Rainbows End Family Reserve 2024

Tucked into the Banghoek Valley at the foot of the Jonkershoek Mountains, Rainbow's End Wine Estate is a small, family-run property whose vineyards rise from around 350 to 540 metres above sea level. The estate's red, stony soils and elevated mountain setting are particularly well suited to Bordeaux varieties, encouraging naturally smaller berries and concentrated fruit while the altitude helps retain freshness. The Malan family farms around 22 hectares of vineyards, with the vines and wine made firmly around the character of the site. The estate deliberately avoids trying to force its wines into a fixed Old World or New World style. Winemaker Anton Malan treats each vintage individually, adapting the winemaking to the season and the fruit rather than pursuing a predetermined formula. Grapes are harvested by hand at dawn and individually sorted, with fermentation and extraction handled gently before maturation in French oak. Rainbow's End Family Reserve 2024 is the estate's flagship Bordeaux-style red blend. The wine follows the Family Reserve tradition of selecting the best barrels from the estate's Bordeaux varieties and allowing the blend to develop slowly in French oak. The result is intended to show the depth, freshness and savoury character of the Banghoek terroir rather than simply delivering power.

Colour: Deep ruby to garnet, with a dark, concentrated core.
Nose: A layered bouquet of blackcurrant, dark cherry and ripe black plum leads into subtle notes of cassis, sage, mint and thyme. Fine oak spice adds warmth, with hints of earthy freshness and dark chocolate emerging as the wine opens.
Palate: Full-bodied and concentrated, with generous dark-fruit flavours balanced by fresh acidity and fine, supple tannins. Black plum, cassis and mulberry are complemented by savoury herbal notes and gentle spice. The texture is polished rather than heavy, with the Cabernet-led structure giving the wine shape and the other Bordeaux varieties adding layers of fruit and complexity.
Finish: Long and persistent, with dark berry fruit, subtle mint and spice lingering over smooth, well-integrated tannins. A gently savoury character keeps the finish fresh and gives the wine a distinctly Stellenbosch sense of place.