|
At Journeys End we are 100% committed to producing top
quality single vineyard and appellation wines that are intricate,
integrated and true to our terroir and the climatic benefits of the
region. Range of Wines
 At Journey’s End we
produce 4 varietal wines - each with their own complex character, each unique
yet true to the terroir. Minimum interference with fruit is the centre of our
winemaking philosophy. Only the very best French oak is used to add complexity
and elegance to these wines.
2008 and 2009 saw the purchase of some excellent new vineyards and further
plantings of sauvignon blanc, viognier, semillion and petit verdot. We are very
excited at the prospect of these varietals adding a further dimension to our
range. 2009 saw the release of two new super premium wines: ‘The Cape Doctor’ –
named after the South Easterly wind which cools our vineyard, and ‘Destination’
– the pinnacle of our white winemaking.
 History
The stunning vineyards on the Journeys End Estate were purchased and replanted
by the Gabb family in 1996.
This beautiful location in the Helderberg Basin near Sir Lowry’s Pass benefits
from South facing slopes and cool coastal breezes. The Schaapenberg Terroir with
its sea facing slopes has started to draw comparison with some of Bordeaux’s
best with some exceptional wines emerging from the area.
2010 saw the completion of a brand new state of the art boutique winery set in
the heart of the vineyards.
The consistently strong run of top wine awards achieved by Journey’s End are
testament to its status as one of South Africa’s most premium wine Estates.
 The Winery
A very modern 250-ton cellar provides winemaker, Leon Esterhuizen, with all the
tools to produce the highest-quality wines with minimal interference in the
natural winemaking process. Journey’s End is the first cellar in the Cape
winelands to install a Defranchesi Cylindrical Fermenter Rotocaps: while
fermenting reds, it has a delicate process of mixing grapes with juice to get
even colour and enhance fruit extraction.
Future plans include the installation of bottling facilities and the building of
a warehouse, barrel store and venue for private tastings.
The stylish new tasting centre, glassed on three sides, overlooks the barrel
cellar and embraces the untrammelled beauty of the panoramic vista. The décor is
elegantly minimalist and chic, and the centre spills out onto a spacious
terrace, offering spectacular views of mountains, vineyards and False Bay, all
the way across to Cape Point.
Personalised wine-tastings with the winemaker, Leon Esterhuizen, are available
by appointment only, from Monday to Saturday, 09h00 until 17h00.
 Wine Making
OUR WHITE WINES
The berries for our white wines are carefully selected by hand in the vineyard.
Half of the harvest is whole bunch pressed at low pressure and the rest is
crushed and undergoes 3 hours of skin contact before it is pressed. The free-run
juice and the press juice are kept separately. The juice then is cold-soaked for
48 hours with settling enzyme before it is racked into barrels for a 10 to 15
day fermentation process. Fermentation starts spontaneously and continues at a
low temperature. Nitrogen is added to the barrels to keep the yeast from
stressing. After fermentation, the wine is inoculated with an Oenococcus oeni
culture to facilitate malolactic fermentation. This is followed by bâtonnage
(the process of stirring the lees) -2 times a week for 2 months. After 2 months
the wine is racked from the lees and checked. The barrels are then cleaned and
filled again to undergo 9 months of barrel maturation. After 9 months the best
barrels are carefully selected and blended to be bottled.
OUR RED WINES
All red wine grapes are hand-selected and meticulously sorted before it is
de-stemmed. Once the grapes are de-stemmed it is lightly crushed in order
to retain lots of whole berries in the fermentation tank. These tanks are
cooled down to 5 degrees Celsius and the grapes cold-soaked with a
colouring extraction enzyme for 2 days before fermentation. After two days
of cold-soaking the grapes are inoculated with a
Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast in order for the fermentation process to
start the next day. In the beginning of the 7 to 12 day fermentation
process 3 pump-overs a day with an occasional aeration pump-over to keep
the yeast in contact with oxygen is executed. During this time the acidity
will be monitored and nitrogen is added as supplement for the yeast to
keep cultivating without undergoing stress. When the tank is half-way
fermented we adjust the pump-overs to 2 times a day. When the fermentation
is finished we leave the tank on the skins for skin contact, and only wet
the cap once a day. After extracting enough tannin the tank is pressed and
the free-run wine will be kept separately from the pressed wine. The
pressed wine undergo malolactic fermentation in barrels. Once the
malolactic fermentation process is finished, the wine is racked off the
lees from the barrel. The sulphur and acidity are adjusted and the wine
pumped back into the barrels for barrel maturation. Once the wine has
extracted enough wood character from the barrel the wine is racked into
tanks to be prepared for blending and bottling. Viticulture
We have selected rootstocks and clones of the highest quality that are most
suitable for our South West facing slopes.
Rigorous pruning ensures very low yields – our business model is based on 2.5
tons per acre (well below the magic 3 tons per acre perceived as the benchmark
for premium grapes).
We use natural pesticides to retain the areas biodiversity and work closely with
nature in the vineyard.
As well as achieving IPW and BWI Champion status, we hope to be ISO 9022 by
2012. 
Awards 2011 Michelangelo Awards
- Trophy for the Best Producer
- Grand Prix Trophy for the
Best Wine (Journeys End
Chardonnay 2010)
2010 Journeys End Chardonnay – Double Gold medal
2010 Journeys End Destination Chardonnay – Double Gold medal
2007 Journeys End Merlot – Double Gold medal
2007 Journeys End Cape Doctor Cabernet Sauvignon – Gold medal
2007 Journeys End Cabernet Sauvignon – Gold medal
2009 Journeys End Pastors Blend – Gold medal
2006 Journeys End Shiraz – Silver medal
2011 International Wine Challenge
2010 Journey's End Chardonnay – Silver medal
2009 Journey's End Pastors Blend– Silver medal
2011 Netherlands Wijnconcours Awards
2010 Journeys End Haystack Chardonnay
– White Wine Trophy
2010 Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Awards
2007 Journeys End Merlot
– Trophy Best Merlot at Show
– Trophy Best SA Red Wine
2008 Journeys End Chardonnay – Gold medal
2010 Michelangelo Awards
2008 Journeys End Chardonnay
– Double Gold medal
2007 Journeys End Merlot – Double Gold medal
2005 Journeys End Cape Doctor Shiraz
– Silver medal
2008 Journeys End Haystack Chardonnay – Silver medal
2010 Winemakers Choice ‘Diamond’ Awards
2009 Journeys End Chardonnay – Winemakers' Choice Diamond Award for Best South
African Chardonnay (Wooded)
2010 Wine Innovation Awards
2009 Journeys End Haystack Chardonnay – Silver medal 2010
Chardonnay Du Monde International Chardonnay Challenge
2008 Journey's End Chardonnay – Silver medal
2010 John Platters Wine Guide
2007 Journey's End Chardonnay – 4 Stars
2006 Journey's End Destination Chardonnay – 4 ½ Stars
2009 Veritas Wine Awards
2006 Journey's End Merlot – Gold medal
2009 Journey's End Haystack Chardonnay – Silver medal
2006 Journey's End Cabernet Sauvignon – Silver medal
2009 Drinks Business Wine Innovation Awards
2006 Journey's End Destination Chardonnay – Silver medal
2005 Journey’s End Cabernet Sauvignon – Bronze medal
2005 Journey's End The Cape Doctor Shiraz – commended
Journeys End Conference
and Wedding Venue |
