APRIL WINE CLUB:

Van Loveren Family Vineyards
Rhino Run
Pinotage
Western Cape, South Africa
BOLD WINE STYLE
A barrel-matured wine with rich black berry, red berry fruit, and strawberry confit on the aromatic nose. Elegant expression with firm ripe tannin structure, super-voluptuous yet finely balanced and rounded. Wisps of cherry tobacco and roasted berries add to the complexity through to the dry, graphite finish.
WINE DETAILS:
- Varietals: 100% Pinotage
- Appellation: Western Cape, South Africa
- Alcohol: 14.5% alcohol / volume
- RS: 3.7
- pH: 3.56
- TA: 5.7
- Pairing Suggestion: Sweet barbecue ribs, Boerewors & steak, Gouda cheese
- Cellar Aging Potential: 3-4 years
- Harvest Date: March
VINEYARDS:
Grapes were sourced from a selection of vineyard blocks from trellis to Busch vine, in a variation of meso-climates, exposed hills, and sheltered valleys with soils from Hutton, Oakleaf, Granite, sandstone, and sandy soils. Grapes were picked from a selection of these different wards in the Western Cape.
WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES:
Harvesting occurred at optimal ripeness when the grapes were between 77-78.8°F Balling. Picking was done in the early morning hours to ensure the grapes arrived cool at the cellar. Cold soaking was done for 24 hours before inoculation. Grapes remained on the skins for 24 hours to allow for color extraction. Fermentation lasted between 4 and 6 days at 71.6-77°F. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in 300L medium toasted Vicard and Taransaud barrels of which was second and third fill barrels. The barrels comprised 95% French oak and 5% American oak to add a fruit and vanilla component. Barrel maturation lasted for 15 months whereby the wine was racked twice.
ABOUT THE WINERY: VAN LOVEREN
A decade ago, black and white rhinos seemed on the road to recovery, but since 2008 nearly 8,000 have been poached, pushing them back into a fight for survival. As a family-owned business rooted in responsible farming and environmental care, Van Loveren provides the ideal platform for Rhino Run to raise awareness and funds for rhino protection. With SANParks (South African National Parks) as its main beneficiary, Rhino Run donates a portion of every bottle wine sold — contributing over R600,000 to conservation to date. With every sip, you’re part of the story. 1.5% of every bottle sold goes directly to SANParks anti-poaching initiatives, helping to protect and preserve rhinos for future generations. Rhino Run is more than a wine —it’s a purpose, a story of hope, and a commitment to conservation. Learn more here. >
Baked South African Bobotie
INGREDIENTS:
For the curried ground meat:
- 3 slices bread, crusts removed
- 12.3 fl oz milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 sliced medium onions
- 4 garlic cloves – or 2 teaspoons garlic paste/chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons mild curry powder – add ½ tablespoon more if you like it spicy
- 4 tablespoons fruit chutney, heaped
- 4 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon Worcester Sauce
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped/minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2.2 lb. ground beef
- 6-7 tbsp golden raisin
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt – test for salt and add more if you’d like
- black pepper to taste
- 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
For the savory custard topping:
- 2 eggs
- 1 good pinch salt
- 1 good pinch turmeric
- 6 bay leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the bread
- Roughly tear the crustless bread into pieces, place it in a bowl and cover with the milk. Leave this to soak while you get on with the rest of the Bobotie.
Prepare the Meat:
- Preheat the oven to 356ºF (320ºF fan).
- Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the chopped onions and garlic. Gently fry over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. About 4-5 minutes.
- Next, add the curry powder, fruit chutney, apricot jam, Worcester sauce, turmeric, chopped ginger, cinnamon and red wine vinegar to the onion mixture.
- Gently fry over low heat, stirring frequently for 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through and smelling fragrant.
- Revisit the bread that’s now been soaking in the milk for a few minutes. Drain the bread from the milk and roughly mash it with a fork.
- Keep the remaining milk, we will use it for the savory egg custard topping later.
- Add the ground meat, soaked bread, sultanas, salt and black pepper to the spicy onion mixture in the pan. Then, crumble the beef stock cube into the mixture.
- Give it a good mix and gently fry, whilst stirring, until the ground beef has lost its pinkness. (Tip: A wooden spoon works great for breaking up the ground beer).
- Spoon the meat mixture into a greased oven dish (roughly 12″ x 8″) and smooth the top.
Prepare the savory custard topping:
- Break the two remaining eggs into the leftover milk together with a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Whisk thoroughly until the egg yolks are fully incorporated and evenly blended.
- Gently pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the meat.
- Place the bay leaves on top. Try to space them out equally in a pattern of your choice.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- The cooking time is a good guide, but ensure you have a bit of a crispy edge on the sides, that’s the best bit of a well-baked Bobotie! Add on a few extra minutes if necessary.
Information & Photos © Rhino Run – All Rights Reserved.
© Recipe courtesy of The Cinnamon Jar.
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