Floods Devastate Van Loveren as Winery Suffers Losses of 1.3 Million Bottles

“The water came again. What comes next is us, together.”

Those were the emotional words shared by Van Loveren Family Vineyards after devastating flooding tore through parts of the Robertson Valley, leaving behind widespread destruction across one of South Africa’s best-known wine estates.

The historic flooding, caused by the overflowing Breede River, breached sections of the winery and caused significant infrastructure damage, with the estate estimating stock losses of around 1.3 million bottles of wine.

The disaster marks yet another devastating chapter for the Robertson Valley community, which has battled repeated flood events over the decades.

“The Robertson Valley has faced devastating floods before in 1981, again in 2003, and now for the fourth major time in just the past three years,” the farm said in a public statement shared on social media.

“Yet somehow, each time, this community finds the strength to stand together and rebuild.”

Major damage across vineyards and winery

According to information shared by WineMag.co.za on Instagram, the flooding caused extensive damage to:

• vineyards
• warehouses
• winery infrastructure
• and wine stock

Despite the scale of the destruction, the estate confirmed that recovery efforts began immediately after floodwaters moved through the property.

“At Van Loveren, our people are safe, warm, cared for and together. Right now, that matters most,” the statement read.

The winery added that teams continue working around the clock to assess damage across the farm and cellar while beginning the long recovery process.

Operations impacted as clean-up continues

While parts of the estate remain heavily affected, Van Loveren confirmed that some operations are continuing under adjusted conditions.

According to the winery:

• tank stock remains unaffected
• alternative warehousing facilities are operational
• and deliveries are expected to resume in phases from next week

However, the estate’s tasting room has been closed until further notice.

Visitors planning to travel to the property have been strongly urged to contact the estate directly or monitor the official website for updates regarding temporary closures and modified trading operations.

Orders remain open, although delays are expected while teams continue recovery work.

Community resilience shines through

Founded in 1937, Van Loveren has become one of South Africa’s most recognised family-owned wine brands and a cornerstone of the Robertson Valley tourism and wine economy.

The winery said the strength of the local community continues to play a critical role during times of crisis.

“We’ve been part of this valley since 1937, through drought, floods and seasons that tested us; it is the strength of our people and community that carries us through,” the estate said.

“We’ll get through this too, one step at a time.”

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