96+ Points - Marcus Ellis
Bondar Wines was declared "A superstar estate, but a down-to-earth one" in the recent Halliday Wine Companion 'Top 100 Wineries of 2025'. Ranked the nations's 29th best winery on this distinguished list, it underlines the big impression Bondar has made since its first vintage back in 2013.
The 2024 Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz is another beautifully aromatic McLaren Vale Shiraz with plenty of lifted red and black fruits. The palate is textured with incredible depth; layers upon layers of dark fruit, olives, licorice and cherry. A wine with a big following, this latest release is again sure to be popular.
"96+ Points. From the Seaview side of the Rayner vineyard; 85% whole bunch, older French oak for 15 months. Such an elegant, mineral and complex wine. I’ll stop noting the Rhône echoes at some point, but the resonances are hard to ignore. A little Cornas-like, perhaps. Less imposing. A trove of spice, almost garam masala-like, with green cardamom, cloves and pepper melding with warmer tones. Bergamot tea, black cherry and dried olive, star anise, woodsmoke, malted barley, coal dust. Such aromatic presence, and also such elan, with no weightiness. There's an impressive fanning of flavour through the finish, the oak an irrelevance to the drinker, the smartly tooled tannins effortlessly assertive. $50. 14.2% alc. Drink: 2026 - 2036"- Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion.
