Van Loveren Family Vineyards is not just popular for its wine or the famous four cousins of the eponymous wine who head the company, but also for the innovative ways it creatively reacts to the market.
The Van Loveren brand – the estate’s oldest wine trademark – this year celebrates 35-years of excellence with a brand new appearance that speaks of quality and style – just as Van Loveren supporters have come to love it. “Van Loveren has become a household name thanks to the loyal support of wine-lovers,” says CEO Philip Retief. “The brand’s journey over more than three decades has shown consistent growth in terms of the expansion in the variety of wines available. The development of a new, uniform, but clearly distinguishable label for the different cultivars makes it possible for consumers to easily find their favourite wine amongst others.”
Be on the lookout for the elegant, fresh and modern label design. The VL swoosh is easily recognisable and comes in a variety of different colours that identifies the various cultivars – just right to catch the eye of a new generation of wine lovers.
Find a new favourite
In celebration of the new design, Van Loveren launches Daydream. With a glass of this uncomplicated and surprisingly fruity dry white wine in your hand, let your imagination take flight to a lazy daydream of happy times with friends and family. The acidity of the Chardonnay (94%) is tempered by the intensity of the Pinot noir (6%) and its flavour notes of cool blossoms. It’s ideal for a summer seafood dish of smoked salmon, flash grilled tuna, or chicken…or as your drink of choice after a long day, on its own.
The Van Loveren Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is a full-bodied red wine and certainly not modest! The eight-month aged blend overcomes the senses with smoky aromas of dark chocolate, eucalyptus and mint, with notes reminiscent of a cigar box and fruitcake. The Merlot (40%) elegantly rounds off the wine. Enjoy it with heavyweight dishes like leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic; venison; roast chicken; turkey; or, rare roast beef.
The Van Loveren Chardonnay is a dry, well-balanced wine with titillating citrus aromas and a nuance of smoke and nuts on the tongue. With five months in French oak, the wine reflects only the slightest touch of wood and is the perfect companion to a creamy pasta dish, grilled pork, fish or chicken.
The very popular dry, yet fruity Sauvignon Blanc boasts the typical grassy character of the cultivar. Expect an aromatic, robust wine with melon and figs on the palate and lingering elegance. Enjoy it with artichokes and white meat dishes or flash grilled tuna, salmon or shellfish.
The grapes that went into the Chenin No. 5 make it a highly aromatic wine. They were handpicked; after fermentation, the juice after was given just enough lees contact to drive flavour intensity. Taste quince, guava and Granny Smith apple flavours with a touch of fresh herbs. It’s the ideal partner for lightly flavoured chicken, smoked salmon dishes or even a gourmet burger.
The Van Loveren Blanc de Blanc is a delightful and easy-drinking wine with a fruity nost and a dry freshness on the tongue. Have a glass of this Colombar (80%) and Sauvignon Blanc blend with salad, seafood and veal or light pasta dishes.
River Red – one of Van Loveren’s bestsellers and very first red wine launched back in the 1990s – is soft on the tongue and shows delicious berry flavours. This unwooded dry blend of Ruby Cabernet (80%) and Merlot is especially notable for its soft tannins. It is available in a 500ml and 750ml screwcap bottle as well as a festive 1,5L bottle. Enjoy with pizza, red meat dishes or strong-flavoured cheeses.
The Blanc de Noir Red Muscadel Blush is a delicate semi-sweet wine with a sensual muscat nose and nuances of pink rose petals. Enjoy before dinner as an aperitif or with strong-flavoured foods like curry and Thai dishes.
The four-month wood aged African Java Pinotage bears the Pinotage flag well with ripe berries and plum on the tongue, and attractive mocha-java notes that linger. Add to this the aroma of roasted coffee beans and the wine is perfect with a hearty Osso Bucco, venison or lamb stew, curry or sticky pork ribs.
Although the Van Loveren Merlot has soft strawberry flavours on the nose, and the well-balanced tannins make it an easy drinking wine, it is definitely not a lightweight wine. Rubbing shoulders for six months with French oak staves has given it a rich, fruity character and makes it the ideal partner to roasted and smoked red meat dishes, including rich stews and strong cheeses.
Viticulturist Neil Retief, one of the famed Van Loveren cousins, is proud to put his name to the farm’s much-lauded Colombar. Grapes for the Neil’s Pick Colombar are harvested from a single vineyard, by hand and at night so as to ensure that optimal ripeness is achieved. The result is a refreshing wine with prominent flavours of guava and a fruity, yet slightly dry finish. Enjoy it ice cold with poultry, pork or light, picnic-style snacks.
Van Loveren’s comlete range of wines is available in six popular labels: Christina van Loveren, Van Loveren, Papillon, Five’s Reserve, Four Cousins and the eco-friendly Tangled Tree range.
