“This competition is such a great idea for the wine industry,” says Van Loveren CEO Phillip Retief. “South African wine farms have begun opening their farm gates, and not only their cellar doors, to welcome the whole family for a comprehensive experience. Van Loveren has always put a high premium on family values and tradition, which is why our variety of activities invites adults and children to enjoy what the farm has to offer.” Wine-lovers and Van Loveren fans can now vote for their favourite family wine estate in the categories for: * Best New Tasting Room * Best Food & Wine Pairing and * Best Child-friendly Wine Farm. Best New Tasting Room Van Loveren, in the Robertson Wine Valley, is renowned for its hospitality. The Retief family’s commitment to innovation and their continued personal and generous involvement with visitors, have contributed to the creation of a unique tasting experience. This in turn, extends the tasting horizons of wine lovers. “We realised that wine enthusiasts often seek more than a traditional wine tasting, preferring to explore and involve all their senses,” says marketing manager Bonita Malherbe. “We set out planning every aspect of our new tasting room from our visitors perspective - what they would want to experience, what would excite and surprise them” The famous Van Loveren gardens have been incorporated in the design and layout of the new tasting venue with its 6.5m high glass panels. The venue is wheelchair-friendly and its shaded wooden deck overlooks the Rhus Lancea, the well-known entwined tree that was planted here in 1941 and gave the latest Van Loveren wine range its name - Tangled Tree. Van Loveren’s personal and warm welcome has for three generations been one of the main draw cards luring visitors back time after time. Best Food and Wine Pairing Van Loveren is renowned for its wine ranges: Van Loveren, Christina Van Loveren, Papillon, Five’s Reserve, Four Cousins and the new eco-friendly range called Tangled Tree. It is also popular for its food and wine pairings, which take on a whole new dimension. These sessions are as educational as they are fun. Pairing wine with nougat and nuts, or white, milk and dark chocolate eliminates the sometimes-daunting task of wine tasting. Among the delicious offerings is the pairing of a Van Loveren Blanc de Noir Shiraz with Sally Williams Cranberry Nougat; and, Five’s Reserve Brandy complemented by an orange zest dark chocolate. The light-hearted and informative tasting sheets accompanying each session enhance the sensory experience and effectively guide tasters along this novel encounter with wine. Best Child-friendly Wine Farm “Although we are fully committed to the promotion of responsible drinking among adults, Van Loveren is a family oriented farm where children are as welcome as their parents,” says Phillip Retief. “For this reason we have included children in our food pairing menu. The Kids alcohol-free tasting platter is a hit amongst the young ones and allows for them to also have a memorable winelands experience.” The well-developed 15km and 6km mountain bike routes across the river and through the vineyards have become extremely popular. The convenience of being able to bring your own bike or simply rent one on the farm encourages families to include this activity in their programme for the day. Similarly the Fish Eagle hiking route draws more active families seeking some quality time in the countryside. While the lush gardens offer little ones the perfect space to expend some of their energy, the child-frienldy menu at the popular Christina’s @ Van Loveren bistro will soon have them replenished. Visit www.vanloveren.co.za for more information about the activities and wines available. To vote for Van Loveren in the Klink Awards, visit www.klinkawards.co.za before midnight on October 27.