Journey’s End: awarded, sustainable, ethical

Journeys End harvesting — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Welcome to Journey’s End. This award-winning South African winery, situated on the mountain slopes above Sir Lowry’s Pass Village in the Helderberg basin, was founded in 1996 by the Gabb family. It has always been committed to producing excellent wines for all occasions in a sustainable, ethical manner.

Dynamic winemakers Leon Esterhuizen and Mike Dawson use progressive methods both in the cellar and vineyards. These include a minimal intervention philosophy, carbonic maceration, and fermentation and ageing in amphorae and concrete eggs.

As the most southerly estate in the wider Stellenbosch wine region, the Journey’s End team make use of their exceptional terroir and unique microclimate.

Vines are planted on the Schapenberg hills, blessed with decomposed granite soils that are 350 million years old – one of the most prestigious terroirs in South Africa. As well as incredible views, these vineyards benefit from the cooling south-easterly wind known as the Cape Doctor, which comes in from False Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Journey’s End’s Bordeaux-style blend is named after this wind: Cape Doctor, The Red has become one of the estate’s most revered wines. Darkly fruity with cassis and rich fruitcake aromas, the Cape Doctor’s generous oak ageing adds notes of cinnamon and dark chocolate to the palate, which has a creamy texture, elegant tannins and a lingering finish.

The 2015 vintage of the Cape Doctor was the highest-scoring South African red wine In the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards. With 97 points, it won a coveted Platinum award, given to just 178 wines out of more than 16,500 entries. Shortly after, the Cape Doctor 2015 received a five-star rating in the prestigious Platter’s Wine Guide 2021 – again distinguishing itself as one of South Africa’s finest wines.

A force for good

In addition to producing delicious wines, Journey’s End continues to focus on the environment, its community and sustainable farming practices. The vineyard was the second in South Africa to convert to solar power. It is also certified by Fairtrade, Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), the Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) and has recently become recognised as a WWF Conservation Champion.

In 2020, Journey’s End was named Ethical Company of the Year in The Drinks Business Green Awards, recognising the support it gave to its local community through the Journey’s End Foundation. The Foundation was launched in 2020 to help tackle worsening hunger and poverty, largely in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Since September, the Foundation has funded and provided more than 250,000 meals to those in need via a network of soup kitchens run by a group of inspiring local women.

Drink well, knowing Journey’s End is truly a force for good.