newsletter icon
Receive our weekly newsletter - World Of Fine Wine Weekly
  1. Tasting Notes
  2. Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland

Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland

The 2014 Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland has earned its place in The World of Fine Wine’s handpicked collection of tasting notes, featuring insights from the world’s foremost wine authorities. Explore in-depth commentary from wine experts David Harvey, Andrew Jefford, Isabelle Lageron, David Williams, Doug Wregg and Francis Percival on Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland - an internationally acclaimed red from Piemonte.
Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland
BUY THE WINE

Wine Name
Testalonga El Bandito King of Grapes Swartland

Wine Producer
Testalonga

Score
85

Wine Style
Red

Grape Type
Grenache

Country
South Africa

Vintage
2013

BUY THE WINE

David Harvey | Bright mid-ruby red. Nice depth, redness, elegance, openness. Almost Jura-esque—and that’s a compliment. Also slightly minty. Mid-weight, peppery, punchy, elegant style, which is utterly charming. Like a fragrant, young, clean style of Châteauneuf? Or more a Gramenon Ceps Centenaires. Good length. | 16

Andrew Jefford | Light red in color. Sweet, bubble-gum aromas and light, watery flavors. Grenache at 12%? That just cannot make any sense at all. Even though it is red, it still contrives to taste like cider... | 9.5

Isabelle Lageron | Crunchy texture, bright acid, with elegant red cherries, dash of pepper (red and black) and redcurrants. Overall, vibrant and juicy. At the moment it is a bit too youthful. It needs time to integrate. Refreshing and unlike New World wines, showing lovely bite and acidity. Great, delicious, and easy drinking wine with potential. | 16.5

Francis Percival | Quite charming on the nose, with raspberries and redcurrants, but it is the acid structure that gives this wine its character. Fresh acidity gives this a linear directness that is at once bracing, but also thoroughly distracting. Grenache at these low levels of ABV is something of a challenge. | 10.5

David Williams | Very light and skinny for Grenache—too skinny for some, I suspect—but what it lacks in plump pleasure it makes up for in supple agility and aromatic prettiness of red fruit. Whole-bunch? It’s Grenache gone Gamay. | 15

Doug Wregg | Pale red, almost Burgundian in color. Quite delicate, with red-berry fruits to the fore—wild strawberries and ripe cherries—bright, breezy, and lifted in the mouth, with good energy, a quick rasp of pepper, and a-bristle with transparent red fruits. Lovely balance and very moreish. Best lightly chilled. | 18.5

Details

Wine expert David Harvey
Andrew Jefford
Isabelle Lageron
David Williams
Doug Wregg
Francis Percival
Tastings year 2014
Region Western Cape
AppellationWO
% Alcohol By Volume12
Related Wines
Related Wines
Websites in our network