where one can escape the hustle and bustle for a while and enter another world, and Muratie is one of those treasures.
Hidden away in the exquisite Knorhoek valley at the foot of the Simonsberg, Muratie is as old as history itself, where the unique old-world ambience is almost tangible, where the centuries-rich warm country hospitality is unparalleled.
Beautiful old Cape Dutch buildings guarded over by ancient oak trees, crumbling statues, antique wine-making equipment, and the enchanting tasting room with its famous cobwebs, stained glass and art, are all set in a secret garden, a lush green haven of peace and tranquillity.
Over many decades visitors have been captivated and palpably moved by the immense depth of the heart and soul of this historic estate.
The passion for preserving the estate’s rich, centuries-old heritage is captured in every nook and cranny of this family farm.
Even the Muratie wines reflect a tangible sense of time suspended, with the estate’s wines named after extraordinary characters from the past who moulded Muratie as we know it today, each wine with its own charming story described on the back label.
Muratie is a unique and magical environment where visitors enjoy the warmest welcome, legendary wines, honest farm food, outdoor activities, wine, food and music events, art exhibitions and more…
SIP ON MURATIE WINES AND TASTE HISTORY FOR YOURSELF
Knorhoek Road, Stellenbosch · www.muratie.co.za · 021 865 2330 · taste@muratie.co.za
@muratiewine
Muratie Wine Farm
