Wine: Journey’s End Cape Doctor The Red

Country: South Africa

Region: Western Cape

Designation: W.O. Stellenbosch

Producer: Journey’s End

Grape Varietal: 55.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5.5% Malbec, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 5.5% Petit Verdot

ABV: 14.5%

Type: Red

Code: 8520

Tasting Note 

This wine exhibits lush and fleshy fruits on the darker side of the spectrum with cassis and rich fruitcake accompanied by cinnamon spice and dark chocolate from generous oak aging. Concentrated dark berries are complimented by a creamy texture with soft elegant tannins delivering a beautiful long-lasting finish. A voluptuous wine only produced in exceptional years.

Producer

In 1995 the Gabb family, originally from Shropshire, UK, fell in love with a picturesque wine farm called Journey’s End and restored it to what it is today, now surrounded by 40 hectares of beautiful vineyards.

The Journey’s End vineyards are nestled amongst the Schapenberg hills, where lies 350 million year old decomposed granite soils are one of the most prestigious terroirs in South Africa. The vineyards benefit from the cooling and cleansing south-easterly wind, known locally as the ‘Cape Doctor’, which comes in from nearby False Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Winemaking

The grape varietals from each block are picked and treated separately utilising both stainless steel tanks as well as 5,000-litre truncated open-top casks. After fermentation, only the Cabernet Sauvignon is subjected to an additional maceration to ensure a solid tannic structure followed by a 22-month barrel aging period. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot components are matured in 100% new French oak with the other varietals being matured in second-fill French oak. The selected barrels are then judiciously blended before being filtered and bottled.

Fun Fact

The Cape Doctor is the local name for the strong south-eastern wind that blows from False Bay and funnels through to Cape Town and Blouberg. The Doctor works his magic by blowing away smog and impurities, clearing the skies, and making way for some fresh sea air.

Food pairing

This full bodied wine is a worthy partner forrich meat dishes, grills, and charcuterie platters.

Awards & Accolades

4.3 Vivino

Matthew Jukes “I am a massive fan of Journey’s End and I have written their wines up in my various columns, for years.”