A lovely blend based on Grenache, with Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvedre making up the balance. Clear ruby hued in the glass; the aroma is loaded with a mix of berries, ripe plum and pomegranate. This is made complex by some white pepper, clove and earth. Nicely balanced by spice and fruit, this is a wonderful autumn red.

When is Australian wine at its best? Arguably, when it is made in the way that Bondar does. What does that mean? It means small-scale operations using prime Australian soils, a lot of close attention, love, and willingness to experiment. With a foot in the Old World approach to fine viticulture, but with eyes firmly on the future of Aussie winemaking and wine identity. The result is a stunning portfolio of wines, which are not only helping to define what South Australian wines can be in the 21st century, but are also rewriting the rulebook on which grape varieties work best in this exciting collection of terroirs. Bondar is the brainchild of Andre Bondar, who spent many of his younger years trotting the globe, figuring out what he liked when it came to wines, and checking out how things were done in some of the best wine locations on earth. He worked as a winemaker in both McLaren Vale and France’s Rhône Valley, and while the wines he makes today have clear influences from both sides of the planet, he and his winemaking family give his collection of bottles a character that is entirely their own.