Testalonga Baby Bandito Stay Brave
Chenin Blanc
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COUNTRY - South Africa
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REGION - Swartland
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GRAPE - Chenin Blanc
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FOOD MATCH - Cured Meats, Hard Cheese, Lamb, Olives
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ALCOHOL - 12%
PRODUCER: The wines of TESTALONGA defy convention in a lot of ways. Craig and Carla Hawkins have never been accused of being “followers” and their wines represent the avant-garde of South African wine.
The TESTALONGA wines in some ways have come a long way since the first vintage, and in other ways they remain steadfastly true to the principles upon which the project was established 12 years ago. In our opinion they are one of the leaders in natural wine production in South Africa.
WINEMAKING: Craig and Carla seek purity, precision and brightness in their wines and only work with vineyards that can produce high-quality grapes (with relatively low pH) ensuring that there is minimal need for intervention in the cellar. A herbicide- and pesticide-free approach in the vineyard is essential to their goals. They work with cover crops rather than chemical fertilisers in the winter to ensure moisture retention and general soil health in the dry Swartland climate. Expressing vineyard is key, so all the wines are a single variety from a single site. In the cellar there is no yeast, enzymes or acid added. The whites are whole-bunch pressed and then fermented in either stainless steel, foudre or small oak. The skin ferment white wines are destemmed and then fermented on skins for 7-14 days in wrapped open top fermenters before being pressed to old wood. The reds are fermented whole-bunch and usually pressed after 3-4 days. A minuscule amount of SO2 may be added before bottling.
TASTING NOTES: Skin contact Chenin Blanc from koffieklip over granite soils on the outskirts of the Paardeberg. Waxy, nutty, harmonious and complex with some rich pear and peach notes. Has some orange peel. Fresh and vital and showing lovely balance.


DRY & MEDIUM
Heinrich Naked White
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COUNTRY - Austria
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GRAPE - Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, Muscat, Neuburger, Weissburgunder, Welschriesling
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FOOD MATCH - Chicken, Goats Cheese, Mild Cheese, Shellfish, Soft Cheese
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ALCOHOL - 12.5%
PRODUCER: Gernot and Heike Heinrich founded their winery in 1990 with just one hectare and have steadily grown to 90 hectares today. Heinrich converted to biodynamics in 2006 and is a member of Respekt, a certifying body for biodynamic viticulture in Austria. Heinrich is today one of Austria’s most innovative wine producers.
WINEMAKING: Naked White is a blend of several white varieties sourced from the limestone and schist of the Leithaberg, and the gravelly, humus-rich soils near Gols. Grapes are macerated with the stems overnight and both the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation are spontaneous. Aged for 14 months on the lees in used large oak casks and bottled unfined and unfiltered without the addition Sulphur.
TASTING NOTES: Naked White is cloudy when poured into the glass and Gernot recommends a gentle shake before serving. This Chardonnay-based blend features the structure and salinity typical of the Leithaberg’s limestone terroir enhanced on the nose by the inclusion of aromatic varieties like Muskat Ottonel and Welschriesling. Aromas and flavors of grapefruit, fine herbs, sea salt, and apple pastry.