2025 Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache

95 pts
A perfumed and savoury old-vine Grenache shaped by a dry, low-yielding vintage.

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Sale price$40.00
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Description

The Rayner Vineyard is legendary for its Shiraz, but the old-vine Grenache plantings on the deep sand of the western edge are arguably Andre Bondar's best assets on the property. Planted in 1970 and entirely dry-grown, this section naturally yields small, highly concentrated berries.

The 2025 vintage threw up a massive challenge, with exceptionally dry conditions cutting yields by a brutal 50%. To save the wine, Andre adapted, pulling in some adjacent vines and, for the first time, incorporating about 30% younger-vine fruit from 10-year-old bush vines planted upslope. This pivot turned out to be a masterstroke - while the old vines provide the baseline power and concentration, the younger fruit adds a beautiful layer of freshness and aromatic lift that defines the vintage.

In the winery, the philosophy remains low-intervention. Fermented with about 20% whole bunches for a touch of savoury grip and perfume, the wine spent six months maturing in old French oak and ceramic eggs before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. It's a lighter, savoury-leaning, and incredibly pure McLaren Vale Grenache, though the '25 is a bit darker and plumper than the past couple of releases. It’s just a thoughtful, confident, and deeply expressive red that lets the sand and the season do all the talking. Outstanding value.

95+ points
"There’s a deepness to this, and some levity. It feels spicier, earthier, less buoyantly red-fruited, although the cranberry, pomegranate and redcurrant notes are there, along with black cherry, spiced plum, raspberry compote, Baharat spicing and, discreetly, the crackling dry herbs of whole-bunch fermentation, a rusted-iron note, too. There’s fine tension, savouriness and drive. Give it a little time. It won't disappoint."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

95+ points - "A warm and dry season, with halved crops, so some younger vine material joined the 1970-planted vines. Whatever the challenges, the result is in the black. Also, no oak this year, being fermented and raised in ceramic, clay and concrete; 15% whole bunch. There’s a deepness to this, and some levity. It feels spicier, earthier, less buoyantly red-fruited, although the cranberry, pomegranate and redcurrant notes are there, along with black cherry, spiced plum, raspberry compote, Baharat spicing and, discreetly, the crackling dry herbs of whole-bunch fermentation, a rusted-iron note, too. There’s fine tension, savouriness and drive. Give it a little time. It won't disappoint." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

The Rayner Grenache has always been sourced from a small east-facing parcel of our 1970 plantings. This is the least vigorous section of the block, it’s entirely dry-grown and receives the least amount of natural rainfall/run off. In 2025, conditions were exceptionally dry, and by November it was clear this section of the site had very little crop. We expanded our selection to include some of the adjacent vines, which normally are higher yielding and go into the Junto blend. But in such a dry year these vines more closely resembled the ones we typically draw from for the Rayner Grenache. Even so, yields were significantly reduced- around 50% below average. So for the first time, this wine also includes fruit from younger vines: around 30% from 10-year-old bush vines planted upslope in deep sand. These bring a degree of freshness and lift, complementing the power and concentration of the older vines. In this season, that combination has helped shape the balance and definition of the wine beautifully.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 95
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
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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