Van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Van Loveren makes wine for every South African.

Everyone South African cherishes a recipe from their grandmother. It doesn’t matter how complicated or straightforward this beloved taste can be if it evokes special memories of togetherness. In South Africa, we savour this with a wine we love as the common denominator on the table. The Retief family in Robertson is an excellent example of change without sacrificing the core principle of who they are, celebrated in their wines and the food they love.

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Been in the Retief family since 1937

Van Loveren has been in the Retief family since 1937 when Hennie Retief senior acquired the land in the Robertson Valley and named it after Christina van Loveren, an ancestor of his new bride, Jean van Zyl.

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Four Retief cousins

Today, the four Retief cousins are the driving force behind the company who introduced the Four Cousins range of wines 21 years ago.

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Home to the Fish Eagle Hiking Trail

Their fish eagle hiking trail is an absolute must, especially when you conclude it with a one of a kind breakfast pizza at Christina’s Bistro

“I love the fact that Van Loveren makes wine for every South African. It is clear why the aromatic Van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc 2020 won Gold in the 2020 Michelangelo Wine Awards, and I don’t doubt that they will do it again.”
– Samarie Smith

MATCHMAKING VAN LOVEREN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 AND SWEET CORN FRITTERS

Corn in all its forms must be one of the easiest vegetables to pair with white wine as it laps up the sweet and nutty taste that somewhat tempers its youthful acidity.
Make sure your corn fritters crisps up nicely, adding more richness to the pairing.
Keep it simple without unnecessary condiments. We tend to overcomplicate things while the simplicity of something like a corn fritter and a glass of delicious Sauvignon Blanc can cheer up any dreary winter’s day.
Enjoy how the creaminess of the sweetcorn courts the zesty character of the wine, forming a harmonious balance of taste.
Without a heavy hand of salt, a sprinkle of mild Maldon salt over the bowl of fritters will highlight the green fruit character like gooseberry and green figs of the Sauvignon Blanc

Buy the wine here

Recipe inspiration

In the 1980s when they first welcomed visitors to Van Loveren, Jean Retief – true to her hospitable nature, started serving Sweetcorn Fritters. Today they continue this proud tradition, and her fritter has become a signature snack.

1 x 500g self-raising flour

2 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 eggs beaten

2 x 340g tins of Sweetcorn

3 cups of milk

Mix and fry in deep oil.

Our Experience

I think I might just have found my new guilty pleasure: crunchy and puffy sweetcorn fritters with a vibrant Sauvignon Blanc. These “mieliekoekies” as we call them in my Mother Tongue, Afrikaans, were as good as candy when we as grandchildren visited my Ouma for Sunday lunch.

Excited to make this easy recipe that Van Loveren shared with us, their heritage van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc 2021 chilling in the fridge, we fired away with the ingredients, blissfully unaware that it will produce enough to also feed the neighbours kids!

I think this sense of sharing is precisely what “Ouma Jean Retief” intended with this generous batter. These fritters bring back memories of my childhood, except now I can pour myself a glass of wine too. The Van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc 2021 has a beautiful and crunchy intensity that leaps from the glass with pungent aromas of green fig, green apples, melon, sweet pea, lime, greengage, kiwi, and gooseberry. Albeit light in style, this wine is packed with flavour, making this an all-rounder for summer and sunny winter days. The wine is persistent on the palate, quenching that craving for vibrant tropical fruit. These little corn fritters also intensify these primary aromas, and you will have difficulty not to make this combination a regular occurrence when friends come to visit.

Just make sure that they are nice and crunchy so that when so take that first sip of Sauvignon Blanc, it refreshes your palate while the creamy sweetness of the fritter still lingers longer. Just a friendly warning – you might consume a little more than intended.

A new modern look

This Sauvignon Blanc forms a part of the Van Loveren Family Vineyards heritage range recently launched with a refreshed look. The Van Loveren brand has stood the test of time, and after four decades, they still manage to satisfy the contemporary consumer’s palate.

The Retiefs’ heritage inspired the revitalised branding with a subtle, modern salute to the winery’s origins. We love the new look as it also celebrates the brand’s future without alienating its loyal following.

Although the pandemic caused immense losses, it also permitted many businesses to contemplate where they are going and what story they want to share with the world. Therefore, their group of families remained the brand’s unique selling position, and their stories inspired the packaging design. The modern graphic on the label is from the original invitation to the wedding of Hennie Retief senior to Jean van Zyl, who acquired the farm in 1937 and named it after one of her ancestors, Christiena van Loveren.

Featuring that date in the branding is a nod to the past and a reminder of the Van Loveren Family Vineyard’s commitment to rejuvenation and growth.

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