2024 Testalonga El Bandito Cortez Chenin Blanc

If the Baby Bandito wines are about immediate joy, the Cortez is about the long game. Craig Hawkins considers this the Chenin Blanc with the most complexity and longevity in his lineup, and the secret lies in the soil.

Sourced from a vineyard planted in 1972 on the Paardeberg, this site has been farmed organically since 2001 - a rarity in the region that contributes significantly to the vine health and soil life.

The defining feature of this block is the high percentage of quartz in the soil. Craig notes that regardless of the vintage conditions, this site always delivers a specific, electric tension that is harder to find in his other parcels. To capture this, the winemaking is all about restraint; half the fruit is aged in tank to preserve the nerve, while the other half rests in older barrels to round out the edges before blending.

It offers beautiful aromatics of potpourri, dried herbs, lime and apple skin. It is not a broad, fruity Chenin but rather one defined by its linear shape and savoury grip. The fruit concentration is extraordinary, but it is the line of acidity and the salty, long finish that makes it so captivating.

"For me this is probably the Chenin that has the most complexity and longevity."
- Craig Hawkins