Bondar's flagship release hails from a 0.7-hectare block of old vines in the Rayner vineyard planted in 1970. This parcel has sandy soils over yellow clay; a soil type that brings finesse while the low yields bring intensity.
"I really want the Rayner Grenache to be a brighter, prettier expression of the variety," says Andre Bondar. To achieve this the fruit is picked at just the right point, not too late, in order to capture the vivid red fruit notes and bright acidity that Bondar is after.
"From a sandy 1970-planted block on the home Rayner vineyard; about 10% whole bunch; aged in ceramic amphorae and large-format old oak for 10 months. There’s always an ease to this wine, a red-fruited clarity of expression, a sense of immediate joy, but the Bondar wines never let the fun override the seriousness, nor vice versa. There’s certainly serious intent here though with elegance as the mantra, and perhaps more so in this vintage, with a more savoury lean. Wild raspberry, tart cranberry, rosehip, pomegranate, crushed rose, cinnamon, white pepper, young bay, cracked earth and tamarind. The mid-palate is supple, swirling with flavour, the tannins discretely resolute. Lovely." 96pts | Marcus Ellis | Best Grenache in Australia | 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
"Raspberry, strawberry, and quite some minty nutty perfume. It’s fresh, lots of strawberry dusted with pepper, succulent and red fruited, I like this bit of almond paste it shows, and also bright acidity, a sort of cocoa richness, with a peppery tannin and ginger biscuit finish of excellent length. It’s a bony and spicy wine that offers delicious sweet red fruited flavour. Minty, yes, but so fine.” 94pts | Gary Walsh | The Wine Front
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