Testalonga is a winery in the Swartland region of South Africa created by husband and wife team Craig Hawkins (whose day job is winemaker at Lammershoek) and Carla Hawkins. It was founded in 2008. Wineries they had previously worked at include Matassa (Roussillon), Terroir Al Limit (Priorat), and Dirk Niepoort (Douro), Eben Sadie family vineyard, Stéphane Ogier (Côte Rotie AOC), Remy Pedreno of Roc d’Anglade. Also influenced by Frank Cornelissen, Cos, and Andrea Franchetti in Sicily). 

Estate vineyards: Swartland. Planted from 2018. Named Bandits Kloof. Focus on hot climate varieties–Grenache Blanc, Maccabeu, Carignan noir, Mourvèdre and Frappato. 

Organic certification: 2015 No.

Brands: El Bandito, Baby Bandito. Craig told Doug Wregg of Les Caves de Pyrène that when he started in 2008 ‘I liked the name El Bandito as these were white wines… counter to the generic style, pushing the boundaries of where white wine was going in South Africa… and as no one was doing extended skin maceration whites in the country, it just made sense to call it El Bandito.’

Winemaking: Minimal intervention winemaking. Low or no added sulfites.

Sparkling wines

Testalonga El Bandito I Wish I Was A Ninja Pet Nat:

Still wines

Chenin Blanc, El Bandito: 2010 ‘Dry farmed. Kept in oak on its skins for 2 years. No added sulfites,’ (Isabelle Legeron MW: 2014, p.169).

Testalonga El Bandito Cortez: 2014 Swartland. 23 mg/l total sulphites (Source: catalogue for RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). | 2015 Bottled.

Testalonga El Bandito Skin Contact: 2013 Swartland. No added sulphites (Source: catalogue for RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). | 2015 Bottled.

Testalonga El Bandito Sweet Cheeks: 2015 Bottled.

Testalonga King of Grapes Grenache: 2014 Swartland 13 mg/l total sulphites (Source: catalogue for RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). | 2015 Bottled.

.Testalonga The Dark Side Syrah: 2015 Bottled.

Testalonga El Bandito Mangaliza: 2015 Bottled.

Testalonga El Bandito Redemption: 2014 Swartland 23 mg/l total sulphites (Source: catalogue for RAW, London 17/18 May 2015).

Testalonga El Bandito Mangaliza Skin Contact: 2015 Bottled.

Baby Bandito Keep On Punching: 2015 Baby Bandito Stay Brave (Chenin Skin)
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Baby Bandito Follow Your Dream (Carignan):

Contact

Testalonga

South Africa

Bibliography

Isabelle Legeron MW, Natural Wine, An introduction to organic and biodynamic wines grown naturally (2014, Cico Books, London & New York), p.169.