2011 was a weak vintage in the Barossa. I remember this as being one of the better wines from that year, but it would be the poorest, non faulty Basket Press I'ver had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Was very concerned at a sneaky taste I had when decanting, but wow - 40min later I was very impressed… huge difference! Looking forward to the next 4 bottles in my cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I read a recent unfavourable tasting note on this, so decided to see if all was doom and gloom. Being completely open, I am a huge fan of Rockford in general and Basket Press Shiraz in particular, so I am pre-disposed to like the wine. First and foremost, my bottle was OK - not great, but not undrinkable or 'off' in any way. It is much lighter in style and weight than other vintages of Basket Press - in fact it isn't easily identifiable as a BP at all, and perhaps not even as a shiraz - which is no doubt reflective of the very poor vintage conditions that year. It is a relatively pleasant drink, but not more than that. I have 5 bottles remaining and I will drink them soon because I don't believe this vintage will be very long-lived, unlike most others from this producer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2011 was a bad vintage, but this was horrible. I tried it on release, and thought it had promise, but this bottle has not gone anywhere good. I tried giving it time to breathe, but a week on a ventilator would not have saved it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank from a friend’s cellar. This has developed better than I expected. Deep plum and Barossa earth. More classically Rockford than I either remember or expected from this vintage. That said, the greenness is still there and tertiary characters are definitely present. One to drink in the next year or two. 89-90pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted. Below average vintage and it shows. Fruit is not at its usual ripeness, so it is not as big in style as usual. Nose: blackberry, plum, toasted oak and some green peppercorn. Palate: shorter finish, lacks a bit of mouth weight. It improved as it opened up. Not one to keep long term.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I don't know how they did it. It rained all year, most other producers barely managed to produce anything and rockford's produces this beauty. Just lovely drinking everything in balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is one of my very favourite wines from Australia. It shows the vintage quite clearly, and in this case, it is a lighter, less typically "Barossa" style. There is spice, a touch of vanilla and toast and soft red and dark fruit on the nose. The palate is lighter than most vintages; don;t expect a big, bold wine as this one is medium bodied and quite dry, with cedary oak, vanilla, blackberry and cherry flavours. It is a linear rather than round wine, finishing with firm acid and tobacco leaf characters. I have drunk it now 5 times over the last few years and it is open enough to drink now, but be in no hurry.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Two excellent Aussies: Deep, primary garnet. Some vanillin and milk chocolate oak notes leading to blackcurrants and other dark fruit, mochaccino, smokey, barbequed game meat, black tea and Asian five spice aromas, with a dash of black pepper. More Northern Rhone syrah than classic Barossa Valley. That impression continues on palate. Lean, spare and bone dry. Excellent definition and precision. A little below mid weight. Blackcurrants, dartk cherries, graphite, espresso, cooked meat juices, garrigue and a touch of black pepper. The oak more integrated on palate. Fine grained tannins. Finishes quite long, mineral and dry. I really like this Basket Press, the product of a difficult vintage I understand. Now open for business, but, with this structure, I can also see it being a long term cellar wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A clear, deep, garnet wine with a few thick legs appearing. Medium (+) intensity nose, clean and developing with dark fruit and mocha - vanilla evident from oak treatment.
Dry with medium, fine tannins, medium+ acid and high alcohol (14.2%). A medium+ bodied wine with medium+ finish and medium(+) flavour intensity of raspberry, blackberry and a hint of dried herbs and black pepper.
This is a v.good wine (94 points), high-priced ($65) drinking well now, but will show improvement through to 2022.
