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, whites and rose from their most popular daily drinkers - it's a lovely introduction to what Bondar are all about!
- 2024 Bondar Fiano
- 2023 Bondar Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
- 2024 Bondar Rose
- 2023 Bondar Junto GSM
- 2022 Bondar Monastrell
- 2023 Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz
2024 Bondar Fiano
Andre & Selina Bondar have done it again with the 2024 Bondar Fiano—a shining example of one of McLaren Vale’s rising white varieties. Sourced from the same esteemed vineyard that supplies heavy hitters like Coriole and Lino Ramble, this Fiano is fresh, pure, and dry, with just the right touch of textural complexity.
The winemaking here is top-notch. Most of the fruit is fermented in tank to preserve the aromatic freshness, while a small portion spends time in old French barrels to add depth and intrigue. A bit of skin contact and time in a ceramic egg adds an extra layer of texture, elevating this wine from crisp and clean to something truly special.
Fiano is making waves in Australia, and Bondar’s version is one of the best around. With pristine fruit and a vibrant, zesty character, this is a wine that’s both deliciously drinkable and thoughtfully crafted. There’s only a small amount made, so it won't be around for long.
2023 Bondar Adelaide Hills Chardonnay
Since his time working at Nepenthe, Andre Bondar has loved Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. Now, with his own label, he has the chance to make it just the way he likes it.
He found a cool little vineyard in Echunga, at 400m ASL, had the fruit picked by hand, pressed it as whole bunches and sent it to barrel and ceramic eggs to ferment at its own pace. Nine months later, this gorgeous little wine emerged. For a guy who owns a vineyard in the heart of 'big reds' country, Andre Bondar knows his way around a Chardonnay as well as anyone.
This release is pure and taut without overt oak or artifice. A truly lovely wine and yet another success for this impressive McLaren Vale outfit.
95 points
"Lime and lime rind, floral, nutty and spicy, almond and white peach. It’s a lively wine, excellent intensity, a bold and juicy cut of acidity, so much zing, yet folded into gently creamy nutty and biscuity folds of savoury goodness. There’s a slight struck match character, and the finish is all sweet lime and spice, with terrific length and saline spicy character. Classic fine-boned Hills Chardonnay here, and so lovely."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)
2024 Bondar Rose
Carefully crafting a spot on rose can be a tricky business. It may seem simple from the outside but there are a lot of decisions to be made along the way.
Take this fantastic rose from McLaren Vale outfit, Bondar. The fruit is picked from three sites, including from their famous home block, the Rayner vineyard. Two of the batches were fermented in ceramic egg, the third in barrel with some more pressings to get a little extra grip and "stuffing" in the mid-palate.
Suffice to say, Andre has nailed this release.
Theirs is a wildly successful crack at the very popular "Provence" inspired style of rose. If you like your pinks dry but full flavoured with delicacy and deliciousness in equal proportion - you're going to love this!
2023 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.
94 points
"This is 65/16/8/8/3% grenache/shiraz/mataro/cinsault/carignan. It feels even finer and more elegant than prior. A cool year, yes, but it feels like evolution, too. Either way, what a charming thing it is, redolent of blue and red florals, just-picked wild raspberry and bright-red cherries, along with hardy Mediterranean herbs. It’s not just about front, though, with a fine and complex netting of natural tannin and a vivid line of acidity. What elevates it is skipping the easy path of pulpy frivolity for a gastronomic architecture and lightness of feel."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
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 Monastrell
If ever there was a winery to put on your radar, Bondar is it. They won Best New Winery in 2017 and have not put a foot wrong since. Every release is another slew of jaw dropping wines, packed with flavour, energy and value. This Monastrell follows suit.
It has been labelled Monastrell deliberately (this is the Spanish name for Mataro/Mourvedre). Where French and Italian examples tend towards the savoury or deeply flavoured, Spanish styles are all about ease.
The wine saw a small time in barrel, giving some structure and complexity without overwhelming the fruit flavours. Expect a burst of blueberry, a whiff of lavender, a touch of ginger and an all round good time.
2023 Bondar Violet Hour Shiraz
The 2023 Violet Hour Shiraz captures everything we love about McLaren Vale Shiraz, with a fresh, modern twist. Named after the dusky, violet-hued skies that marked the Bondars’ first-ever Shiraz harvest, this wine is all about elegance and power in perfect harmony.
From the Rayner Vineyard—a revered site where the sandy soils of Blewitt Springs meet the structure of Seaview—this Shiraz offers the best of both worlds. Bright blue and red fruits take centre stage, complemented by silky tannins and a gentle aromatic lift that gives the wine a beautiful, expansive feel without the weight of heavy oak.
"It’s kind of bang on for that philosophy of that wine. You've got this modern, more medium-bodied take on the variety, but still got lots of flavour, good tannin, no oak influence... I love it. It’s really, really fine. Exactly what we want from Violet Hour."
- Andre Bondar on the 2023 Violet Hour
With its lovely tannin structure and vibrant red fruit, the 2023 Violet Hour is both versatile and sophisticated, offering plenty of flavour for drinkers who want the plushness and complexity of McLaren Vale without the heaviness.
A must-buy for any Shiraz lover seeking something both stylish and expressive.
Customer Reviews
| Price Bracket | $30 or Less |
| Region | McLaren Vale |
| Size | 6 |
Bondar Wines
Andre & Selina Bondar - McLaren Vale, SA Discover Bondar Wines
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