Description
Packed with new releases, this is the perfect (and great value!) way to get to know this excellent family-owned McLaren Vale label.
Featuring a selection of reds from their most popular daily drinkers to the finest single vineyard cuvees - it's a lovely introduction to what Bondar are all about!
- 2022 Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz
- 2023 Bondar Junto GSM
- 2022 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Shiraz
- 2023 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache
- 2021 Bondar Higher Springs Grenache
2022 Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz
95 points
"This is harmonious and poised, everything serenely balanced, unstretched. To echo an earlier review, this is a tremendous bargain." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
"This is crafted to perfection, perfect for exuberant drinking straight from the fridge."
- Ned Goodwin MW (James Suckling)
The name 'Violet Hour' refers to the fading light owners Andre Bondar and Selina Kelly saw on the horizon as they picked the last bunches of Shiraz for their first-ever release, the 2012 edition of this wine. A violet sky, a beautiful wine, and a new future ahead for the couple and their vines.
The Violet Hour tastes as stylish as it looks, it hits that sweet spot for all red wine lovers - a combination of elegance and power.
The pedigree of the Bondar's Rayner vineyard in McLaren Vale is second to none - it's one of the most respected sites in the region where Seaview and Blewitt Springs meet. You get the lively, bright blue fruits of the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs with the power and structure of the Seaview terroir. It's a winning combination. The quality of the Shiraz speaks for itself.
Put simply, if you like McLaren Vale Shiraz with a fresh face - this is a must-buy.
"The 2022 vintage might be my favourite release of the Violet Hour to date..."
- Andre Bondar (Bondar Wines)
22023 Bondar Junto GSM
This dynamic couple have carved out a niche for their eponymous label as one of the most exciting and in demand wineries in McLaren Vale.
Drinkability is writ large across the range. The 'Junto' (Spanish for 'together') is a wine made for easily enjoying with friends and family.
The Grenache is the main character, with Shiraz, Mataro and Cinsault the supporting cast.
This is as delicious as medium-bodied reds get from this part of the world. Incredibly versatile and impossibly moreish, Andre and Selina have done it again.
91 points
"Frisky red fruited style with a smattering of dried herb and lemon zest. It’s light to medium-bodied, strawberry and orange rind, light grip of tannin, kind of edgy in character, though I like the fresh spiced and sappy strawberry thing it offers. There’s something like ozone or coal dust in the mix too, and the finish is lively, spicy and red fruited, with a Campari-like bitterness. Fun wine, could take a light chill even."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
2022 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Shiraz
Another exciting release from the Bondars here. A brand spankin' new vintage of a premium Shiraz from their famous Rayner vineyard.
Winemaker Andre Bondar had had an eye on making a small amount of a premium Shiraz from these, his two oldest Shiraz blocks for a while. And with each release it goes from strength to strength, and the great reviews follow...
Yes, this is a 'bigger' wine than the Violet Hour, but it's also much more complex and cellar-worthy. A McLaren Vale tour-de-force.
95 points
"Blueberry, blackberry, mint and sage, seaweed, some liquorice and biscuit spice. It’s full-bodied, but only just, saline and savoury, black olive, sweet blue and black fruit, raspberry ripple, ripe fine-grained but insistent tannin, oyster shell and cool peppermint, it’s thoroughly regional but has depth and presence. Lots to like here, and it feels classic McLaren Vale in character, though turned out with a light and deft touch in the winery. Ripe tannin rolls out the red raspberry carpet on a finish of fine length."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
2023 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache
There are only 0.7ha of beautiful 40+ year-old Grenache vines on the Rayner Block. The public knows the vineyard for its supreme Shiraz, but many a winemaker have sought it for its stunning Grenache.
This is the top red wine in the Bondar range for a reason. As with all of the best modern styles of Grenache coming out of McLaren Vale, the emphasis here is squarely placed on making a fresh, aromatic yet powerful style of wine that tells the story of vintage through the lens of this noble grape.
With only a limited amount made, you'll have to be quick if you want to find out what he's talking about. Drink some now, keep some for later, we have a feeling this will be something pretty special in a few years time. Another win for the Bondars and for all McLaren Vale Grenache lovers!
95 points
"Very good Grenache here, it’s lively and gently herbal, raspberry, ripe cherry and almond, quite some spice and dried flower perfume too, a fair bit of mint. Juicy ripe cherry and red fruit, the tannin is a little raspy and stony, and really adds something to the wine. There’s also some raspberry friand sweetness, and it offers mouth-perfume, and excellent length. It’s crisp, but flavoursome. It’s not Blewitt or Clarendon, but gee, it makes an emphatic statement about how good McLaren Vale Grenache can be. So lovely. Juicy juicy, Nice nice."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
2021 Bondar Higher Springs Grenache
The Bondar Rayner vineyard straddles the Seaview and Blewitt Springs sub-regions of McLaren Vale. The best portions of their home-grown Grenache have always come from the sandy soils on the Blewitt Springs side. And recently, Andre has found himself a little fruit from a block right in the heart of the Grenache purple patch.
The Higher Springs Grenache is grown on Sue Trott's beautiful Blewitt Springs vineyard, planted in 1952.
It's picked right on the edge of ripeness, making for the lightest and most energetic expression of Grenache from Andre and Selina to date.
95 Points
"Vibrant ruby and purple in the glass. Blueberry, bouquet garni and iodine aromatics. The mouth fills with bright blue and red berries, lifting acidity keeps it fresh and lively but there’s ample savoury undertones to bring depth and character. The tannins build into the finish and provide length and persistence." - Stuart Knox (The Wine Front)
96 Points
"A bright, clear colour. Offers a tantalising bouquet, at once floral with red cherry blossom and earthy/savoury nuances. The palate is supple and very, very long, the finish is fresh and mouth-watering." - James Halliday (Halliday Wine Companion)
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