A restrained version of the Basket Press, perhaps due to the difficult 2011 vintage, but a lovely wine nonetheless. Will benefit from decanting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The first thing you notice about this wine is the bottle - a snub nosed, squat shape - out of the ordinary. the wine inside is a clear, medium colour, transitioning between a ruby and garnet shade of red. Clean nose, with medium aromas of vanilla, coffee, and a floral note that is more cool climate Rhone than big Barossa. The palate is dry, medium acid, medium tannin, and a surprisingly medium body. Flavours of blackcurrant, vanilla, and white pepper. An elegant wine that I would not have placed from the Barossa. Still lively after seven years, so no rush. Very enjoyable drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vanilla and sweet spices were a little too prominent for me. Coffee and milk chocolate, black fruits, prunes. All very dark and broody and this is meant to be from a cold wet vintage. Started to brighten up a little after an hour or so which gave me hope. I will have to decant the next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Despite the challenging year this is a fantastic wine.. Very tight out of the bottle but an hour in the decanter and the wine opened up and was very enjoyable!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brief notes only, largely drunk for pleasure. This was a good result from the vintage in my view. Bright red fruits. A clear touch of the distinct Rockford House Style. Perhaps a touch of green, and definitely one for early drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Into the decanter for an hour. No sediment. Aniseed, blackberry, dark chocolate, pepper and vanilla. Lively nose for a poor vintage. Light body and refreshing tipple when compared to Rockford's usual fare. Grenache flavours, mocha, pepper in the background, clean and crisp acidity, some green notes towards the finish. Early drinking vintage, and more so from the Rockford stable than of 2011.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a washed out vintage, this is clever wine making that is true to the Rockford style, in that it has elegant proportion combined with classic Barossa Shiraz note. Not big and lacks a rich finish but there is concentration and some sense of layered complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lighter vintage, medium bodied at best, slightly heavier than the Rod and Spur above. Readily accessible as a 'go to' wine now. Red fruits, plum, mild acidity, refreshing and verging on crisp, yet displays nice mouthfeel and easy drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
(tasting@Rockford) [14.2%] Dark floral perfume, five-spice, orange peel, lilies. Tall cool tea sweetness, gentle acid structure. Good concentration, however, somewhat lighter because of the vintage. Sweet licorice, very chewy, sweet red earth. Graphite, berries, plums, mossy pastilles. Chewy clarity and precision.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/1/2023 - Niall Conlon Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not a fantastic year, but still nice for a mid-week quaffer
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2023 - BAJRiley wrote: 89 Points
See previous note. Poor vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2023 - Bonesetter Likes this wine: 86 Points
2011 was a weak vintage in the Barossa. I remember this as being one of the better wines from that year, but it would be the poorest, non faulty Basket Press I'ver had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2022 - MickJ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Was very concerned at a sneaky taste I had when decanting, but wow - 40min later I was very impressed… huge difference!
Looking forward to the next 4 bottles in my cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2022 - Bonesetter wrote: 82 Points
Just wasn't right. Too much like acetone, too little like wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2022 - Tony1157 wrote: 89 Points
I read a recent unfavourable tasting note on this, so decided to see if all was doom and gloom. Being completely open, I am a huge fan of Rockford in general and Basket Press Shiraz in particular, so I am pre-disposed to like the wine.
First and foremost, my bottle was OK - not great, but not undrinkable or 'off' in any way. It is much lighter in style and weight than other vintages of Basket Press - in fact it isn't easily identifiable as a BP at all, and perhaps not even as a shiraz - which is no doubt reflective of the very poor vintage conditions that year.
It is a relatively pleasant drink, but not more than that. I have 5 bottles remaining and I will drink them soon because I don't believe this vintage will be very long-lived, unlike most others from this producer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2022 - Bonesetter Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Bleh!!!
2011 was a bad vintage, but this was horrible. I tried it on release, and thought it had promise, but this bottle has not gone anywhere good. I tried giving it time to breathe, but a week on a ventilator would not have saved it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2022 - Andrew67 Likes this wine:
Lovely wine drinking really well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2022 - sjw_11 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank from a friend’s cellar. This has developed better than I expected. Deep plum and Barossa earth. More classically Rockford than I either remember or expected from this vintage. That said, the greenness is still there and tertiary characters are definitely present. One to drink in the next year or two. 89-90pts
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2021 - mattconroy Likes this wine: 95 Points
With Marty and Neil
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2021 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 93 Points
Balanced, medium to long finish, just starting to show some secondary characters - no rush. A really enjoyable wine from a poor vintage
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - honest bob wrote:
Bajrily nailed this on 27.09.2020. Very fine, but muted. NR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2020 - BAJRiley wrote: 89 Points
Decanted. Below average vintage and it shows. Fruit is not at its usual ripeness, so it is not as big in style as usual. Nose: blackberry, plum, toasted oak and some green peppercorn. Palate: shorter finish, lacks a bit of mouth weight. It improved as it opened up. Not one to keep long term.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/29/2020 - jamokebob Likes this wine: 95 Points
