Region: South Australia
Sub Region: Barossa Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2015
The Wine
The 2015 Basket Press was assembled from almost 30 parcels of predominantly old, dry-grown Shiraz, sourced from some of the Barossa Valley’s finest grower families. This network of vineyards allows Rockford to build a wine that reflects the wider region rather than the character of one isolated site.
The fruit was open-fermented before traditional basket pressing and maturation for almost two years in seasoned American and French oak. It is a resolutely traditional approach, relying on excellent fruit and patient élevage rather than extraction, new oak or excessive alcohol.
Deep blackberry, plum and black cherry are layered with chocolate, earth, tar and warm Barossa spice. The wine is concentrated and full-bodied, but its defining quality is balance. The tannins are supple, the oak sits quietly behind the fruit and the finish carries impressive depth without heaviness.
Cellared Says
The 2015 sits squarely in the Basket Press sweet spot: rich, earthy and generous, but never clumsy. It has enough bottle age for the structure to begin relaxing, while retaining the fruit and energy for a long future. This is the most complete of these mature Rockford releases and a very good vintage to drink now or continue cellaring. Sourced from an impeccable client cellar.
Reviews
“Deep colour; arguably the Barossa’s most emblematic Shiraz… This is fruit talking, not alcohol, not oak, not rough tannins.”
97 Points and Special Value Wine – James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
“Full-bodied and very soft-tannined. Plenty of flavour at the finish. So balanced and pretty now. Drink or hold.”
94 Points – James Suckling
Region: South Australia
Sub Region: Barossa Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2015
The Wine
The 2015 Basket Press was assembled from almost 30 parcels of predominantly old, dry-grown Shiraz, sourced from some of the Barossa Valley’s finest grower families. This network of vineyards allows Rockford to build a wine that reflects the wider region rather than the character of one isolated site.
The fruit was open-fermented before traditional basket pressing and maturation for almost two years in seasoned American and French oak. It is a resolutely traditional approach, relying on excellent fruit and patient élevage rather than extraction, new oak or excessive alcohol.
Deep blackberry, plum and black cherry are layered with chocolate, earth, tar and warm Barossa spice. The wine is concentrated and full-bodied, but its defining quality is balance. The tannins are supple, the oak sits quietly behind the fruit and the finish carries impressive depth without heaviness.
Cellared Says
The 2015 sits squarely in the Basket Press sweet spot: rich, earthy and generous, but never clumsy. It has enough bottle age for the structure to begin relaxing, while retaining the fruit and energy for a long future. This is the most complete of these mature Rockford releases and a very good vintage to drink now or continue cellaring. Sourced from an impeccable client cellar.
Reviews
“Deep colour; arguably the Barossa’s most emblematic Shiraz… This is fruit talking, not alcohol, not oak, not rough tannins.”
97 Points and Special Value Wine – James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
“Full-bodied and very soft-tannined. Plenty of flavour at the finish. So balanced and pretty now. Drink or hold.”
94 Points – James Suckling
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