WINE OF THE WEEK: Journey's End V5 Cabernet Franc 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Joanna Simon
- Jan 16
- 1 min read
£19, Ocado
This is a lovely, polished Cabernet Franc with the characteristic green lift of the grape variety, freshness that seems to come straight from the nearby ocean and beautifully ripe, raspberry-ish fruit layered with aromatic wild herbs, dark chocolate and lightly smoky, coffeeish oak.
It’s very Cabernet Franc, but a very individual vineyard expression.
The vines grow in a single block on decomposed granite soils at 180m asl just 7km from sea. Journey’s End, the Gabb family’s estate in Somerset West, has been carbon negative since November 2021 and has been awarded and accredited for its sustainability and ethical trade initiatives and commitment.
The grapes for V5 were fermented in large, truncated open-top casks and malolactic fermentation and 14 months’ ageing took place in second-fill French oak barrels. The 2019 is perfect now but could be cellared for at least three years.
Because it’s so well balanced, it pairs easily with food, including with lamb in almost any form, from garlicky barbecued leg or slow-roast shoulder and salsa verde to new season’s (when we get there). It’s also a match for rare roast beef, quail with a subtle balsamic and honey glaze, or vegetarian options such as Spanish-style chickpea and spinach stew, vegetable tagine or traybake. 14%. Empty bottle weight: 624g.
Journey's End V5 Cabernet Franc 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa
£19, Ocado
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This was a lovely read your description really brought the wine to life. I remember learning about South African vineyards for a class project, and the detail here would’ve been so helpful then. I was so overwhelmed at the time I even thought, I need someone to take my exam just to get through it. Posts like this make learning much more engaging!
Reading this lovely feature on the Journey’s End Cabernet Franc brought back a quiet evening from last year I had a glass of red in hand, trying to unwind after a long week of lectures, work shifts, and stress. But even then, all I could think about was the exam the next morning. I remember wishing someone could just take my online exam so I could catch a breath and actually enjoy that moment of calm.
Reading about this wine instantly reminded me of a study session I had with a friend who’s into South African wines. While we were knee deep in our BTEC coursework, she opened a bottle (not the same one, but also from Stellenbosch). It turned into an unexpected evening of balancing research with tasting notes. Since then, I’ve associated such moments with how BTEC Assignment services helped us manage deadlines and still enjoy small joys like this.