Testalonga Baby Bandito Chin Up 2024
About The Winery
Country: South Africa
Region: Swartland
Craig Hawkins, the mastermind behind Testalonga, is arguably the most influential figure in South Africa's natural wine movement. Based in the rugged Swartland, his wines are known for their raw energy and purity. The "Baby Bandito" range is his more accessible, playful series, with labels featuring quotes or encouragement for the next generation. In this case, "Chin Up". This wine is a celebration of Cinsault, the historic workhorse grape of South Africa, reimagined here not as a bulk wine, but as a vibrant, fresh red that challenges the heavy, oaky norms of the past.
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Terroir: The fruit comes from a single vineyard of organically farmed bush vines planted in 1972 on the northern slopes of the Piketberg mountains. The soil is primarily sandstone, which contributes to the wine's delicate perfume and fine structure.
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Style: A 100% Cinsault wine made in a chuggable fashion. It is light, low in alcohol (11.5°), and designed to be drunk young and fresh.
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Vinification: True to Hawkins' philosophy, the winemaking is hands-off. The grapes undergo whole-bunch fermentation for about 10 days to emphasize aromatics and freshness rather than heavy tannin extraction. It is aged in old oak foudres or stainless steel and bottled unfiltered and unfined, with barely any added sulfur.