2024 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache

Highly Rated
From a tiny pocket of old vines on their home block, this is Bondar’s most refined expression of McLaren Vale Grenache – all about brightness, balance and a light touch.
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
3 Reviews

Price:
Sale price$38.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

The Rayner Vineyard might be best known for its Shiraz, but the 0.7ha of dry-grown Grenache on the western edge are quietly stealing the show. Planted in 1970 and grown on deep sand, this section of the vineyard misses the harshest sun and puts out low yields of small, concentrated berries. The Bondars pick early and work gently in the cellar to keep it all about energy and finesse.

This is a lighter, savoury-leaning take on McLaren Vale Grenache – lifted and pure, but still with depth and shape. About 20% whole bunch goes into the ferment for a bit of grip and perfume, and it sees six months in old French oak and ceramic eggs before bottling, unfined and unfiltered.

It’s not a wine that needs much dressing up – it’s confident in its own skin. Just delicious, thoughtful Grenache from a team who’ve figured out how to let this site do the talking.

95 points
"Vibrant, perfumed aromas of wild raspberries, cherries, red-apple skin, dried herbs and ruby grapefruit. The palate is medium-bodied with firmly framed tannins and a plush mouthfeel that leads into a juicy, savory-edged finish. Finely constructed. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling

95 points - "Vibrant, perfumed aromas of wild raspberries, cherries, red-apple skin, dried herbs and ruby grapefruit. The palate is medium-bodied with firmly framed tannins and a plush mouthfeel that leads into a juicy, savory-edged finish. Finely constructed. Drink or hold." - James Suckling

94 points - "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." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 3 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 3 Total 4 star reviews: 0 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
3 reviews
  • RC
    Robert C.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2023 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Another great Grenache

    I have enjoyed drinking a wide range of The Vale Grenache wine recently.

    The 2021 vintage is top drawer.

    The Bondar Rayner is at the lower end of the price range but the quality exceeds its price substantially.

    I would recommend this wine.

  • N
    Neil
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    3 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    Reviewing
    2023 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great Grenache

    Wow! I planned to hang onto it for a while but no … certainly one of the better Grenache I’ve tried over the past year or two. Loving the flavours and texture. Very good value for money.

  • PB
    Peter B.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    3 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    Reviewing
    2023 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Quality Grenache

    I've had better (read quite a bit more expensive) Grenache but am happy to go five stars on this for the quality of wine you get for the price. Mclaren Vale, hand-picked from 50 yo vines, it walks the tightrope between drinkability and gravitas with aplomb. Lovely food wine. High value.

Sourced from the western side of our 1970-planted Grenache block on our Rayner Vineyard, where the yields are lower with smaller berries and bunches, and the vines face gently east so miss the hot, late afternoon sun. Planted on sand, this block is dry-grown and managed organically. The fruit is hand-picked.

We really want the Rayner Grenache to be pretty, yet savoury, and generally a more elegant expression of the variety. We believe that this is what our 1970 block wants to produce so we just try to let it express itself as best as we can. To help achieve this we pick a little earlier to catch the red fruits and herb. We use some whole bunch (around 20% in total) for some extra tannin from stalks, which ensures the ageing potential of the wine and provides layers of complexity to the flavours. The wine is fermented and aged for around 6 months in ceramic eggs and old French barrels, before being bottled without fining or filtration.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By The Wine Front
James Suckling
Critic Score 94
95
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Bondar Wines

Andre & Selina Bondar are one of the great modern Australian wine success stories. We have been massive fans of their wines since their very first vintage and tell anyone who will listen that if you want to taste what modern McLaren Vale wines are all about then this is who you need to try.

Their home block, the highly decorated Rayner Vineyard, which straddles the Blewitt Springs and Seaview sub-regions of The Vale, was originally planted back in the 1950s but the Bondar family chapter in that vineyard's story will be its most significant. Dre and Sel's wines are honest and vibrant, built more on freshness and digestibility rather than raw South Australian power.

They make brilliant, vibrant Grenache, balanced and concentrated Shiraz, elegant Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, and one of the country's most bankable Rose wines plus a raft of small-batch alternative varieties. Their range nails quality and drinkability at every turn.

Andre & Selina Bondar - McLaren Vale, SA Discover Bondar Wines

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