| Region of production: | Barossa Zone |
| Winery Location: | Barossa Valley |
| Year Established: | 1984 |
Vineyard Holdings
N/A
- Purchases fruit from several individual growers.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Basket Press Shiraz: Made from 60-140 year-old vines sourced from growers throughout Barossa including Eden Valley and Central Barossa. Inaugural vintage 1984.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Founder and winemaker Robert (“Rocky”) O’Callaghan purchased the property in 1971 and began production in 1984. O’Callaghan was born into a grape growing family and has been making wine for forty-seven years, having worked at several notable properties in Barossa for many years prior to starting Rockford. His winemaking and grape growing styles are based on what O’Callaghan describes as “traditional techniques and attitudes.” For his Rockford wines, O’Callaghan purchases fruit from several individual growers with whom he has long-term contracts. The winery’s small production has resulted in the wines’ limited allocation, and they are considered particularly difficult to acquire—often unable to satisfy their Australian consumer base.
Basket Press Shiraz, the flagship wine, is what O’Callaghan describes as a response to Australia’s government-sponsored vine-pull scheme, when many Australian vineyards were pulled out. He made the wine to highlight the value and quality of the country’s older, low-yielding vineyards. Still, the winery’s emphasis remains on old, low-yield and dry farmed vineyards. It is believed that Rockford’s longtime assistant winemaker Ben Radford will take over winemaking responsibilities when O’Callaghan retires.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Wines are made in a more traditional style in open top fermenters and basket pressed.
Producer Website: Rockford