VIDEO CHAPTER INDEX:

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00:00 – Intro

00:37 – Reasons to love Testalonga

02:36 – Reinventing Carignan

03:48 – What does it smell like?

04:11 – What does is taste like?

05:07 – Don’t let first impressions fool you!

05:28 – Parting thoughts

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Another reason to love Craig Hawkins
Testalonga is the project of winemaker Craig Hawkins, producing Swartland wines from both his own farm of Banditskloof, but also making wines with fruit sourced from other farmers in the area. By and large his wines are made according to a die-hard natural winemaking philosophy, but as he has grown in years, his aggressive attachment to natural ideals have given way to a desire to make wines that are pure and arresting before they are “natural”, if that is even a thing.

This Carignan electric in its expressiveness, and shows what the grape is capable of in the Swartland.
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👃🏼The vanguard carries blood orange, cherry fruit, purple flowers and raspberry sherbet.
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👄 On the palate, there are some surprisingly grippy tannins, which frame bright sour cherry elements, contrasted by sweeter candy notes and sort of clove-&-cinnamon spiced citrus thing as well. The whole bunch fermentation delivers additional complexity in the form of some stalky tannins and hints of pepper.
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🔬Wine of Origin Swartland. 100% Carignan. Organically farmed fruit.