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Description
Craig and Carla Hawkins have been the faces of the South African natural wine scene for years, but they’ve mostly been "nomads" working with leased fruit. 'Daisy’s Pond' is a huge milestone - it’s one of the first releases from their own estate, Bandits Kloof. These vines were only planted in 2018 on a rugged, high-altitude patch near the Piekenierskloof Pass, marking a shift from sourcing fruit to truly farming their own dirt.
The terroir here is a departure from the usual Swartland granite. It is a mix of decomposed sandstone and shale, which gives the wine a much deeper, savory "grip" than you’d expect from such young vines. Because the site is so remote and high up, the cold mountain nights help the grapes keep their nerve and acidity, even when the daytime heat kicks in.
Craig is famously patient in the cellar. This isn't one of his skin-contact "orange" wines; it’s a clean press, but it spent a massive 21 months resting on the lees in old French oak. He let the natural fermentation take its own sweet time - over a year just for the malolactic ferment to finish - which builds in a creamy, waxy texture without needing any new oak or heavy-handed tricks.
On the nose, it is all hay, dried citrus peel, and a distinct salty, nutty character that comes straight from that shale soil. Even at a lean 11.5% alcohol, the palate feels dramatic and structured. It has a light phenolic "tugging" on the finish that makes it feel almost like a red wine in its bones. It is a serious, soulful white that shows exactly where the future of Testalonga is headed.
| Price Bracket | $101 and Above |
| Type | White |
| Body | Medium Bodied |
| Variety | Grenache Blanc |
| Country | South Africa |
| Region | Swartland |
| Reviewed By |
Wine Magazine |
| Critic Score |
94 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Closure | Cork |
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