I Wish I Was A Ninja Pet Nat Testalonga 2025

I Wish I Was A Ninja Pet Nat Testalonga El Bandito, delicious sparkling Pet Nat made from Colombard so off dry with a good balance of acidity, sugar and bubbles. Craig says, “The name came about whilst we were bottling the wine in harvest and we got onto the topic of Ninjas. The photo was taken by myself in the pool of good friend Paul Jordaan, during one of many Swartland “Braais”. I knew then that the photo would be my label as I think it captures the essence of what I want the people to feel like when they drink this wine.'”

I Wish I Was A Ninja comes from dry land trellised vines planted in 1998. This vineyard is a new addition to the range with good levels of acidity and low pH’s. The block is in Wellington and is on decomposed granite soils. It has been farmed organically since it was planted and belongs to Dr Edmund Oettlé who is a wonderful man to get to know. He has a great deal of knowledge with regards to organic farming and makes wonderful brandy. The block of Colombard is wonderfully acidic due to the river that flows right next to the block which allows it to never stress.

Hand-harvested then fermented in stainless steel at a temperature of 8 degrees. Racked 6 times during fermentation to remove the sediment. At a sugar of 52g/l it was bottled under crown cap where it was left to finish fermentation and build up a natural pressure of carbon dioxide. After 10 months the bottles were riddled and disgorged and topped with the same wine (from other decanted bottles) and crown capped again. No SO2 was ever added to the wine and neither was any settling or fining agent.

Craig Hawkins is a young winemaker based in the Swartland, South Africa, where he makes delicious natural wines at his farm called Banditskloof.

Having travelled extensively throughout Europe, and then worked as wine maker for Lammershoek, he now makes makes a huge variety of different wines under his own Testalonga label and has his own vines at the beautifully named 'Banditsskloof' farm in Swartland.  These are beautiful, natural hand-crafted wines from low yielding organic vines.  Craig only uses wild ferments and nothing is added except a little SO2 at bottling in some but not all the wines and vintages.

Over the years, Craig has expanded his repertoire and now makes some 15 different Cuvee including some delicious Pet Nat sparklers.  His wines continue to promote natural freshness, balance and quality and increasingly, a more precise and refined style.  The superb El Bandito Skin Contact Chenin Blanc is a very different wine from 12 years ago when we first tasted it and much more elegant and easy drinking.