Innovation is key to staying ahead of the game. Nowhere is it as crucial as in the winelands, as it enables wineries to stay competitive in a global market; attract new customers through unique experiences; adapt to changing consumer preferences; improve production efficiency; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the wine tourism industry.
"Ideas must be turned into value and the scientific-based research and development we support forms the foundation for wine industry innovation. The innovation process requires operational readiness, strategic foresight, and a sound ecosystem for success," states the South Africa Wine website.
"Building an extensive innovation ecosystem that delivers groundbreaking outcomes for the wine industry is a high priority within South Africa Wine. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has shown how new technologies will disrupt various sectors. The agricultural sector is indeed one of the sectors that showed substantial investment in new technologies."
Journey's End Vineyards on the slopes of the Schapenberg hills outside Somerset West is one of the wine industry's best examples of staying ahead of the curb. As the most southerly estate in the wider Stellenbosch wine region, the Journey's End team makes use of their exceptional terroir and unique microclimate in combination with sustainable farm practices to ensure this progress.
The farm was purchased 30 years ago by the Gabb family, who is originally from Shropshire in the United Kingdom. They have been focusing on ethically and sustainably producing wines of excellence since their first wine release in 2004. This commitment has seen Journey's End awarded multiple prestigious wine awards over the years, both locally and abroad.
In the 2025 Platter's Wine Guide, one of their wines received 5 stars, four of their wines were awarded 4.5 stars, and two were awarded 4 stars.
The team believes in drinking well and growing forward, while truly being a force for good.
The farm lies on 350-million-year-old decomposed granite soils. The farm comprises 40 hectares of vines with Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Shiraz, Mourvèdre, and Merlot planted.
On his first visit to the site in 1995, Journey’s End founder Roger Gabb fell in love with the picturesque setting, with views looking out over the Atlantic Ocean at False Bay. However, at this time, the estate was in a state of considerable disrepair – old bush vines were struggling to grow in soil strewn with rocks and fallen trees, with no irrigation or water management system.
Through years of care and management, Roger, his family; and the Journey's End team have built the thriving farm that exists today, with over 40 hectares of vines of multiple cultivars – with blocks ranging from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon.
In 2014 it was the second wine farm in South Africa to convert to solar power and it has been Fairtrade-certified since 2017. In 2020, the Journey's End Foundation was set up to help tackle worsening hunger and poverty in the local Sir Lowry’s Pass community. Since then, it has provided more than four million meals to those in need. The six soup kitchens are run by an inspiring group of women.
Journey's End was recognised for this work as "Ethical Company of the Year" at The Drinks Business Green Awards in 2020 and 2021. Journey's End also won the Water Management award in 2021.
The Drinks Business Green Awards is the world's largest programme to raise awareness about green issues in the drinks trade and recognise and reward those who are leading the way in sustainability and environmental performance. Journey’s End is proud to be recognised for its initiatives on the farm and in the community.
The team has also made improvements to its water management systems, including extending water catchment channels to a total of 2.1 km around the farm, ensuring all vines are drip irrigated and continuing to improve its own wastewater system.
The Green Awards judges were unanimous in their decision for both categories, saying, "This year one business stood head and shoulders above the rest for its worthy work supporting the local community in the Cape Winelands, and for its network of waterway catchment channels and dams to conserve the precipitation this property receives, particularly following a severe multi-year drought."
Managing director Rollo Gabb says, "We are incredibly proud of our teams for working so hard to implement green projects on the farm, and for the work that goes into running our Journey's End Foundation. Ensuring that the environment is well looked after and that the people in our community are supported is at the very heart of what we do, and we are entirely committed to continuing these initiatives and more."
Journey's End attained WWF Conservation Champion status from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2021 for their continued commitment to sustainable farming and conservation of native fauna and flora. In 2022 they won the Social Impact category at Footprint Drinks Sustainability Awards.
Journey's End is also a founding member of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), in which experts and key stakeholders around the world have joined forces to define global sustainability in the wine industry for the first time.
This collaboration of leading experts is united in their determination to create a world where high quality wine is produced, traded, and consumed in ways that conserve and regenerate ecosystems, protect human rights, foster equality and inclusion, and generate a passion for excellence. Together, Journey's End Vineyards and 40 international partners accelerates action as sustainability challenges mount.
From drought to flooding, rising temperatures and increased wildfires, and social pressures around workers’ rights and diversity, the wine industry, like any other, has significant issues to tackle to ensure resilience, keep up with customer demands, and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Building on the many local sustainability standards for wine, the SWR will develop a global reference standard clarifying the wine community’s consensus on exactly what sustainability means and how it is implemented and measured.
