This limited release is a blend of Shiraz from Bondar’s two oldest Rayner Vineyard blocks. The 1947 block is dry-grown on deep sandy soils with ironstone rocks, lending wonderful fragrance and elegant structure. The 1950 planting is on shallow clay over a limestone base, and gives the wine the bones—structure around the pretty flesh.
The 2020 was fermented naturally with about 20% whole bunches before being matured for 18 months in mostly older French hogsheads (just five per cent new oak) before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
For the second year in a row, Shiraz yields from these vines were down nearly 50% this year, and while you can expect depth and structure, there’s also ample levity and drive to the old-vine creaminess at the heart of this beautiful wine.