Rockford Basket Press 2011

[JamieBahrain]

OK, the suspense is killing me. Anyone try or any press on this?

[sjw_11]

Some friends of mine who tasted it at the cellar door provided this note:

"The 2011 Basket Press Shiraz was the wine we came for of course and it didn’t disappoint. The fruit, oak and tannins were all there in good balance but certainly not yet in any way harmonious. The components were surprisingly elegant apart from the tannins which were of course mouth-puckering to an extreme degree. The fruit and oak were not the huge sledge hammer I was expecting but everything is there in abundance and quality and doubtless this will age very well indeed."

This from ads_11 in the October Purchases thread:
"The '11 BP was also good, but needs another 5-10yrs to mellow slightly. Bit of difference from the '10 BP which I found was much more approachable now."

Then there is this from East End Cellars, one of the Adelaide retailers who get to sell the Rockford wines (so bear in mind, they want you to pay $75 for this!)
"The ever elusive Rockford Basket Press is back. 2011 as vintage got a bit of flack, but with great producers a tough vintage is where they shine and Rockford have certainley shone. A generous palate with bright red fruits, seasoned well with pepper and cloves. A great Barossa Shiraz true to the vintage that should be celebrated"

Haven't seen much else yet?

[Wizz]

The Winefront has reviewed it (Campbell)

[dave vino]

I'm drinking some tomorrow night for a mates birthday who is a Rockford fan (not sure where he gets that from )

11 BP, 11 R&S and 12 RR

[n4sir]

AFWAC has it's annual Rockford review November 17th with a dinner at Barton's, I'll try it there.

[phillisc]

Go on Jamie ...lash out!
It will make a nice to change to those container loads of Barolo that you have.

Pretty sure it will be a safe bet.

Cheers
Craig

[JamieBahrain]

If the $AUD keeps coming off many good Australian wines will come onto the radar screen for me. The currency has made wonderful Australian wines uncompetitive and even the regular buys ( BP etc ) now deserve vintage scrutiny whereas prior it didn't matter.

Fair point about the Barolo but at the moment I can get 2 to 3 bottles of 2010 Bartolo Mascarello for the a 2012 Mt Ed. On the investment side, I know BP is considered to be in this class, but I'm buying 2005 Bordeaux that are a sure bet especially when I get them back to Oz. I figure if I can't break the collecting habit may as well back fill at the good prices at the moment.

Hope to hear more impressions on the 11 BP from the regular drinkers.

[timmspe]

From The Rockford Rag, Spring 2014...

...There is no question that the extreme weather influenced the style for the 2011 Basket Press Shiraz. It required all the experience, winemaking and blending skills we could muster with a major contribution to quality coming from the growers who dropped their fruit. I'm very proud of what we have achieved. This is exactly what a premium, regional, varietal, vintage wine should be; a true and living record of the circumstances that prevailed in the years that it was being made.

[catchnrelease]

Winefront gave it 93, got a decent write up seeing how this outscores the '08 and '10 (although GW reviewed the latter two while CM reviewed the '11).

[Mike Hawkins]

I think the 2011 will be the first BP I'll skip since the 1997. Instead, I plan to go long on the 2012 next year.

[Andrew Jordan]

I think the 2011 will be the first BP I'll skip since the 1997. Instead, I plan to go long on the 2012 next year.

The 2011 BP is much better IMO than the 2000, which I assume you must have purchased from the above statement.

[maybs]

Maybe it is naïve of me but I like Rockford wines generally, and especially the BP. I've only tried I think 4 vintages but really liked them all. So I have bought a few bottles of the 2011. For a few hundred dollars I am quite happy to take the punt and support the winery. Not, I expect, that they particularly need my support.

I can understand preferring to hold off for the better vintage. Not being a stonewaller, I have limited access except on the after market so my purchases are limited in number anyway due to increased cost.

[JamieBahrain]

Winefront gave it 93, got a decent write up seeing how this outscores the '08 and '10 (although GW reviewed the latter two while CM reviewed the '11).

I read the wine front note and didn't know how to take it. I felt the author didn't know either.

[Scotty vino]

Maybe it is naïve of me but I like Rockford wines generally, and especially the BP. I've only tried I think 4 vintages but really liked them all. So I have bought a few bottles of the 2011. For a few hundred dollars I am quite happy to take the punt and support the winery. Not, I expect, that they particularly need my support.

I can understand preferring to hold off for the better vintage. Not being a stonewaller, I have limited access except on the after market so my purchases are limited in number anyway due to increased cost.

I think for the CD price (based on the 2010), even a perceived 'average' vintage of basket press is worth a punt.
Looking through the veil of marketing spin I think rocky stands by his product enough to warrant a purchase.
As a non stonewaller also, I'll be heading to the CD next year to grab a handful.
I can think of worst drives and ways to spend the afternoon.

[Redav]

I can understand preferring to hold off for the better vintage.

I do too so I kinda expect vintage discrimination but I've quickly learnt that bottle and region scores can only be a start point. Sure, some will be better than others but that doesn't mean there isn't good stuff out there in 'lesser' years and in my case, I know a stonewaller who doesn't want to buy all of his share so he's offered some to me. Some might consider them crumbs from the bosses table but I can't get to the cellar door so it's probably my only chance to get some at the right price.

[maybs]

I'm buying mine at retail prices. Still prepared to take a punt on one of my favourite reds

[Mike Hawkins]

I think the 2011 will be the first BP I'll skip since the 1997. Instead, I plan to go long on the 2012 next year.

The 2011 BP is much better IMO than the 2000, which I assume you must have purchased from the above statement.

I did... but they became gifts...

[sjw_11]

I got 2 bottles of the 2011... for a shade over a hundy I am happy to have a token amount to keep the chain unbroken ... BP is one of the vew few wines I have a reasonable vertical of

Plan to beg borrow or steal to get hold of quite a few more of the 2012's though

[dave vino]

As promised... we didn't get to the Rifle Range, deciding by that time of the night we wouldn't appreciate it. (too many beers and food beforehand)

2011 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz – A good mates birthday was as good a reason as any to crack open a couple of current release Rockfords. It opened with a shy almost reserved nose of confected blackcurrant, raspberry, white pepper and spices. Very soft on the palate with a nice weight, definitely a lighter style - the tannin structure, although it is still evident, is towards the dusty end of the spectrum yet still provides a bit of grip. The acid levels were providing a bit of tartness which was teetering on being a distraction, I assume with age this will settle down.

Dark plums, marzipan, with a hint of bacon fat, there is some good power in the fruit on the palate, with the spiciness providing a great foil. The length of the wine is one of the most surprising aspects of it, it has a fantastic length, really persistent which lingers for a good 30 seconds after each sip. The only thing missing at this young stage of its life is a bit of complexity which you would still normally find in younger BP’s of other vintages. I’d say it’s a 10 year wine no problems.

Is it worthy of the Basket Press moniker? Rockford have made it known that if they had thought it wasn’t they wouldn’t release it. There has been a lot of work done at elevage, a fine balancing act in the creation of the wine to represent the terroir, time and place of the vintage without appearing overworked – make no mistake this is a Rockford Basket Press.

Sidenote: The 2011 Rod & Spur Shiraz Cabernet is a crackingly good drink for the price. Get some of this if you can and get stuck into over the Xmas break, it was really great drinking with our duck pancakes, the hoi-sin sauce and the fatty duck meat was fantastic with it. The cabernet is the star here providing richness, depth and complexity to the shiraz.