2002 ROCKFORD Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon

[Attila]

2002 ROCKFORD Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon

Rockford is a very high quality Barossa Valley producer. The ‘Rifle Range’ Cabernet was named after the old Tanunda shooting site in the hills at the back of Krondorf, now covered with vineyards. This wine is marketed and sold in a ‘retro’ 1950’s style brown glass bottle. Opened in perfect condition from Adair’s cellar. To me the nicely branded cork appeared somewhat short and of average quality. I wish they had spend more money on this and buy better for the future. Alcohol is (typically high) at 14%.


Colour youthful inky purple and very dark cherry red. Soon after opening, attractive brandied cherries show on the nose. Smelling porty and ripe with stewed plums and a barely noticeable trademark capsicum of the Cabernet. Quite one dimensional. After swirling some overripe Cabernet scents open up typical of the Barossa in a warm vintage.
In the mouth it is quite full bodied. Extremely well balanced and smooth. Expertly made and balanced with excellent mouthwatering acid on the finish and fine oak support. A lovely mouthful of wine with dinner. Going back, it has interesting somewhat varietal Cabernet nose but itÂ’s not a wine youÂ’d serve to your visiting guests from Bordeaux.

I personally believe that Cabernet Sauvignon needs a cooler climate to show itÂ’s best. If you, like myself, think that the best Cabernet should be highly scented, definitive and varietal, like the 1989 GRAND PUY-LA COSTE from Pauillac, then this Cabernet is not for you.

I believe this is an excellent and full bodied, ripe and fruity Barossa red with beautiful richness, good flavours and a bright future of 10 years but as a Cabernet, not great at all.

Drink it, enjoy it and donÂ’t think about it. YouÂ’ll then have a satisfying wine experience. ItÂ’s delicious already, open a bottle.

Cost AU $35+ itÂ’s money well spent, especially if you are a Barossa fan.

Cheers,
Attila

Tasted: January 2005

[707]

I'm just flying out the door so I'll post more fully on this later but I don't fully with your comments this time as I've been really impressed with the 02 Rifle Range on several occasions, including blind.

Chat more later.

[Muscat Mike]

[quote="Attila"] Going back, it has interesting somewhat varietal Cabernet nose but itÂ’s not a wine youÂ’d serve to your visiting guests from Bordeaux. [quote]

Attila,
why would you not serve this wine to your guests from Bordeaux? They can get plenty of their own wines at home, so why not serve them up a different taste? Should you go to France would you order a steak and mushrooms, or a mixed grill? I think not. You would want to experience the local cuisine.
Should you go to Bordeaux would they serve you up an Oz wine? They came here to experience our wines, not their own style.
So be brave, let them try it.
MM.

[TORB]

I personally believe that Cabernet Sauvignon needs a cooler climate to show itÂ’s best. If you, like myself, think that the best Cabernet should be highly scented, definitive and varietal, like the 1989 GRAND PUY-LA COSTE from Pauillac, then this Cabernet is not for you.

I believe this is an excellent and full bodied, ripe and fruity Barossa red with beautiful richness, good flavours and a bright future of 10 years but as a Cabernet, not great at all.

I was wondering who would stick their head up above the ramparts to have a go at Attila regarding the above comments.

Attila, if you would have said that the best French Cabernet should be like the wine you have quoted above, the then I would possibly agree with you. However, Australian Cabernet is not French Cabernet any more than Australian Shiraz is Rhone Shiraz. Each country has their own style and attributes and these differences should be celebrated and appreciated for the individual wines which results.

[Gavin Trott]

2002 ROCKFORD Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon
A lovely mouthful of wine with dinner. Going back, it has interesting somewhat varietal Cabernet nose but itÂ’s not a wine youÂ’d serve to your visiting guests from Bordeaux.

Attila

I disagree with much of the sentiment here. To me this wine is classic (Barossa) Cabernet and very clearly varietal.

It is not Coonawarra, it is not Margaret River, and certainly not Bordeaux, but neither is it trying or intending to be.

