2023 Testalonga El Bandito Lords of Dogtown

WINEMAKER: Craig & Carla Hawkins
REGION: Swartland, SA
VARIETY: Chenin Blanc
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

Lords of Dogtown is a very crisp, lively and refreshing wine made from Chenin, from vines planted in 1971. Fermented with native yeasts without sulfur and aged in stainless steel tanks, this is a pure delight! Crisp, citrusy flavours, with notes of green apple, lemon and lime zest align to a mineral-driven palate. Its zesty acidity and bright finish make it irresistible.

During the apartheid, the South African wine industry was completely dominated by one organization, which controlled everything from production to price. Modern day renegades, Craig & Carla Hawkins, established Testalonga in 2008 and shook the industry to its core. Settling in Swartland, they started with two barrels of macerated chenin - the first 'orange' wine made in South Africa. The deeply conservative authorities often rejected their wines for export for not exhibiting 'typicity' of South African wine.