About Us
Mel Wines is a quintessential passion story. One born out of a longstanding love of wine and the pursuit of excellence. For many years, founders Rene and Saskia Mellema travelled the world searching for the perfect parcel of land to bring their shared vision to life. In 2014, they discovered Klein Champagne – one of the oldest farms in Franschhoek and the optimal starting point to plant vines, keep horses and call home.
Named after the founders, Mel Wines draws from their experience of raising champion sports horses to craft top-performing Franschhoek wine. So akin are the two endeavours that each wine is named after one of the beloved horses.
Set among jagged peaks and mountainous slopes, Franschhoek is one of the most celebrated wine regions in South Africa. The vineyards enjoy a warm, continental climate moderated by the cooling mountain breezes and generous winter rainfall. Undulating and diverse, Franschhoek is a unique confluence of terroir where only true masters can triumph in their craft.
To create a stable of showstopping wines, Mel Wines observes the maxim that what you put in, you get out. Like the horses on the farm, the vines receive meticulous care to encourage each varietal to develop and express its charismatic personality. Our approach includes working with the Italian grapes Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. As one of the few South African wineries offering these two red varietals, it is a further testament to Rene and Saskia’s ambition to push for greatness.
Ultimately, Mel Wines adopts a disciplined approach to handcraft small-batch single varietal wines that can truly take the reins.
At Mel Wines, we know you want to celebrate life with those small moments of everyday luxury. As a Franschhoek-based winery growing 100% estate-grown, premium grapes, Mel Wines practices great care and discipline in our vineyards and cellar so that you’re always rewarded with a champion.
The Wines
CHAMPIONING FRANSCHHOEK WINE EXCELLENCE
While there are a lot of great wines in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa, not all of them come with a story that resonates with you and delivers on the point of difference you are seeking. Finding a top-performing wine can be a lot harder than it might seem!
At Mel Wines, we know what it takes to create a champion. Drawing from our experience of training prize-winning sports horses, we dedicate the same high level of attention to crafting our wine. With prime vineyards in one of the oldest farms in Franschhoek, our curated stable of wines results from our unwavering dedication and discipline to nature and nurture. All grapes are 100% estate-grown, and we are one of the few wineries in the country producing the up-and-coming Italian red varietals Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. Our vision is to craft small-batch, single varietal wines that are balanced and delicious and can truly take the reins.
We invite you to join the Mel Wines herd and try a horse of a different colour.
Precision Winemaking
Just like the founders’ commitment to success in the equestrian arena, so their discipline reflects in their winemaking approach. Each vineyard receives meticulous attention to detail to groom the grapes into a show-stopping stable of wines.
Wine of Origin Franschhoek
All our grapes are grown in Franschhoek’s continental climate. Our estate benefits from moderate temperatures thanks to the cooling mountain valley winds that create ideal conditions for premium wine growing.
Championing Italian Varietals
Mel Wines is one of the few South African wineries offering the two Italian red varietals, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. These robust Mediterranean grapes produce some of the most exciting, refined expressions in the avant-garde viticultural landscape.
Meet the Mel Herd
Whether you are a newcomer or seasoned wine lover, the Mel First Rosé is a delightful wine to hop onto. Named after one of our champion horses, this aromatic rosé mirrors First’s delicate temper and gentle approach.
To experience the depth and range of Franschhoek, we invite you to canter with our core range. These are true reliable steeds, offering an elegant reflection of our vineyards. For white wine lovers, the Firminus Sauvignon Blanc is a sophisticated starting point. Firminus was our very first horse, originally imported from Holland. He is the lightest of our collection, and full of zest. For those who prefer a slightly richer style, our CEO Chardonnay is named after our very large dark bay horse who is a born showjumper. A complex character, his name reflects the position and the respect he deserves.
On the red side, our Mooiboy Merlot is a graceful young horse, trained in dressage and dark bay in colour. Mooiboy embodies elegance, softness and strength and is friendly to approach. For those that prefer a bolder wine, the Marmer Pinotage is named after a beautiful Boerperd pony with a very relaxed temperament and athletic build.
The Franschhoek Valley is best known for producing bottle-fermented sparkling wine known as Cap Classique, as well as growing Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. Yet, it is also perfectly suited to lesser-known varieties such as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. Motivated by the importance of planting better-suited varieties for the changing climate, we choose to give Sangiovese and Nebbiolo the leading role in our stable of wines.
Fentano Sangiovese is named after our champion showjumper and eventer. Described as a ‘dream boy’, Fentano has an easy-going temperament that knows what it takes to be a winner. Complex and full of characters, Fentano presents a quiet force that needs time to unveil its many subtle and mysterious layers.
As a complement to Fentano, our Vabond Nebbiolo is named after our speckled dark bay Boerperd pony. Just like this wine, VB (our affectionate nickname for him) is a commanding character that gallops onto the palate and wows the crowd. Exuberant, profound, and proud, he is wonderfully rewarding to work with and full of fortitude.
All Mel Wines are made with the utmost attention and care so you can indulge in a well deserved moment of luxury. Ultimately, Mel Wines adopts a disciplined approach to handcraft small-batch single varietal wines that can truly take the reins.
The Farm
Franschhoek is exactly what you expect when you think of the Cape Winelands: hillside wineries, charming BnBs, gastronomic discoveries and vast expanses of perfectly ordered grapevines growing along the mountainous slopes. It is a world-class destination synonymous with quality and mastery. Yet, while there are a lot of great wines in the Franschhoek Valley of South Africa, not all of them come with a story that resonates with you and delivers on the point of difference you are seeking. Finding a top-performing wine can be a lot harder than it might seem!
This is precisely why our founders, René and Saskia Mellema, decided to pursue their passion of establishing a winery and private equestrian estate on the outskirts of the centuries-old French Huguenot village. In 2014, the duo purchased Klein Champagne – one of the oldest farms in the Franschhoek Valley. The Mellema’s are no newcomers to production, having made their success in supplying speciality ingredients to the food and wine industry across the globe. An abbreviated form of the Mellema surname, Mel Wines is the realisation of a shared dream and the next step in their pursuit of excellence. We invite you to join the Mel Wines herd and try a horse of a different colour.
A Top-Performing Region
Franschhoek is one of the most celebrated wine regions in South Africa. Our vineyards are located at 400m above sea level. Here, they benefit from a continental climate that is moderated by the cooling mountain breezes and generous winter rainfall. Undulating and diverse, Franschhoek is a unique confluence of terroir where only true masters can triumph in their craft.
As equestrians, we know what it takes to create a champion. That’s why we dedicate the same high level of attention to crafting top-performing wine as we do to our equestrian endeavours. With prime vineyards in some of the finest terroir in Franschhoek, our curated stable of wines is a result of our unwavering dedication and discipline to nature and nurture. All grapes are 100% estate-grown, and we are one of the few wineries in the country producing the up-and-coming Italian red varietals Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. Our vision is to craft small-batch, single varietal wines that are balanced, delicious and that can truly take the reins, vintage after vintage.