Omg. What a fantastic wine. Soooo smooth and delicious. I wish I had more.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2020 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 92 Points
First of 3, wasn’t sure what to expect but it was an enjoyable wine. A bit lighter than other vintages I’ve had but not to it’s detriment.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2019 - isjomia Likes this wine: 94 Points
I don't know how they did it. It rained all year, most other producers barely managed to produce anything and rockford's produces this beauty. Just lovely drinking everything in balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2019 - Mark Dignam Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is one of my very favourite wines from Australia. It shows the vintage quite clearly, and in this case, it is a lighter, less typically "Barossa" style. There is spice, a touch of vanilla and toast and soft red and dark fruit on the nose. The palate is lighter than most vintages; don;t expect a big, bold wine as this one is medium bodied and quite dry, with cedary oak, vanilla, blackberry and cherry flavours. It is a linear rather than round wine, finishing with firm acid and tobacco leaf characters. I have drunk it now 5 times over the last few years and it is open enough to drink now, but be in no hurry.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2018 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two excellent Aussies: Deep, primary garnet. Some vanillin and milk chocolate oak notes leading to blackcurrants and other dark fruit, mochaccino, smokey, barbequed game meat, black tea and Asian five spice aromas, with a dash of black pepper. More Northern Rhone syrah than classic Barossa Valley. That impression continues on palate. Lean, spare and bone dry. Excellent definition and precision. A little below mid weight. Blackcurrants, dartk cherries, graphite, espresso, cooked meat juices, garrigue and a touch of black pepper. The oak more integrated on palate. Fine grained tannins. Finishes quite long, mineral and dry. I really like this Basket Press, the product of a difficult vintage I understand. Now open for business, but, with this structure, I can also see it being a long term cellar wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2018 - chateaublue Likes this wine: 94 Points
A clear, deep, garnet wine with a few thick legs appearing. Medium (+) intensity nose, clean and developing with dark fruit and mocha - vanilla evident from oak treatment.
Dry with medium, fine tannins, medium+ acid and high alcohol (14.2%). A medium+ bodied wine with medium+ finish and medium(+) flavour intensity of raspberry, blackberry and a hint of dried herbs and black pepper.
This is a v.good wine (94 points), high-priced ($65) drinking well now, but will show improvement through to 2022.
A restrained version of the Basket Press, perhaps due to the difficult 2011 vintage, but a lovely wine nonetheless. Will benefit from decanting.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2018 - Alandel Likes this wine: 93 Points
The first thing you notice about this wine is the bottle - a snub nosed, squat shape - out of the ordinary. the wine inside is a clear, medium colour, transitioning between a ruby and garnet shade of red. Clean nose, with medium aromas of vanilla, coffee, and a floral note that is more cool climate Rhone than big Barossa. The palate is dry, medium acid, medium tannin, and a surprisingly medium body. Flavours of blackcurrant, vanilla, and white pepper. An elegant wine that I would not have placed from the Barossa. Still lively after seven years, so no rush. Very enjoyable drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2017 - BPej Likes this wine: 91 Points
Vanilla and sweet spices were a little too prominent for me. Coffee and milk chocolate, black fruits, prunes. All very dark and broody and this is meant to be from a cold wet vintage. Started to brighten up a little after an hour or so which gave me hope. I will have to decant the next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2016 - Redback Likes this wine:
Drinks like a cool climate Syrah. A great example of a vintage driven wine. Drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2016 - timnit wrote: 93 Points
Despite the challenging year this is a fantastic wine.. Very tight out of the bottle but an hour in the decanter and the wine opened up and was very enjoyable!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2016 - sjw_11 wrote: 87 Points
Brief notes only, largely drunk for pleasure. This was a good result from the vintage in my view. Bright red fruits. A clear touch of the distinct Rockford House Style. Perhaps a touch of green, and definitely one for early drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2015 - MyCellar01 wrote:
Into the decanter for an hour.
No sediment.
Aniseed, blackberry, dark chocolate, pepper and vanilla. Lively nose for a poor vintage.
Light body and refreshing tipple when compared to Rockford's usual fare.
Grenache flavours, mocha, pepper in the background, clean and crisp acidity, some green notes towards the finish. Early drinking vintage, and more so from the Rockford stable than of 2011.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2015 - Marc wrote: 87 Points
From a washed out vintage, this is clever wine making that is true to the Rockford style, in that it has elegant proportion combined with classic Barossa Shiraz note. Not big and lacks a rich finish but there is concentration and some sense of layered complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2015 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lighter vintage, medium bodied at best, slightly heavier than the Rod and Spur above. Readily accessible as a 'go to' wine now. Red fruits, plum, mild acidity, refreshing and verging on crisp, yet displays nice mouthfeel and easy drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2014 - JerM wrote: 95 Points
(tasting@Rockford) [14.2%] Dark floral perfume, five-spice, orange peel, lilies. Tall cool tea sweetness, gentle acid structure. Good concentration, however, somewhat lighter because of the vintage. Sweet licorice, very chewy, sweet red earth. Graphite, berries, plums, mossy pastilles. Chewy clarity and precision.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment