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Testalonga

2022

‘Skin’

Chenin Blanc   |   Swartland - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

‘Skin’ is the wine that started it all; it was Craig and Carla’s first wine in 2008, inspired by a skin macerated Vermentino from Antonio Perrino during a trip to Italy. The wine has come a long way and each year provides with new flavors. They have toned down on the extraction and have now stopped experimenting as much as they used to, finding the wine’s sweet spot in terms of skin contact and the balance of flavors they’re looking for. Overall, they’ve reduced the length of time they leave the wines on the skin as the goal here is to find elegance and focus within this particular style.

The grapes were hand harvested and de-stemmed before fermenting spontaneously as whole berries in open-top stainless steel tanks. After 14 days, the wine was pressed off the skins and sent to an old 3000L foudre. After 11 months, the wine was blended & bottled with a gentle filtration and very tiny sulfur addition. No fining.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Bosgaasfontein (Paardeberg)
  • Vine Age: 52-years-old
  • Soil Type: Decomposed granite
  • Viticulture: Practicing organic
  • Fermentation: Native — stainless-steel (whole berry, de-stemmed)
  • Skin Contact: 14 days
  • Aging: 11 months in used, 3000L foudres
  • Alcohol: 13%
  • pH: 3.54
  • Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L
  • Total SO2: 6 ppm

Tasting Notes

This skin-contact Chenin Blanc hits with layers of aromas —bold, vibrant, and a little wild. Think punchy citrus, a kick of preserved lemon, and that warm, cooked apricot vibe. There’s a whisper of white flowers weaving through, keeping it balanced but never soft. A little menthol comes through on the finish. Complex, alive, and unapologetically full of character.

Producer


Testalonga

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

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