Testalonga new releases – 2023

Among the new releases from Craig and Carla Hawkins of Testalonga is the first wine from their own vineyards. They bought virgin land outside Piketberg in 2015, a site that had no electricity but a supply of water from the mountain on which is sits and started planting vineyards in 2018. The 2021 vintage turned out to be exceptionally good and Daisy’s Pond Grenache Blanc from the property now known as Bandits Kloof makes its debut alongside the 2023s from elsewhere in the Swartland. Tasting notes and ratings as follows:

Baby Bandito Keep on Punching Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R185
Grapes from a Piketberg vineyard planted in 1961. Lime, peach and herbs on the nose. The palate is lean and taut with a pithy texture – delicious! Alc: 11.6%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

El Bandito Cortez Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1972. The nose is shy but nevertheless compelling with traces of pear, peach, green apple, herbs, earth and some flinty reduction. The palate is intense but not weighty – great fruit delineation, snappy acidity and a bone-dry finish. A wine that pulls together wonderfully well – just about pitch-perfect. Alc: 11.97%.

CE’s rating: 98/100.

El Bandito Lekker Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R910 per magnum
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1981 on “beach sand” near Elands Bay on the West Coast. Ethereal aromatics of pear, peach, potpourri and dried herbs while the palate is light and fresh with a particularly saline finish. Striking in its singularity. Alc: 12.01%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

El Bandito Lords of Dogtown Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1981. No SO2 added at any stage. Naartjie, ginger and a slight nuttiness on the nose. The palate is slightly broader than other offerings in the portfolio – full of flavour, the acidity moderate, the finish gently savoury. Alc: 12.45%.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

El Bandito Hallelujah Chicken Run Viognier 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 2001 on granite. The nose is predominantly grapey but there also more exotic notes of floral perfume, mint and spice. Dense fruit and bright acidity, the finish having a nicely grippy quality. Idiosyncratic but intriguing. Alc: 11.04%.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

Bandits Kloof Daisy’s Pond Grenache Blanc 2021
Price: R730
Grapes from own vineyards planted in 2018. Fermented and matured for 21 months in two old 400-litre barrels. Very expressive on the nose with notes of citrus, peach, some waxy character and spice while the palate shows dense fruit andtangy acidity before a super-savoury and lightly grippy finish. A dramatic wine with a solid mid-palate and layers of flavour. Alc: 11.11%.

CE’s rating: 96/100.

Baby Bandito Stay Brave Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R185
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1981 on granite. Two weeks of skin contact. Attractive aromatics of potpourri plus hints of ginger and other spice as well as naartjie and stone fruit while the palate is juicy and fresh, the finish surprisingly soft as skin-contact wines go – flavour and accessible. Alc: 11.01%.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

El Bandito Skin Chenin Blanc 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1972 on granite. Two weeks of skin contact. Aromatics are more restrained than Stay Brave with notes of peach, orange and spice. The palate is tightly wound with dense fruit and a savoury, lightly grippy finish. A wine of undeniable presence despite its subtlety. Alc: 11.34%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

El Bandito Mangaliza Harslevelü 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1971 on granite. Aromatic are elusive but enticing – pear, peach, floral perfume and spice. The palate shows lovely poise – pure fruit matched by punchy acidity before a very dry finish. Alc: 11.78%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

El Bandito Sweet Cheeks Muscat d’Alexandrie 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard supposedly planted in 1952 on granite. Pressed after 10 days before maturation in older 500-litre barrels. Overt floral perfume and mint to go with a grapey quality on the nose while the palate is round and textured with bright acidity – most appealing. Alc: 10.9%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Baby Bandito Chin Up Cinsaut 2023
Price: R185
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1981 on granite. 100% destemmed. Enticing aromatics of plum, herbs and fynbos. The palate shows pure fruit and moderate acidity before a gently savoury finish. Balanced and charming. Alc: 12.52%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Baby Bandito Follow Your Dreams Carignan 2023
Price: R185
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 2001 on granite. 100% whole-bunch fermented. Strawberry, spice and a hint of earth on the nose. Light bodied with a pleasantly high acidity and fine tannins, the finish super-dry. Alc: 12.48%.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

El Bandito The Dark Side Syrah 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 2001 on granite. 100% whole-bunch fermented. Black berries, violets, fynbos and white pepper on the nose while the palate is elegant and poised with pure fruit, fresh acidity and powdery tannins. A wine that although light in body, also manages to be intricate. Alc: 12.39%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

El Bandito Queen of Spades Tinta Amarela 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from a vineyard planted in 1999 on granite. 100% whole-bunch fermented. An overtly herbal note precedes floral perfume, red and black berries plus earth on the nose. The palate has a lovely juicy quality upfront but ends dry – pure fruit, bright acidity and crunchy tannins. Alc: 11.85%.

CE’s rating: 92/100.

El Bandito Monkey Gone to Heaven Mourvèdre 2023
Price: R365
Grapes from an Abbotsdale vineyard planted in 2001. 100% whole-bunch fermented. Red and black berries, earth, spice and a touch of reduction on the nose. The palate is relatively rich and broad (alc: 12.87%) with moderate acidity and surprisingly soft tannins.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Check out our South African wine ratings database.