Grapes for the Journey's End Destination Chardonnay 2019 were handpicked from a 2.5 ha single vineyard block during the early hours of the morning to ensure cool grape temperatures upon intake. Average yield was 6 tons/ha. Although all grapes were harvested between 23° and 23.5°Balling, the block was picked in two stages due to alternative sides of the trellis being exposed to morning and afternoon sunshine respectively. Morning sun grapes were harvested slightly earlier and contribute riper fruit while afternoon sunshine grapes add citrus flavours and enhanced freshness to the eventual product. The grapes were then sorted by hand before being destemmed, crushed and lightly pressed to ensure a very high quality free run juice. The juice was then settled at cool temperatures for 72 hours before being removed from the sediment and naturally fermented in barrels. Fermentation lasted 20 days at temperatures ranging between 18°C and 23°C. After fermentation, 80% of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation. Battonage was practised to add enriched mouthfeel and complexity to the wine which was left to mature for 10 months in 70% new French oak barrels. Bottled at 14%. (Bottle size 750ml)

Nose: Beautiful rich fruit character welcomes you, with notes of pear, ripe peach and apricot. Hints of buttered toast and fresh brioche buns with just a whiff of nuttiness.

Palate: Bright fruit on entry, following through from the nose with notes of ripe peach and apricot. Lovely creamy mouthfeel with notes of baking spices on the mid-palate.

Finish: Elegant acidity, helps keep the wine focused, with notes of citrus peel and lemon preserve. A lovely long finish with lingering notes of toasted pine nuts and freshly baked croissants.

Journey's End, a boutique winery and vineyard on the mountain slopes above Sir Lowry’s Pass Village near Somerset West in the Helderberg basin is owned by the Gabb Family, originally from Shropshire in the UK. The Gabb family took control of the wine farm, surrounded by 20ha of vineyards, in 1995. By 2011 they had grown the estate to 120ha.

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