Where the blooming red Cannas line the entranceway is where you’ll find Van Loveren Family Vineyards. The popular wine farm is situated in Robertson, on the way to Bonnievale and makes a great family-friendly stop if you’re on a Route 62 road trip.
The Garden
What immediately strikes you at Van Loveren is the beautiful lush green garden. The garden is the legacy of Jean Retief – family matriarch and avid gardener. Since her arrival in the 1930s, she’s planted many trees to commemorate auspicious occasions. The Van Loveren Perlé De Jean Pinot Grigio with its vibrant floral label has also pays homage to this special lady.
Pictures alone will never do the serene garden justice; you have to take a walk through the lush greenery to appreciate its true beauty. Have a look at the YouTube video included in this post to get a glimpse of what you can look forward to experiencing. Guided garden tours are also available at R60 per person for a duration of 30 minutes including a glass of bubbly.
The Tasting Room
The tasting area overlooks the stunning green oasis and you’ll have views on the deck. During our visit last year, our baby loved their water feature so much that it lulled him to sleep! Van Loveren offers nine wine pairings for moms and dads to enjoy at R60 each and they offer a kiddies grape juice tasting as well!
Van Loveren has also just launched their Almost Zero de-alcoholised wine range. Wonderful White, Radiant Red and Ravishing Rosé all have less than 0.4% of alcohol and the alcohol in one average glass of wine is equivalent to 38 glasses of Almost Zero! I’m not a particular fan of Rosé wine but I really enjoyed the Turkish delight notes of the Ravishing Rosé. The Almost Zero range is perfect for non-drinkers and designated drivers visiting the wine estate.
Christina’s
Christina’s Bistro is well-known for its wood-fired pizzas and gourmet burgers and we can bear testament to this! We swiftly devoured their thin-crusted pizzas and delicious milkshakes during our visit. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating but if you’re visiting on a sunny day, I’d highly encourage you to sit outside – the view of the garden is simply stunning and makes the meal that much more special.
Hiking and Mountain Bike Trails
Van Loveren offers a range of family friendly activities including mountain bike and hiking trails. The Fish Eagle hiking trail is a scenic hike through the estate, veld and along the river. The farm also has three mountain bike routes all offering spectacular views. The routes vary in difficulty and best of all is you can also rent a bike from the farm.
www.vanloveren.co.za | +27 23 615 1505 | info@vanloveren.co.za
