Groovy Grenache Mixed Case 2025

The second vintage of this high altitude Grenache. The wine is made by Lukas van Loggerenberg, and its second iteration is as fantastic at the first.

The farm is Ex Animo Co-Founder Jeannette's family farm named De Keur in Ceres. Bushvine and dry-grown, this is a very unique site, that is covered in snow in some winters.

For the label, we took inspiration from the meaning of Ex Animo: from the heart. The label is based on an artwork called 'new wine' by Lenka Kuhn that we had commissioned in 2018. It is a line drawing depicting an anatomical human heart using elements of vines.

To reflect that the vineyard is young and maturing, we have planned an evolution of the label for the first five vintages. We will add small components of the label every year culminating in the final version from the 2026 vintage onwards.

Stellenbosch - Rocky Koffieklip
Grown by: Deon Joubert
100% Grenache Noir

Destemmed, stainless steel fermented, light extraction, 8 months concrete aged.

"Teasing aromatics of red and black berries, flowers, spearmint and fynbos. The palate is lean and fresh, the finish dry – much to like but there’s a sense that future vintages will be even more convincing as the vines become more established." Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za

Grenache Noir

This range is named after Camilla, Craig and Carla's daughter, who call her "Mielie". These are the only blended wines in the TESTALONGA range - all other wines are single variety-single vineyard.

The Mielie range is an expression of the Swartland as a region made with the same philosophy and attention to detail as all the TESTALONGA wines.

0.75 ha of bush vine trained Grenache noir, organically farmed. Planted in 2018, this is a block with quite a high soil water table as it is situated on a mountain in a “kloof” next to where the winter streams run. Hand harvested and sorted in the vineyard for any undesirable bunches.

Hand harvested and 80% Destemmed into open 2000L fermenters. 20 % whole bunches. Fermented on the skins for 14 days before being pressed off into 500L wooden barrels, and Stainless-steel tank. No yeast (or other) inoculation or additives apart from a small amount of SO2 shortly before bottling.