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Master of none - Playing with words referring to themselves not being an expert in any one varietal or wine style hence the saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Clever and humble, nonetheless, their wines are at the forefront not only of South Africa but in the world with the amazing wines they are producing. If you enjoy reds on the lighter end of the spectrum such as Pinot Noir or Gamay then Pieter's 'Master of None' will definitely be up your street! It comprises a blend of 5 different grape varieties from tiny vineyard plots across 6 distinct regions; 40% Grenache from Wellington, 30% Cinsault from sites in Darling and Stellenbosch, 8% Pinot Noir from Elgin and a further 8% Syrah from Swartland. Unusually, Pieter then tops up the blend with Voor Paardeberg Chenin Blanc, adding aromatic freshness to the finished wine. It drinks like a top-class Beaujolais – super bright and juicy, bursting with wild strawberry, cherry and with an earthy, smoky undercurrent. Enjoy at room temperature or slightly chilled – perfect for summer drinking! “In 2004, a lady came to my house to buy wine. She asked for anything but Shiraz. “I don’t drink Shiraz”, were her exact words. I poured her a glass of wine. She loved it and bought 3 cases. It was a straight Shiraz. It’s a fact – we do judge the book by its cover.” -
The El Bandito The Dark Side 2017 by Testalonga comes from Shiraz vineyards from the early 2000s - the vines are still in full bloom, but thanks to the low yield, they are already delivering phenolic grapes. The vineyards are cultivated by Craig with no herbicites, pesticides or fungicites. He also does without artificial irrigation. These measures alone have a positive effect on the quality of the grapes and keep the yield low. After hand-picking, the grapes are fermented spontaneously with the vineyard's own yeast and matured in 3000l wooden barrels. After expansion, it is neither fined nor filtered and filled with minimal sulfur. The Testalonga El Bandito The Dark Side has a deep dark color with a black core. It smells of red berries and dark stone fruits, of cloves, mocha and cocoa beans as well as tart spiciness. On the palate it has a present tannin and a fine interplay of acids. In terms of alcohol, the Shiraz is quite slim and straight, but still brings a weighty body into play. The finish is long and dominated by the heavier aromas. The El Bandito The Dark Side Shiraz demands air, so give it a few hours in the carafe before serving it slightly chilled from large glasses with roasted game, braised lamb or an oven-baked bean stew with roasted butter crumbs and thyme. -
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Craig and Carla Hawkins launched Testalonga in the north of Swartland, South Africa in 2008. They are part of a revolutionary ground swell taking place in South African wine, where traditions are being challenged and brave new territory is being explored. The painfully small amount of wine that this duo produces gets snapped up in short order the world over. Known for their striking intensity and nervy energy, Craig and Carla's wines are on the cutting edge of the natural wine movement in their country.This is the lightest, daintiest version of Carignan one could imagine. It's got more in common with, say a Jura rouge or something Cab-Franc-like out of the Loire Valley than a classic Rhone red.It's fresh, racy, filled with character and seasoned with a little wildness. Great with on summer afternoon, first courses, seasoned vegetables. Enjoy -
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Keep On Punching is Swartland Chenin, but not in the conventional sense. No buttery oak, this is all 100% stainless steel tank to keep that citrus twang just as clean as a whistle. Stylistically this wine fits more closely with the Chenins of the Loire valley - the fruit is apple and pear with some nice zippy white peach. The grapes come from old bush vines that yield small clusters of grapes with great concentration and acidity year on year. Craig's wines have a keen following, and for good reason.After travelling extensively in Portugal and Austria learning his craft, Craig Hawkins returned to South Africa and became the winemaker at top Swartland estate Lammershoek. Craig now makes his own wines from various small, organic vineyard sites in Swartland and makes his wine naturally, with as little intervention as possible.If you like a bit of skin contact (& don't we all), try this!
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