About Us

EMBRACING AN ANCIENT WINEMAKING TRADITION

In 2002, the 180-year-old cellar was sympathetically restored to enable it to press approximately 70 tons of red wine a year. To create each vintage, the grapes are handpicked from selected rows in specific vineyards. Our unique gravitational cellar embraces a traditional winemaking concept, which places less stress on the grapes, juices and skins. The bunches are hoisted onto the flat roof of the cellar and, after being hand sorted once more, the grapes are gently destalked. These lightly bruised whole grapes slide into the specially lined concrete tanks where fermentation takes place to impart maximum colour, integrated tannin and intense flavour from the skin contact. The must is regularly plunged down through the cap of skins to achieve yet greater flavour, complexity and strength while it ferments dry for 10 to 14 days. This ancient and sympathetic winemaking technique ensures that the juices are never agitated or stressed by pumping over for extraction. The juices flow through gravitation into concrete holding tanks below the fermenters and the skins are given a gentle pressing. The wine is then stored in a special selection of French and American 300-litre oak barrels where the secondary or malolactic fermentation will take place. Here, the wine will mature in the wood for about 12 to 22 months after which it will be bottled under the family surname, Marklew Family Wines.

 

Dirk Tredoux - MARKLEW   WINEMAKER

  My interest in winemaking/viticulture started as a child growing up in the wine lands. My passion for wine and the outdoors evolved while I was living abroad in Europe and California.  After moving  back  to South Africa, I completed my studies in winemaking at Elsenburg, which seemed like a  good fit, being passionate about wine and the outdoors.

I have an extensive history of winemaking and have worked at esteemed wine estates during the course of my career, such as Asara, Jordan, Vrede en Lust, Amani, D’Aria, Morgenhof and Fort Simon.  During my experience working at these cellars, I was involved in producing numerous award-winning wines.  My attention to detail will ensure that the Marklew family wines retain their consistency and reach new heights. 

I believe that the quality of each wine stems from the quality of the grapes and therefore work closely in a team with the viticulture to start building the desired wine in the vineyards.  I believe in attention to detail and in bringing out the best characteristics of the current vintage and improving on previous years.