Bondar
What's In A Name?
Why Bondar?
We admire Bondar as it is driven by a desire to create. They aren’t looking for a gap in the market, to create a niche that becomes the next big thing’ or to pander to mass-market expectations. They are, however, looking to follow their passion, use their skills and craft wines that are true to their philosophy and reflect their vineyard. This focus on authenticity over commerce has paid off, with some impressive accolades for the winery and products catapulting this small winery with tiny productions into the spotlight. If you haven’t discovered why the light shines on Bondar for yourself yet, we suggest you do so quickly… These products are in high demand and limited supply!
Winemaker: Andre Bondar
Andre Bondar started out in the wine industry in 2001 and spent the majority of his career in McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills wineries before finally setting up Bondar Wines on the historical McLaren Vale site, Rayner Vineyard, with his wife, Selina Kelly. While finally making wines under his own name, from his own fruit, on his own land, Andrew felt the pressure like never before, realising that in actuality, the wines have to meet or exceed expectations, if they’re going to carry your name. Given the critical acclaim they’ve received, Bondar works well under pressure…
“[Bondar's] modern and stylish wines refer to the past, yet speak to the future.”
REIMAGINING RAYNER
Vineyards
Bondar set their sights on the Rayner Vineyard, a historical vineyard with plantings dating back to the 1950s. The plantings include a majority of the two famous red varieties of the Vale, Shiraz and Grenache, which make up the majority of the Bondar wines, but also has been reworked to include small plantings of Mataro, Touriga Nacional, Carignan, Cinsaut and Counoise, showing a transition to emerging varieties. The site straddles the border of two sub-regions, Blewitt Spring and Beautiful View and shares the ancient Pirramimma sandstone geology. This means the Shiraz planted here gives lighter wines with strong fragrance and a more savoury profile, which fits perfectly into Bondar’s winemaking style and philosophy.
Bondar set their sights on the Rayner Vineyard, a historical vineyard with plantings dating back to the 1950s. The plantings include a majority of the two famous red varieties of the Vale, Shiraz and Grenache, which make up the majority of the Bondar wines, but also has been reworked to include small plantings of Mataro, Touriga Nacional, Carignan, Cinsaut and Counoise, showing a transition to emerging varieties. The site straddles the border of two sub-regions, Blewitt Spring and Beautiful View and shares the ancient Pirramimma sandstone geology. This means the Shiraz planted here gives lighter wines with strong fragrance and a more savoury profile, which fits perfectly into Bondar’s winemaking style and philosophy.
Winemaking Philosophy
The Bondar winemaking philosophy aims to craft wines that are expressive and honest. They want their wines to be bright, structured, mid-weight, concentrated in flavour and savoury. While this isn’t necessarily the style that the region was built on, they are welcome additions – just ask their trophy cabinet! While Andre and Selina consider themselves outsiders to the industry and the region, with neither being from a winemaking background, it’s clear that they have the skill, passion and drive to create their own legacy and leave their mark on the region. Their modern and stylish wines refer to the past, yet speak to the future.
The Bondar winemaking philosophy aims to craft wines that are expressive and honest. They want their wines to be bright, structured, mid-weight, concentrated in flavour and savoury. While this isn’t necessarily the style that the region was built on, they are welcome additions – just ask their trophy cabinet! While Andre and Selina consider themselves outsiders to the industry and the region, with neither being from a winemaking background, it’s clear that they have the skill, passion and drive to create their own legacy and leave their mark on the region. Their modern and stylish wines refer to the past, yet speak to the future.