18 Feb 2022
Journey's End Vineyards, the award-winning Stellenbosch based winery, is delighted to announce the launch of its Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc 2021. This crisp, fresh white is named for the vineyard's latest green project, the planting of a spekboom thicket on the farm, and will be on shelf at Sainsbury's from 13th February, retailing at £10.
Founded in 1996 by the Gabb family, Journey's End has always been wholly committed to sustainably and ethically producing premium, delicious wines for every occasion; the Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc is no exception. Made from 100% sustainably sourced Sauvignon Blanc grapes, the location of the vines also influences the flavour profile of the wine. Typical of the coastal wine growing regions, the vineyards benefit from the cleansing and cooling winds which help the grapes retain their fresh, clean and elegant fruit flavours.
Winemaker, Leon Esterhuizen, adds, 'The first thing you will notice is the intense aroma of the wine; winter melon, green apple and lovely subtle citrus, some herbal and green fig notes also linger in the background. These flavours follow on the palate and are supported by a vibrant, fresh acidity and an elegant mouthfeel.'
The wine's namesake, spekboom (Portulacaria afra and also known as 'Elephant Bush'), is a succulent native to South Africa, widely considered to be a 'wonder plant' due to its impressive abilities to absorb carbon dioxide relative to its low consumption of water. To put it in perspective, one hectare of mature spekboom thicket can remove up to 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, which is up to 7.5 times more than mature woodland.
Spekboom's exceptional ability to sequester carbon and restore the functioning of an ecosystem is attributable to the plant's high photosynthetic properties. The type of photosynthesis it is able to perform (crassulacean acid metabolism) allows carbon dioxide to be taken up and stored in a more efficient way during the night, enabling the stomata to remain closed in the driest and hottest part of the day. This in turn reduces water loss so the plants need little external water to survive. The hardiness of the spekboom plant means it is a great ally in helping to provide a more hospitable environment for younger, native flora that would otherwise struggle to grow, as it provides shade and adds organic matter back into the, often arid, soil.
Because natural seedlings are rare, restoration of thickets requires active replanting. As part of Journey's End Vineyard's continued promise to reduce overall carbon emissions, the company has planted over 6,000 spekboom in open areas of the farm since September 2021.
This green initiative contributed to the vineyard becoming carbon negative, as well as being recognised in The Drinks Business Green Awards 2021 as the winner of both the Ethical Company award and Water Management award. This was the second year running that Journey's End was named Ethical Company, after receiving the award at The Drinks Business Green Awards 2020, too.
Managing Director, Rollo Gabb, says, 'We're very pleased to be launching our Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc with Sainsbury's. As ever, our commitment to creating more sustainable projects on the farm continues – and we felt that the recent planting of 6,000 remarkable spekboom plants warranted a wine named in its honour. We hope you enjoy it!'
Wine Buyer for Sainsbury's, Georgina Haughton, adds, 'We're thrilled to be introducing Spekboom into our range, offering our customers the opportunity to explore a unique South African Sauvignon Blanc, and one with great sustainability credentials. This Sauvignon Blanc from renowned Journey's End bolsters our already strong range from South Africa. Perfect as we near Spring, we're sure this new white is going to be a hit.'
Journey's End Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc is now available at Sainsbury's, RRP £10.
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For more details: eleanor@randr.co.uk
About Journey's End Vineyards:
Journey's End Vineyards is an award-winning South African winery, situated in the Stellenbosch winelands. Founded in 1996 by the Gabb family, it has always been wholly committed to sustainably and ethically producing excellent wines for all occasions.
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, creating one of the most prestigious terroirs in South Africa.
This year Journey's End joined the list of just 45 South African wine farms to attain WWF Conservation Champion status, became a founding member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and achieved carbon negative status.
In 2020 and 2021 Journey's End was named Ethical Company of the Year by The Drinks Business Green Awards, in recognition for the Journey's End Foundation's work, which helps tackle poverty and hunger in the local community. The Foundation has so far provided over 1,250,000 meals to those in need since August 2020. It also received the Water Management Award in The Drinks Business Green Awards 2021.
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