2023 Baby Bandito 'Keep On Punching' Chenin Blanc

PRE-ORDER TODAY. The wine will arrive in about four months.

A beautiful wine made from dry-land, organic bush vine Chenin Blanc planted in 1961. Testalonga started working with this 4-hectare block in 2017, located on the sandstone soils of the Piketberg foothills on the way to Redelinghuys.

The grapes are hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed, and fermented in 3500L old foudre and 2000L stainless steel tanks. The wine then undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation. No additives are used, apart from a small amount of SO2 shortly before bottling. The wine is unfined and clarified through filtration.

Expect crytalline-like minerality, fresh and vibrant fruit, richness, balanced by razor-like acidity. The wine boasts pronounced notes of ripe orchard fruit, citrus, and just a kiss of creamy chamomile.

The Story
Baby Bandito is a project Craig and Carla Hawkins started in 2015. They wanted to work with vineyards that produce wines drinkable at a young age while overdelivering in quality. The labels are heavily influenced by street artists, and the names of the wines come from expressions used to encourage a child.

"Keep on Punching" is an expression Craig's good friend and hockey mate, Professor Lyal White, would always say when times were tough: "Keep on punching, the head will fall."