TESTALONGA Mixed 6-pack

Carignan

Planted in 2001, bush vine,, farmed organically. This is a block that is fairly vigorous for the dry soils of the Swartland and produces a good number of high-quality grapes with very juicy large berries. We try keep as many leaves as possible to shade the block as it can suffer from sunburn.

Hand harvested and 100% whole bunch fermented. The wine does not do carbonic maceration but rather is crushed before going into tank for 12 days of fermentation and then pressed off into two old 3500L Foudre and 500L barrels. The grapes were harvested slightly later compared to previous vintages.

Chenin Blanc

Bush Vines planted in 1981 and organically farmed.

Hand-harvested then fermented after being 100% whole bunch pressed. Pressed into one 500L and 400L old barrel. No added yeast or acid. Full Malolactic fermentation takes place. Un-fined and not filtered.

SO2 was not added at any stage,

The richest, most open of the El Bandito Chenins.

Hanepoot (Muscat d'Alexandrie) - Skin Macerated

Organically farmed bush vines planted in the 1952, they are situated in a very wet part of the Paardeberg, at the bottom of the slope, and this helps with ripening the large berries fully.

Hand-harvested then fermented after being 100% Destemmed. Pressed after 10 days and matured in 500L old oak casks. No added yeast or acid. Full malolactic fermentation takes place. SO2 added a month before bottling, a light clarifying filtration, not fined.

Chenin Blanc - Skin Macerated

The original TESTALONGA wine.

Organically farmed dryland bushvines, planted in 1972. Picked on a balance between taste/feeling and experience we find this helps to maintain the pH/acid/alcohol balance that we love. This vineyard is in a wet area on the Paardeberg.

Hand harvested. Destemmed 100% into 1500L open fermenters. Fermented for 14 days on the skins before being pressed into one 3000L Foudre. No yeast inoculation and fermented at ambient room temperature of 16 degrees. Full malolactic fermentation takes place. Bottled after 11 months in Foudre.

Syrah

Organically farmed bush vines planted in 2001, the soils have a higher clay content than a lot of the other parcels I get from which helps with water retention which is a good thing in the very dry years. Not a lot of suckering is done to promote leaf growth.

Hand-harvested then fermented with 100% whole bunches in open 1500L tanks. Pressed after 10 days and matured in three 500L old French oak barrels. No added yeast or acid. SO2 added a month before bottling, un-fined and a light clarifying filtration was done. There is a great purity of fruit this year and we love the depth that has been achieved due to the vintage conditions..