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Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.
Bibendum Wine Co.

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Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2022

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Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2022
Producer Bondar
Region, Country McLaren Vale, Australia
Bottle Size 750ml
Case Size 6
Product Code 23880-750

The Shiraz grapes for Midnight Hour are 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 and age of the vines result in smaller, more open canopies that allow for lots of sunlight to reach the developing bunches. This ensures that stems used in the fermentation are lignified, increasing the complexity of the finished wine.

The 2022 vintage was similar to 2021. with La Niña driving a cooler-than-usual summer and autumn. Thankfully the wet conditions that can also be a feature of this weather pattern missed Bondar's McLaren Vale home. The cooler conditions delayed the start of vintage by two weeks, so the team was harvesting into the shorter days and longer nights of autumn. Given the stable ripening, Shiraz had more time on the vine, with no rush to pick. The resulting profile brings together red and black fruits with a lot of aromatic lift and a slightly lighter mouthfeel from the cool year.

The bunches for Midnight Hour were harvested by hand and fermented with 100% of their stems. Andre and Selina learned the technique during their time working harvest in the northern Rhône. The wine from each batch aged in used French oak for 15 months. The result is a Shiraz with layers of complex flavour, yet an intriguing, textural, black fruit-laden palate.

Bondar Midnight Hour Shiraz 2022

Reviews

“Deep, rich ruby red hue. Blueberry, dried morcilla, clove and beef bone aromas. Deep and weighty on the palate, all about savoury complexity over dark fruits. Drying beef, slate, iodine and roasting mushrooms all sit through the length of the palate, with a tight net of ripe tannins dialling up the pressure and drive. It stays with you for a long time, with a late lift of ripe blueberries cleaning the finish well. Serve it with beef rib roast and all will be good in your world.”
96 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
“Lots of smoky paprika spice here, blackberry pastille, dark cherry chocolate, some violet and mint, charred meat too. It’s fleshy and meaty, with distinct spice, medium to full-bodied, sage sausage flavour comes to mind, plenty of dry and grainy tannin grip, and it’s really quite different in character to your usual McLaren Vale Shiraz. The finish is a little bit salty, but has length and spicy tannin grip. There’s maybe a little too much whole bunch here, lending to dryness and coconut husk grip, though that’s an aside. The wine is good.”
93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
“This is the yin to the Violet Hour’s yang, coming off red/brown clay over limestone from two blocks, planted 1960 and ’90 (the Violet Hour is mainly sandy soils). Open canopies lead to ‘ripe’ stems, with 100% whole-bunch ferments employed; 15 months' seasoned French oak. Dark and brooding, though not heavy, rippling with dark fruits, dried cherry, olive, blackstrap licorice, thyme, toasted rye, coal dust, anise, clove, white pepper … a swell of dark red cherry and sour plum enlivening the palate. This may be more darkly wrought than the Violet Hour, but it’s not heavy, with a slinky suppleness of texture and assertive natural tannin. Truly exceptional.”
97 points, Marcus Ellis, Top Rated: Halliday Wine Companion 2025

Reviews

“Deep, rich ruby red hue. Blueberry, dried morcilla, clove and beef bone aromas. Deep and weighty on the palate, all about savoury complexity over dark fruits. Drying beef, slate, iodine and roasting mushrooms all sit through the length of the palate, with a tight net of ripe tannins dialling up the pressure and drive. It stays with you for a long time, with a late lift of ripe blueberries cleaning the finish well. Serve it with beef rib roast and all will be good in your world.”
96 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review
“Lots of smoky paprika spice here, blackberry pastille, dark cherry chocolate, some violet and mint, charred meat too. It’s fleshy and meaty, with distinct spice, medium to full-bodied, sage sausage flavour comes to mind, plenty of dry and grainy tannin grip, and it’s really quite different in character to your usual McLaren Vale Shiraz. The finish is a little bit salty, but has length and spicy tannin grip. There’s maybe a little too much whole bunch here, lending to dryness and coconut husk grip, though that’s an aside. The wine is good.”
93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
“This is the yin to the Violet Hour’s yang, coming off red/brown clay over limestone from two blocks, planted 1960 and ’90 (the Violet Hour is mainly sandy soils). Open canopies lead to ‘ripe’ stems, with 100% whole-bunch ferments employed; 15 months' seasoned French oak. Dark and brooding, though not heavy, rippling with dark fruits, dried cherry, olive, blackstrap licorice, thyme, toasted rye, coal dust, anise, clove, white pepper … a swell of dark red cherry and sour plum enlivening the palate. This may be more darkly wrought than the Violet Hour, but it’s not heavy, with a slinky suppleness of texture and assertive natural tannin. Truly exceptional.”
97 points, Marcus Ellis, Top Rated: Halliday Wine Companion 2025

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