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 vines planted in 1970 on sand in a section of the vineyard that misses the hot late afternoon sun and yields smaller bunches of small berries. About 20% whole bunches; six months in ceramic eggs and old French oak. It's very early on this, and these are always made to age, but the charm of the vintage has its say. Dried and fresh rose, raspberry leaf, rosemary and dried orange peel across tart raspberry, pomegranate and redcurrant, the ripeness neatly captured for flavour and verve, with a proper line of grape and stem tannin, artfully extracted, pristinely ripe, acidity a guiding vector." 96pts | Halliday Wine Companion
"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. Juciy juicy, Nice nice. I’m kind of 94.5 on this, but hey, let’s go.” 95pts | Gary Walsh | WineFront
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