Testalonga Baby Bandito Keep on Punching 2020

Testalonga's Baby Bandito Keep on Punching 2021 comes from young vineyards from the early 2000s. Here, the Chenin vines grow on granite and are not artificially irrigated. The dryness ensures that Craig Hawkins can confidently do without fungicides and herbicides - he also omits pesiticides. The harvest is early, because Craig wants to preserve the freshness. Otherwise, too high sugar levels would be reached too quickly, the potential alcohol would go through the roof and the acidity would disappear into nirvana. Fermentation is spontaneous, without yeast nutrient salts and other additives. Just Grapes is written on the back label and that's exactly what it's all about. The aging is done in 3500l wooden barrels & a steel tank. The wine is bottled without fining and filtration and minimal added sulfur.

The Testalonga Baby Bandito Keep on Punching 2021 Chenin Blanc shows a rich straw yellow in the glass. It smells restrained of dry herbs, flint, yellow pit fruit, almonds and iodine. On the palate, it has a fresh, grippy acidity that is finely woven in. The finish is long and carried by the pit fruit flavors and impressions of salted almonds. Craig's Baby Bandito Chenin Blanc should be given some air in the decanter and then enjoyed from Burgundy glasses with lemon chicken stew or cold almond soup.