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Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2021

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Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2021
Producer Bondar
Region, Country McLaren Vale, Australia
Bottle Size 750ml
Case Size 6
Product Code 21466-750

The fruit for the Midnight Hour Shiraz is sourced from two blocks in Andre Bondar and Selina Kelly's own Rayner Vineyard. Planted in 1960 and 1990 on the Seaview side of the vineyard on red/brown clay over limestone, these vines are farmed using organic principles and without irrigation where possible. The soil type and age of the vines result in smaller, more open canopies that allow for lots of sunlight to reach the developing bunches. This in turn ensures that stems used in the fermentation are lignified, furthering the complexity in the finished wine.

A wet Spring lead to strong vine growth and it was warm during flowering which resulted in good fruit set and healthy yields. Then, mild conditions in January and February provided the ideal ripening conditions culminating in what Andre describes as a vintage that "could be one of the greater vintages of the last decade".

Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2021

Reviews

"A lot of whole bunch capsicum spice here, but with rich dark chocolate and blackberry fruit to go along with it. Medium to full-bodied, spicy and savoury, plenty of sticky and grainy tannin, meaty flavours too, along with some coffee. Finish rolls with grippy tannin and a black olive tapenade aftertaste. Distinctive style. Good."
94 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
"Opaque core into a deep purple stained rim. Plum, tar, mocha, and nori aromatics. Dense and brooding on the palate, not ready to give up all its secrets just yet but even now the weight and power is undeniable. The fruit is deep and intense, savoury nori, blood and undergrowth notes come to the fore with air time and the tannins are equally focused. Palate and structure would suggest a significant whole bunch usage and it works very well. (100% whole bunches)”
95 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
"From the lauded Rayner vineyard; two plots, each on the Seaview side. 100% whole bunches, with acute attention to the lignification of the stems imparting sweetness and a gentle structural caress. Very good. Northern Rhône glimpsed. Any sweet fruit, mercifully, knocked out by soaring aromas of violet, licorice, dried nori, ground clove and mace. Smoked meat aplenty. Some purple pastille and cherry emerge from the fray, but this is compact and taut, as much as it is jubey and generous. Lovely wine."
95 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion 2024

Reviews

"A lot of whole bunch capsicum spice here, but with rich dark chocolate and blackberry fruit to go along with it. Medium to full-bodied, spicy and savoury, plenty of sticky and grainy tannin, meaty flavours too, along with some coffee. Finish rolls with grippy tannin and a black olive tapenade aftertaste. Distinctive style. Good."
94 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
"Opaque core into a deep purple stained rim. Plum, tar, mocha, and nori aromatics. Dense and brooding on the palate, not ready to give up all its secrets just yet but even now the weight and power is undeniable. The fruit is deep and intense, savoury nori, blood and undergrowth notes come to the fore with air time and the tannins are equally focused. Palate and structure would suggest a significant whole bunch usage and it works very well. (100% whole bunches)”
95 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
"From the lauded Rayner vineyard; two plots, each on the Seaview side. 100% whole bunches, with acute attention to the lignification of the stems imparting sweetness and a gentle structural caress. Very good. Northern Rhône glimpsed. Any sweet fruit, mercifully, knocked out by soaring aromas of violet, licorice, dried nori, ground clove and mace. Smoked meat aplenty. Some purple pastille and cherry emerge from the fray, but this is compact and taut, as much as it is jubey and generous. Lovely wine."
95 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion 2024

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