Stellenbosch’s Journey’s End Forges Partnership With Nimbility To Build Their Asia Markets
Journey’s End Estate, one of Stellenbosch’s eminent family owned wineries, has partnered with Nimbility to build their presence in Asian markets.
The Gabb family, originally from England, started their wine journey in South Africa in 1995, buying the picturesque Journey’s End farm and 20 hectares of vineyard. Over the past twenty years they have invested heavily in vineyards and a solar powered winery, growing the estate to 120 hectares under vine today.
Located in the Shapenburg Hills, over-looking False Bay, these vineyards, the most southerly plantings in Stellenbosch, have a microclimate on average 5 degrees cooler than central Stellenbosch. The Atlantic influence here is extreme and makes for highly elegant wines that epitomize this coastal climate influence.
Having established a reputation for high quality and consistency in mature markets like the UK, Journey’s End is now turning its attention to seek out opportunities within the emerging Asian markets.
“We are hugely excited to have started working with Nimbility across the Asian markets,” says Rollo Gabb, Managing Director of Journey’s End Estate. “We see immense potential for Journeys End in Asia and are looking forward to drawing on Nimbility’s unparalleled knowledge and expertise in this region, to help us build out the brand.”
A huge focus for Journey’s End, and a growing trend across Asian markets, is environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Age old practices such as the planting of cover crops, (to prevent weeds and thus the need for using chemical sprays) the introduction of Egyptian geese (to control snail populations), barn and eagle owls (to control rodents), all play their part to ensure that the environment is preserved and protected. Natural pesticides are used to ensure retention of the area’s biodiversity, working closely with nature in the vineyards.
The winery is certified BWI (Biodiversity Wine Initiative), IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) as well as focused on social responsibility, helping the local community via a range of initiatives and accredited by WIETA (Wine Industry Ethical Trading Association), certified Fairtrade, and runs the PIWOSA (Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa – of which Rollo is Chairman) Women in Wine Initiative.
The Journey’s End range is split into 3 tiers, each with their own character. The ‘Tales Series’ consists of four well-made, excellent value wines, each with a unique story behind their label.
The ‘V Series’ consists of four varietal wines (Chardonnay, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon) made from carefully nurtured vines on low yielding soils, sourced predominantly from vineyards that are 25+ years old at the heart of the Journey’s End estate.
The ‘Precision’ range sits at the tip of the pyramid and consists of three wines made from tiny select parcels representing the very pinnacle of Journey’s End winemaking.
The ‘Destination’ Chardonnay is a truly remarkable feat from winemakers Leon Esterhuizen and Mike Dawson. So-called because the team hopes that once opened this wine will entice consumers to finish their quest for discovery of the ultimate Chardonnay and to reach their ‘destination’ at Journey’s End. This wine appreciates and pays homage to other great Chardonnay’s from around the world such as Meursault and Sonoma, but with a Journey’s End twist.
The ‘Cape Doctor’ is a wine based on Bordeaux varieties, the best that year has to offer. For Journey’s End the Cape Doctor, the local name for the south easterly wind that blows across the vineyards from False Bay, brings benefits through the resulting long ripening period of the grapes which produces concentrated berries with fantastic firm acidity.
The ‘Griffin’ Syrah undergoes 30% carbonic maceration giving it a delightfully fruity nose that follows through into a complex but soft pallet. The Griffin is a mythical creature symbolising divine power and is the family crest of the Gabb family.
“We are extremely excited to be working with such a forward thinking, environmentally and socially conscious brand such as Journey’s End,” says Nimbility Founding Partner Francesca Martin. “This is in addition to the fact that the wines show remarkably high and consistent quality and over deliver on price point, all the while expressing a true sense of coastal Stellenbosch that cannot be easily replicated in other parts of the region. We look forward immensely to taking this brand to the next level of its development in Asia.”
Journey’s End wines are currently available in Hong Kong and Shanghai via Links Concept. Please contact Poppy Yau (poppy.yau@linksconcept.com) for sales related matters in Shanghai, and Amanda Leung (aleung@linksconcept.com) for sales in Hong Kong.
For more information on Journey’s End across the rest of Asia please contact info@nimbilityasia.com