Rockford's Kind Gesture

[JamieBahrain]

Very nice to get this corkscrew sent as an appreciation of long term support of Rockfords. Very nice piece! Fittingly, I've just used it to open a 2006 Eden Valley riesling which is showing developed, honeyed yellow fruits, quince, with some linear focus on the palate - in a broad and old fashioned style of riesling with phenolic grip on the edges.






[url=http://s236.photobucket.com/user/coronatowe ... .jpeg.html][img]http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff187/co ... B14EA.jpeg[/img][/url]

[RobK]

Nice

[Bobthebuilder]

Beautiful
I want one!
Is there a blade somewhere on it to cut the capsule?

[Michael McNally]

Nice

I feel a painting coming on.....

Go Rob!

Cheers

Michael

[RobK]

Nice

I feel a painting coming on.....

Go Rob!

Cheers

Michael

Funny.

[rens]

Yes, very nice indeed.

[ticklenow1]

Bragger!

[TiggerK]

Looks exactly like the Le Creuset model, classy gift Rockford.

[tarija]

Yes, a very good corkscrew - I only discovered it the other day in my box of Basket Press.

Rockford do the winery PR very well.

[Waiters Friend]

Gavin, is it time to put a "like" button on this forum?

[dave vino]

Very nice bit of kit, nice weight to it.

rockfordcork.jpg

[odyssey]

Gavin, is it time to put a "like" button on this forum?

Very nice bit of kit, nice weight to it.

Insert use of said "like" button here.

[phillisc]

Yes used the new opener the other day...getting used to pushing the arm across to get more leverage off the bottle when extracting cork. As nice as it was...have to admit I went back to the Ah-So for the next bottle.

Cheers
Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

If Rockford is giving away corkscrews, shall I assume that they continue to seal wines, at least their reds, under cork and will continue to do so. Or are they just giving away what they will no longer need?

Mahmoud.

[phillisc]

If Rockford is giving away corkscrews, shall I assume that they continue to seal wines, at least their reds, under cork and will continue to do so. Or are they just giving away what they will no longer need?

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud, Robert's position is clear...and he went to a fair bit of trouble explaining/justifying in last years rag. He believes that the corks that Rockford sources are very high quality...but clearly the debate is out...and I will leave that to others to judge.

The corkscrew is a genuine gesture of goodwill...I have been buying for more than 30 years...they are pretty good wines.
Cheers
Craig

[Mahmoud Ali]

Craig, there was no intent on my part to cast any doubts about Rockford's goodwill gesture. That they are giving away corkscrews made me wonder whether they were firmly in the cork "camp". I know that there has always been talk of cork producers sending poor quality corks the antipodean way but I'm not convinced. You get what you pay for and I recall reading sometime ago an industry insider make that very assertion about the cheaper corks used by Australian wineries. Very many of my older Australian wines come with plain, non-descript corks.

I think I've mentioned this before but if I lived in Australia I too would be a regular buyer of Rockford wines. They do make good wines. Here is the note I posted on their 1998 Moppa Springs which I had just over a year ago:

http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?f ... gs#p138244

Cheers ................... Mahmoud.

[JamieBahrain]

Oh no. Basket Press in screw cap. I can taste a "mature" one now- unevolved, dreary, dark fruits, firey red fruits and fresh leather on the palate with a warmth exaggerated by tannin resolution and still primary fruit.


In 5 years time there will be a massive return to cork by those less stubborn in Oz.

[Redav]

My fingers are crossed that my March order attracts one after my October order successfully failed to do so. It's been tempting to follow my order up with a call but that doesn't really sit well with me.
[/Rockfordaccolyte post]

It is a nice gesture though. I've read through all of The Rag's and it was amusing / interesting to read that in the early days, Robert included some lucky order prizes

[Hacker]

I can't remember a faulty cork from Rockford, and have been drinking their wines since the 1986 vintage. However I would love them to consider diam corks.

[JamieBahrain]

Diam is on the way out. Cork is making a comeback with better production methods.

[Ozzie W]

Looks exactly like the Le Creuset model, classy gift Rockford.

