Mielie Green

Pure, vivid Chenin with that mouth-watering Swartland energy,  think bright citrus peel, green apple and a smack of minerality. Old vines bring wonderful drive, freshness and texture, making this crisp yet layered enough to pair easily from seafood to salt-loving cheeses. There’s a touch of creaminess from lees time without losing that zippy acidity that keeps it lively.

Testalonga is the passion project of South African natural wine maker Craig Hawkins, whose work in Swartland has become shorthand for honest, expressive wines with minimal fuss. Grapes come from old, organically farmed dryland bush vines, picked by hand and fermented naturally in large open vessels before spending time on lees, with just a little sulphur added at bottling. It’s farming and winemaking that lets the vineyard speak first, and makes these wines feel as alive in the glass as they do in the vineyard.