The SWR will host working groups to develop best practice and tools on substantive sustainability issues, raise awareness, connect industry actors, and advocate for the wine community globally as a force for good in the world. This will provide clear and credible guidance on how to get vineyards and wineries on the sustainability pathway and help retailers and consumers engage with and understand various eco-labels and claims.
Rollo says, "Coming together as a group with an aim of defining what sustainability means for the wine industry, in theory and in practice, represents a major step towards safeguarding the future of wine production and consumption, globally. We are proud to be founding members of this highly progressive collaboration."
Richard Bampfield MW, the Roundtable’s initial chair, adds, "We invite everyone in the wine community to join us." The SWR opened its general membership in 2022.
Journey’s End has also achieved carbon negative status recently after planting more than 10 500 spekboom (Portulacaria afraand known as "Elephant Bush"). Spekboom 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.
Winemaker Leon Esterhuizen says, "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. As well as spekboom’s exceptional ability to sequester carbon and restore the functioning of an ecosystem, the hardiness of the 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.
"Natural seedlings are rare, so restoration of thickets requires active replanting. As part of Journey's End Vineyard’s continued goals towards reducing its overall carbon emissions, we began planting spekboom in 2021."
The farm also launched the Journey’s End Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc and Journey’s End Spekboom Syrah. Rollo says, "Sustainability is a key focus for us, and creating wines and labels that tie into our green initiatives on the farm gives us great joy."
When asked what the estate’s flagship wine is, the unanimous answer is: "Our flagship wine is the Destination Chardonnay, a rich and opulent white that is inspired by the great wines of Meursault. In 2006, our vineyards were devastated by wind and storms, so only one barrel of chardonnay could be produced. Rollo felt that this barrel held the destiny of Journey's End; it represented a pivotal point and a mark of whether the brand was going to sink or swim, so it was named "Destination". The barrel proved to be exceptional, and the Chardonnay has been our hallmark white wine ever since."
They have also co-funded a school hall; they support a creche, Mila’s Angels; they support a project to supply a safe haven to women and girls that have fallen prey to gender-based violence; and they fund a bully initiative.
Last year, Journey’s End launched a new initiative to support young talent in the wine industry, sponsoring four candidates for the WSET Level 3 course and qualification.
In 2024 they launched Inzuzo, owned by the workers. With locally raised star assistant winemaker Kaylin Willscott at the helm, it aims to use wine in a transformative way: to raise the funds required for a range of projects in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, where the team and their families have lived for many generations.
Looking back over the past three decades and their sustainable journey, Roger admits: "At Journey’s End, we believe that 80% of the wine is made in the vineyard itself, so the health of the soil and the farm is absolutely paramount, allowing our winemaker to craft and hone the final product from the best possible foundation. This is one of the key reasons that the stewardship of the land is so important to us – a healthy, thriving ecosystem will simply create better quality wines.
"Following sustainable farm practices is driven by a forward-thinking attitude – in taking care of our farm and the natural environment, we are paving the way for future generations. It is vital to ensure that we are supporting rather than taking away from the environment that is the basis of the wines we create and enjoy, and we hope that many generations will continue to do so in years to come."
If he had to single out one aspect of their sustainability work that he is particularly proud of, it has to be their work in the local community with the Journey's End Foundation. "It is at the very heart of what we do. Innovation comes in many shapes and sizes, and things can have major knock-on effects and benefits. A real highlight over the last year was a conversation with the local constable in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village while visiting one of our soup kitchens. He explained that they credit the soup kitchens for a reduction in crime rates – by mitigating hunger the kitchens were helping to prevent the need for desperate acts. This was a huge source of both pride and motivation."
He says that the younger generation keeps well-informed about sustainability, and this can be seen in their purchasing decisions from their clothes to the food they eat. "We very much hope that sustainable practices will become essential, to promote innovation and push all brands in the right direction. The Journey's End team is always keeping an eye out for opportunities to innovate, become more efficient and sustainable. Organisations like the Sustainable Wine Roundtable is a great way to allow likeminded companies to share ideas and experiences."
Innovation can be an overwhelming term for most producers. It is Stephanie von Oppell, the global marketing manager, that says from their experience, producers must not be afraid to ask help from fellow producers. "Innovating and operating more sustainably is not something that should be gatekept – in fact most producers will be delighted to share their knowledge and help you on your way."
And then, the last question is, what innovation lies ahead for the wine farm in 2025? "It’s too soon to disclose officially, but we have an exciting project in store that will help us to naturally fertilise and enrich our soil, and we look forward to seeing the results!" says Stephanie.