Journey’s End, Bluegum Merlot, Stellenbosch, 2014

From the Schapenberg hills in Stellenbosch, the handpicked grapes are fermented in stainless steel, and the free-run juice is then racked into 300 litre barrels for malolactic fermentation. It is then matured in a mixture of new and old French and American oak for 18 months. The wine has a ripe blackberry nose and a fresh, minty red and black fruit palate with grip and body. There is a streak of vanilla and a warming alcohol undertone, giving way to a cedar and tobacco character that comes through on the mid-palate and a long, spicy finish.