Good pick up. It is indeed a Le Creuset WT-110. Very nice gift! My preferred brand of waiters friend. I use the version with the plastic handle as my daily driver. Can't recommend this brand highly enough.

[RogerPike]

In 5 years time there will be a massive return to cork by those less stubborn in Oz.

Hi Jamie,

Quantify "massive" and I have $100 that says you're wrong.

Cheers,

Roger

[Raymo]

Oh no. Basket Press in screw cap. I can taste a "mature" one now- unevolved, dreary, dark fruits, firey red fruits and fresh leather on the palate with a warmth exaggerated by tannin resolution and still primary fruit.


In 5 years time there will be a massive return to cork by those less stubborn in Oz.

Never had that experience with my screwcapped reds, including aged ones.

You're flogging a dead horse, JamieBahrain

[Raymo]

I can't remember a faulty cork from Rockford, and have been drinking their wines since the 1986 vintage. However I would love them to consider diam corks.

I have had corked wines from Rockford, and they replaced them without hesitation.

I agree that if they are going to persist with seals other than screwcaps, then I would prefer them to use DIAM. But screwcaps would be best.

[dave vino]

From memory they are using the new Amorin ones

https://www.amorimcork.com/en/products/ndtech/

Don't quote me!! but that is what I remember from when there last.

I think Sami Odi are using a process similar to this for their corks..

https://www.corksupply.com.au/au/commitment- ... ity/ds100/


I've had a fair few corked wines from Rockford and they have always been replaced without question. Mainly ones around the 2000-2007 range. SVS esp so, almost every third one is corked.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Jamie is correct, the use of cork is on the rise, though the definition of "massive" may be dabatable.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tmullen/2018/02 ... 1d573f6c5d

https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/corks-fight-back

Mahmoud.

[Mike Hawkins]

I can't remember a faulty cork from Rockford, and have been drinking their wines since the 1986 vintage. However I would love them to consider diam corks.

I have had corked wines from Rockford, and they replaced them without hesitation.

I agree that if they are going to persist with seals other than screwcaps, then I would prefer them to use DIAM. But screwcaps would be best.

They kindly replaced a 2003 BP for me in Feb

[JakeBarnes]

Oh no. Basket Press in screw cap. I can taste a "mature" one now- unevolved, dreary, dark fruits, firey red fruits and fresh leather on the palate with a warmth exaggerated by tannin resolution and still primary fruit.


In 5 years time there will be a massive return to cork by those less stubborn in Oz.

Have you tried many identical (same producer and vintage) screw capped and cork-sealed bottles side by side?

[phillisc]

From memory they are using the new Amorin ones

https://www.amorimcork.com/en/products/ndtech/

Don't quote me!! but that is what I remember from when there last.

I think Sami Odi are using a process similar to this for their corks..

https://www.corksupply.com.au/au/commitment- ... ity/ds100/


I've had a fair few corked wines from Rockford and they have always been replaced without question. Mainly ones around the 2000-2007 range. SVS esp so, almost every third one is corked.

Thanks for the tip Dave, have 02-05 SVS's...confident of replacements if any issues.
Interestingly had a 06 Cane Cut that was so badly corked the better half could smell it before it was poured!

As for corks per se...once the great mystery of the Grange screw cap trials come to light, cork as we know it will be dead.
Cheers
Craig

[JamieBahrain]

In 5 years time there will be a massive return to cork by those less stubborn in Oz.

Hi Jamie,

Quantify "massive" and I have $100 that says you're wrong.

Cheers,

Roger

Hi Roger

Publicly, Amorim is hoping to guarantee a TCA free cork by 2020. Privately, winemakers such as Roberto Conterno already are.

It's just a natural course of events. In the loosely 5 year time frame collectors will be opening high end Aussie wines in screwcap which should be adolescent to mature. It ain't going to be pretty in all cases and the screw cap may even get the wrap for some average wines.

There will be a swing back to the 100% TCA free cork with a number premium Australian producers. In terms of massive and our bet, I suggest at least a half dozen now screw-capped wines on the Langton's Classification will revert back.