Bondar 'Junto' GSM 2023

If looking for sheer ‘drinkability’, it’s very hard to look past Bondar ‘Junto’. This is such a pleasure to drink, yet it isn’t entirely simple. Yes, it shows a burst of red fruit, red liquorice and a succulent cut of citric acidity. But there’s also a touch more below the surface, with an appealing dried herbal edge that brings complexity. The value here is undeniable. Grenache (65%), Shiraz (16%), Mataro (8%), Cinsault (8%), Carignan (3%). – Ches Cook, FWC.

Frisky red fruited style with a smattering of dried herb and lemon zest. It's light to medium-bodied, strawberry and orange rind, light grip of tannin, kind of edgy in character, though I like the fresh spiced and sappy strawberry thing it offers. There's something like ozone or coal dust in the mix too, and the finish is lively, spicy and red fruited, with a Campari-like bitterness. Fun wine, could take a light chill even. Drink 2024-2029. 91 Points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front.