Wine club January offer

BIN END BOXES – SIX BOTTLES FROM £80

Journey’s End

The Journey’s End estate stands halfway up a hill overlooking False Bay. It gets fullon sunshine during the day, with a breeze that blows up from the ocean, keeping temperatures down. It is surrounded by vineyards and the winery seems to melt into the green-covered hills. There are two reasons why I like the wines from this company. The first is that it produces good wines at very good prices, while keeping a close eye on sustainability and wildlife. The second is the role the company played in keeping the people of the surrounding villages fed during the pandemic.

The government, probably for very good reasons, closed down the wine industry several times during the pandemic. Wine could not be sold in restaurants, shops, and on wine estates. This forced thousands of people out of work and without the cushion of furlough, many people were without an income. The last time I had a conversation with Rollo Gabb, managing director of Journeys’ End, he said the foundation that the estate had established during 2020 provided 13,000 meals a week through a network of kitchens established in the Helderberg region of Stellenbosch. The foundation is still working in the community because, without the regular influx of tourists and visitors, South Africa’s wine economy is still fragile.

And despite that work in the community, or maybe because of it, the wines are very good value. Taste the Difference Journey’s End Chardonnay 2020 is new on the shelves at Sainsbury’s (£10). With soft, rounded melon and citrus peel fruit, with a creamy, food-friendly texture, this is a delicious wine. Marks & Spencer has Journey’s End Honeycomb Chardonnay 2020, which is just a shade lighter in style (£9). Also at M&S under its own Classics label is the Fairtrade Pinotage (£8) which comes from Journey’s End. With dark cherry and plum fruit and just the merest whiff of oak, this is the perfect wine to line up alongside a winter casserole.

I also like the Identity wines which feature a giant trebuchet on the label. A trebuchet is one of those catapults favoured by knights to knock down castles, and the Gabb family have one built and installed on a piece of land and they use it to raise money for their foundation by slinging old barrels at clapped out cars. Apparently, it is great fun. Try the exuberant fruit and easy style of Identity Shiraz 2020 at Sainsbury’s (£9).

Everyone enjoys a lucky dip and these Bin-End Boxes are just that.

They contain six different wines, two bottles of each, and there will be red and white wines in them, although as usual you can take the all-red or all-white option. But because we are clearing out the stockrooms of the Yorkshire Post Wine Club, we can’t tell you exactly what will be in each box.

What we can say is that all wines are in good condition and drinkable and no wines are past their best.

The Everyday Drinkers Case will be just that, with plenty of good flavours to enjoy. The Bin End Stars case will contain at least one pair of wines that lifts the value of the case significantly, something like a Rioja, Chianti Classico or a Château bottled Claret.

Not all cases will have all the wines

– it will be a lucky dip of bin ends – but I guarantee that they will provide great wines and flavours for you to discover.

The value of wine in the case is at least £15 more than the price of the box. The two cases on offer are Everyday Drinkers Bin Ends at £80 and Bin End Stars at £90, and the range of wines in the box will reflect the price you pay. Delivery costs £9.95 for a single case but if you order two cases to the same address, it is free. How to order: Online at www. houseoftownend.com/yorkshire-postwine-club or ring our order line on

01482 638888, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Outside this time, leave a message including your telephone number and we will ring you back.