ROCKFORD BASKET PRESS SHIRAZ 2020

"Rockford can only be described as an icon, no matter how overused that word may be." James Halliday

Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, like Penfolds Grange, is one of Australia’s most collected and most cherished red wines. Everything here is steeped in history – the fruit comes from old, dry-grown vines, tended by some of the Barossa’s finest grape-growing families, with some plantings dating back to the nineteenth century.

The grapes are treated using an ancient basket press, followed by vinification in traditional open fermentation vessels. The wine is then matured in seasoned 300-litre French and American oak hogsheads, as well as 2,500-litre vats, allowing it to develop and evolve gracefully over two years. This patient process ensures remarkable balance, with the oak imparting a subtle influence that enhances complexity and depth of flavour.

The result is a wine that embodies the rich heritage and craftsmanship of Barossa winemaking. Each sip reveals a symphony of flavours, reflecting the meticulous care and unwavering dedication behind its creation.

Discover the beauty that lies within, as this wine tells a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and the artistry of winemaking.

Winery notes (2020 Vintage)
"This wine is made from specially selected small parcels of established Barossa Shiraz from some of the Barossa’s finest grape growing families. The vineyards are situated in different sub-regions throughout the Barossa, which adds to the complexity and depth of the final blend. The wine is hand-made using equipment from the turn of the last century, then matured in seasoned American and French oak casks for two years. All this contributes to our objective to make the very highest quality traditional, soft, deeply-coloured, earthy Australian red wine which will bottle age."

5 Stars & 96/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2023 Vintage)
"Deep ruby with a tint of purple and a reserved but complex and highly appealing bouquet of concentrated red fruits including raspberry and red cherry, dried herbs, cedar and the faintest trace of mint among the wild-herb high notes. Delicious wine, concentrated and yet supple and approachable already with fruit sweetness and very fine, supple tannins that provide an ideal foundation for the flavour. Outstanding."

93/100 Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, November 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"Blackberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, Turkish delight, orange peel, some custard powder, cedar and spice. It’s medium to full-bodied, quite sinewy and chewy, acidity slightly edgy, though it settles into the wine given some air, raspberry and redcurrant, a pleasing earthy/walnutty character provides savoury input, and it finishes with good length and grainy tannin. It’s a very good wine in the classic Rockford style, albeit a little firmer and drier than is usual."