Open your Bordeaux friends this along with a terrific Bordeaux, Balnaves Cabernet and Moss Wood Cabernet and enjoy the variety of styles.

I think its excellent wine and better IMO than the 02 Basket Press.

[Adair]

Excellent! We are all having a go at Attila. I encourage you all to get stuck in.

My comments, not really for or against:

1) I don't believe that Attila has an Bordeaux friends, it was just a metaphor.

2) Attila does mention:
* "a barely noticeable trademark capsicum of the Cabernet",
* "some overripe Cabernet scents open up typical of the Barossa in a warm vintage", and (maybe he means a warm Bordeaux vintage)
* "it has interesting somewhat varietal Cabernet nose but itÂ’s not a wine youÂ’d serve to your visiting guests from Bordeaux" - yes, the controversial statement.

I really think Attila is saying that it is warm climate Cabernet but he likes his Cabernet from a cooler climate as he thinks the Cabernet grape is better suited to these climates (hence the line: I personally believe that Cabernet Sauvignon needs a cooler climate to show itÂ’s best)... and he would probably serve those Bordeaux friends a Barossa Shiraz instead.

3) I remember TORB commenting that RB said that it was unlike any other Barossa Cabernet he has tried.

4) and most importantly, I am never giving Attila another Barossa Cabernet!

Kind regards,
Adair

[TORB]

Excellent! We are all having a go at Attila. I encourage you all to get stuck in.

Great idea.

1) I don't believe that Attila has an Bordeaux friends, it was just a metaphor.

I don't believe he has any friends except for you and me and we dont count cause we are Ozstralian.

3) I remember TORB commenting that RB said that it was unlike any other Barossa Cabernet he has tried.

True but taken out of context! It tastes like a real Cabernet - not like a nice big Barossa dry red.

4) and most importantly, I am never giving Attila another Barossa Cabernet!

Wimp!

I will being along a good Barossa Cab to the Bordeaux dinner - somthing like the Elderton Ashmead, that will **** him!

[707]

If you want to see spectacular Barossa Cabernet, watch this space.

I just tried one that set me back on my heels, it's from a tiny producer who is doing great things in the vineyard and managing to translate that into the bottle.

Stay tuned now!

[n4sir]

If you want to see spectacular Barossa Cabernet, watch this space.

I just tried one that set me back on my heels, it's from a tiny producer who is doing great things in the vineyard and managing to translate that into the bottle.

Wouldn't happen to be anyone I know of who just also happens to be on Krondorf Road Steve?

Cheers
Ian

[707]

Good try Ian, but I said tiny not small.

We will however soon give the Kabminye you're refering to a run at the 2002 Barossa Cabernet tasting at Blacktongues.

Stay tuned for the answer to tiny.

[JamieBahrain]

Is that a Riedal shiraz glass?

Appropriate I suppose, as someone mentioned here, Barossa cabernet sauvignon is shiraz in drag!

I am finding my cellar is reflecting Attila's sentiments- very little Australian cabernet additions in recent times.

Not disputing a sound to fine drink, but not the excitement of Good Bordeaux or Old Vine Shiraz.

[707]

"but not the excitement of Good Bordeaux or Old Vine Shiraz"

Huh, wait until you grace us with your presence at an Auswine dinner here in Adelaide, we'll give you some cabernet based excitement!

[JamieBahrain]

Look forward to it Steve.

Finally got 10 days off in mid-March.

