2021 Testalonga El Bandito Queen of Spades Tinta Amarela
Swartland, South Africa
Dark, juicy red made by an icon of South African natural wine from an obscure plot of Portuguese grapes.
$82.00
About The Wine
Testalonga is one of the icons of natural wine in South Africa's Swartland region, with winemakers Craig and Carla Hawkins leading the way when it comes to making lo-fi wines with bags of character.
This is juicy, crunchy red, make from a tiny (just 0.1 hecatre) vineyard dedicated to Tinta Amarela. Originally thought to be Tempranillo, this Portuguese grape (a.k.a. Trincadeira) makes dark and full-flavoured wine.
Like all of the Testalonga range, this is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with only a tiny dash of sulphites. Only a few available, so get in quick!
About Testalonga
Craig and Carla Hawkins launched Testalonga in the north of Swartland, South Africa in 2008.
They are part of a revolutionary ground swell taking place in South African wine, where traditions are being challenged and brave new territory is being explored. The painfully small amount of wine that this duo produces gets snapped up in short order the world over. Known for their striking intensity and nervy energy, Craig and Carla's wines are on the cutting edge of the natural wine movement in their country.
Swartland, South Africa
From The Producer
We came across this vineyard (0.1ha) through good friend Rick Mcgrindle, a farmer from Abbotsdale/Paardeberg region. Thought to be Tempranillo when planted but turned out to be Tinta Amarela, which is a grape I personally love from my experiences of working in Portugal. The Label is a photo taken by one of our friends Bryan's short brother (Kevin Short) during his time spent at Burning Man in the USA. I adapted the photo to portray a perception of a “Love/Hate” relationship between the Queen of Spades and the Queen of Hearts.
Blend : Tinta Amarela/Trincadeira (100%)
ABV : 10.5%
Closure : Cork
Drink Until : 2027
Bottle Size : 750ml
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