The Wine Front – Grown mostly on the Rayner vineyard in McLaren Vale. 43 year old grenache vines; 65 year old shiraz vines; mataro from nearby. Some whole bunches, mostly with the mataro. All old oak. Bottled unfined/unfiltered. Another fantastic release from Bondar. Just the right mix of structure, flavour and interest. This is a savoury, sinewy wine first and foremost though flavours of graphite, woodsmoke, black cherry and fennel mean that there’s plenty else going on. Those strains of spicy tannin though; those fistfuls of smoked twigs and spices; they really set the scene. It twirls and twists through the mouth like it’s mapping out genes. A light-but-exquisite red wine. 93 points, Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com.au

The Wine Front – Adelaide Hills chardonnay grown at 400 metres. Fermented wild. Matured in French oak, 20% new, for nine months prior to bottling. Some malo, some not. It’s light-ish in some ways but it’s ever-so-attractive. Lemon, nectarine and pear flavours float across the tongue, the texture just-so, the acidity neatly contained within the fruit and yet offering plenty of refreshment. It looks bright in the glass and feels bright in the mouth. It’s still building, still findings its way in the world, but for length, balance and mouthfeel it has it going on. 92 points, Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com.au

The Wine Front – Grown on a tiny block of (43 year old) McLaren Vale grenache. Hand picked/selected from the lowest yielding vines. 75% spent 35 days on skins. The remainder spent nine days on skins and was fermented cool. 120 dozen made. It’s a marvellous grenache. It has a bit of beef, a bit of flesh, and yet it promotes dryness, spice and structure ahead of fruit. It’s not thick or massively intense but it’s convincing and indeed powerful, by its own design. Licorice, graphite, flings of dried herbs and bushes, a campfire smokiness. It’s textural, it’s aromatic, it’s a treat. The linger of tannin and flavour here is quite superb. Your best glassware, please. 93 points, Campbell Mattinson, winefront.com.au