[Attila]

Genlemen,
I am delighted that my tasting note generated some interest. Unfortunately this Saturday morning I can only respond briefly.
Jamie Bahrain-'Is that a Riedel Shiraz glass?'
NO. It's a perfect copy of it. It's called Gusto and you can buy six of them at the HOME store for $40. I believe the Riedel is one of the greatest glasses in the world and not only for Shiraz. I was waiting (long) for someone to copy it so I can buy it for much less and Gusto finally made it. You mentioned Jamie that 'Barossa cab is shiraz in drag'. Yes, I felt that at the time of drinking. I never had a GREAT Barossa cab in my life but don't think I didn't try hard to find one. Now, I'm waiting for Steve's (707) suggestion with hope or Ric's example at the upcoming Bordeaux dinner.
I came to the conclusion over the years that the Valley may not be suited to this variety at all.
Drinking a Syrah in Switzerland from the Lake Geneva hills gave me a similar impression, it was OK but with not clear varietal definition. Some varieties just don't work out properly in certain areas.
Remember, Cabernet Sauvignon is a Sauvignon Blanc/Cabernet Franc cross and too warm/hot areas won't allow the greatness of this relatively new variety to come forward. I had the good fortune to drink great cabernets over the years and while I enjoyed the Rockford as a very delicious red I believe it doesn't represent the variety properly.
Gavin you said that this wine is 'very clearly varietal'. I need an explanation please, how is that because in my view it's not so. What sensations do you find typical of the variety that you see in this wine? In my view some can be found but about 70% of the complete picture is missing, the way I see this wine.
In the end, yes this is a definitive Barossa red and obviously there is a fanclub for this type of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cheers,
Attila

[bacchaebabe]

Just to throw some fat into the fire, on the weekend I went to the birthday party of a friend back home from London for the Christmas break. He brought with him, along with his wife of course, two of their friends, one a noted english sommelier just starting her MW. While not strictly from Bordeaux, they both have some experience with the area.

I took an 02 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet to this gathering and it blew them both away. They loved it (although it was in reasonably average company in terms of the other wines there). So while there are many pros and cons to the arguments above, serving it to friends from bordeaux (or at least intimately associated with it) is definitely recommended.

[Gavin Trott]

Gavin you said that this wine is 'very clearly varietal'. I need an explanation please, how is that because in my view it's not so. What sensations do you find typical of the variety that you see in this wine? In my view some can be found but about 70% of the complete picture is missing, the way I see this wine.
In the end, yes this is a definitive Barossa red and obviously there is a fanclub for this type of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cheers,
Attila

Attila

I tried this as a blind tasting.

All I knew of the wines was that it was a group of 2002 wines from the Barossa. This wine, and the Charles Melton Cab, were simply clearly and obviously Cabernet, no possible confusion for me.

Cassis fruit, even hints of cedar, blackcurrant and the overall structure screamed quality Cabernet.

To repeat, no one would confuse this with Margaret River or Coonawarra, and no one would think it was Chateau Latour, but Cabernet it most definitely was.

So yes, perhaps 70% of the attributes of Coonawarra and Margaret River Cabs, but that does not make it a lesser Cabernet, just a different one.

[Attila]

Kris, this wine is a very likeable drop, especially in an average company.
Ripeness is all, so people must have loved it for that alone.

Good on you Gavin, picking it in a blind line up. It is probably impressive among Barossa Cabs I think.
I drunk the 1998 earlier last year (375 ml) and it was far from as pleasant as this current release.
Cheers,
Attila

[n4sir]

I tried this as a blind tasting.

All I knew of the wines was that it was a group of 2002 wines from the Barossa. This wine, and the Charles Melton Cab, were simply clearly and obviously Cabernet, no possible confusion for me.

Cassis fruit, even hints of cedar, blackcurrant and the overall structure screamed quality Cabernet.

To repeat, no one would confuse this with Margaret River or Coonawarra, and no one would think it was Chateau Latour, but Cabernet it most definitely was.

So yes, perhaps 70% of the attributes of Coonawarra and Margaret River Cabs, but that does not make it a lesser Cabernet, just a different one.
_________________
regards

Gavin Trott

At the same tasting I too thought the Rifle Range was very obviously a Cabernet right from the first whiff.

I thought it seemed to share some dried herb characters (Oregano/Thyme) on the palate in common with that 2002 Charles Melton, and the Kabminye too (at a previous tasting).

Cheers
Ian