2016 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz

Robert O’Callaghan’s evocative Rockford Basket Press Shiraz is a tribute to the Barossa’s 19th and early 20th-century heritage. Made from grapes sourced from 60 to 140-year-old dry-grown vineyards (most from independent growers) across a range of Barossa soils, altitudes and micro-climates, the wine represents a rare and important post-colonial Australian aesthetic.

Fruit is hand picked then vinified using classic Barossa techniques including a 19th-century wooden Bagshaw crusher, open fermentation and basket pressing. Matured primarily in seasoned 300-litre French and American oak hogsheads and 2500-litre vats for two years.

Other Reviews....
Inky, violet color. Expressive aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, violet, incense and Indian spices, along with building minerality. Stains the palate with vibrant black raspberry, blueberry, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors that slowly deepen and become sweeter with aeration. Shows superb power but comes off elegant, showing no rough edges on a strikingly long, gently tannic finish that leaves behind sappy blue fruit and spicecake notes.
96 points
Josh Raynolds - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (January 2021)