2015 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Robert O’Callaghan is the very modest owner and winemaker of Rockford Wines in the Barossa Valley. One of the most respected boutique wineries in Australia, Rockford produces the Basket Press Shiraz (first vintage 1984) and the Black Shiraz, a sparkling red that is almost black in colour. In the l970s when wineries were updating their equipment, Robert bought and restored buildings from the 1850's and old winemaking machinery so that he could make his wines using both traditional winemaking techniques and equipment - his only concession to the latter half of the twentieth century is refrigeration and some new forms of yeast. The Shiraz fruit is sourced from local growers – many of the best dry-grown old vine Shiraz vineyards in the Barossa – including around Kalimna, Ebenezer, the Eden Valley and Central Barossa. The vines are between 60 and 136 years old giving fruit of tremendous colour, power and richness.

* Photo for illustration only.