Anyone tried the latest Rockford release?

[Luke W]

Anyone been up to Krondorf Rd recently and tried the latest releases?

[Lincoln]

I've tried the 2017 Rifle Road Cab Sauv.... I found it quite cuddle and rounded, with a touch of greenness on the second night. At $54 pb it does seem to be pushing the VFM envelope

[phillisc]

2017 BP listed today at a local Adelaide auction house at $140-150...gee whiz, wouldn't even be cold from the delivery ride from the winery. The flickers are certainly keen. Lucky I got a 50% discount

Cheers Craig

[Scotty vino]

booked into SW cellar door for 90 min tasting nov 15th. saw local yocal had 2017 BP for $105.00.

[Scotty vino]

Ok finally made it.
Sitting in stonewall cellar with 2 friends. No other souls. Doing it tough!

All wines very good. 2017 instalments of RR and BP very drink now prospects for mine.
Very luscious/supple and great example of the abundant vintage.
The RR (rare chance relase) was probably the pick of the bigger reds although the BP was great.
I'd drink it now or in a few years.
2016 Dry country Grenache is a belter. Dusty dry tannins (as the name kinda indicates) and lovely dark fruit nose and subtle astringency/acid profile.
Miles away from the lolly water and something i think is right up my alley for this grape. Age potential too which is a bonus.
Moppa Springs, rod and spur and frugal farmer all excellent. The FF is my pick though i love this for a food wine. gren/mat yes please.

All whites pretty solid . Love the 2018 Eden V rizz, nice and dry lots of mineral slatey-ness and not too cranked with the lime citrus.Vine vale prob not dry enough for me and local growers sem really solid. Prob not quite there though.
Frontii not quite my jam. Black Shiraz wasn't quite there for me either.
2015 VP though. Boom! yes please. this is fanatastic. Me and buddy just looked at each other seconds after a taste and did the dumb and dumber stupid goofy laugh. ah ya got me.

2012 PW mayflower cane cut sem very interesting but had to restrain myself at that point.
P.s. Marion Tawny another solid stalwart in the line up.
2010 Botrytis cinerea sem reall nice. SO close to being tempted here. Dont have a lot of experience in sauternes style but beautiful honeysuckle/grandmas marmalade here. really good.
some 2009 moppa springs up for grabs but not for tasting and some other odds and sods by way of older black shiraz.
Lots of great wines here. Popped on quite a few but let a few slip thru.
Awesome one on one tasting in the Stone wall cellar for 90 mins seated with no other peeps. noice.
Great service as always and the passion and pride in the product is great to see once again.

[Luke W]

Thank you for that.....

[Jimmya]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

[ticklenow1]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

Only available at cellar door supposedly.

Was booked in to go to the Stonewallers on the 3rd December, but now that QLD has made Adelaide a hotspot I guess that won’t be happening. Really pissed off about this as it’s the 3rd trip to SA that I’ve now had to cancel because of COVID.

Cheers
Ian

[George Krashos]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

Off the top of my head it was $60-ish. But don't quote me.

[A_Steady]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

Off the top of my head it was $60-ish. But don't quote me.

Even better, $48

[Redav]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

Try calling them. Early on they made it available to SW over the phone as the cellar door was closed but as they've been open, this may no longer be offered? They had a six bottle limit (late May). We enjoyed one and shall give the others a rest. The Rifle Range is the same vintage as last year.

[edit]it was the 2009 Moppa Springs which had the 2 bottle limit. The Dry Country Grenache was six at the time of the call[/edit]

[Scotty vino]

How much is the dry country? im a stonewaller but cant see it online

Off the top of my head it was $60-ish. But don't quote me.

Even better, $48

Yeah that's it. I got a 6er but they did raise it to a 12 bot limit.
my understanding walk up SW only.
prob grab another 6er.

but ive no idea maybe the've closed again with this new CV19 cluster.
Freighting /sending out to SW's may come in to play.

[Michael McNally]

Was booked in to go to the Stonewallers on the 3rd December, but now that QLD has made Adelaide a hotspot I guess that won’t be happening. Really pissed off about this as it’s the 3rd trip to SA that I’ve now had to cancel because of COVID.

Cheers
Ian

Or you could have arrived back from Adelaide yesterday and be looking at 14 days of self-isolation like me........

Cheers

Michael

[phillisc]

Was thinking of popping up...have the BP but could be interested to get a few bottles of the Grenache to go with the other'16 reds...a mini horizontal to look at in a decade or so.
Covid might make things interesting.
Cheers Craig

[ticklenow1]

Was booked in to go to the Stonewallers on the 3rd December, but now that QLD has made Adelaide a hotspot I guess that won’t be happening. Really pissed off about this as it’s the 3rd trip to SA that I’ve now had to cancel because of COVID.

Cheers
Ian

Or you could have arrived back from Adelaide yesterday and be looking at 14 days of self-isolation like me........

Cheers

Michael

I do hope you are COVID free, but as you said, you were doing the right thing.

Only good thing is, is at least you are at home. I do feel for those who get shunted to a hotel through no fault of their own. And you'll be able to sample plenty of your cellar

[kenzo]

Hi Scotty, was the VP a standout compared to other years of the VP releases, or just amongst this years wines?
I have bought some of the RR as a birth year wine, and will buy some of the shiraz. VP sounds impressive.

[kenzo]

Went ahead and picked up 6 each of the BP shiraz and VP. Skipped the Black shiraz for now as I stocked up on the last offer...

[Michael McNally]

I do hope you are COVID free, but as you said, you were doing the right thing.

Only good thing is, is at least you are at home. I do feel for those who get shunted to a hotel through no fault of their own. And you'll be able to sample plenty of your cellar

Yes had the test and returned a negative result on Wednesday.

The limited nature of the outbreak does raise questions about the quarantines here though. Don't get me wrong - happy to stay in isolation - but I do hope it is necessary (scientifically)

Cheers

Michael

[phillisc]

Michael don't get me started, systemic of our times and the lousy lazy governments who pay security guards, cleaners and other ancillary staff peanuts and then expect exemplary results!!?? If these persons were employed on fixed term contracts that afforded them a decent wage, sick leave etc. Instead of hourly or daily payment then they wouldn't have to scrive off to a Pizza bar to make ends meet. Very very convenient for a Premier to now have a scapegoat.
I work in health...Covid aside I am far more worried about the coming Tsunami of the need for first class aged care and what to do with millions of Australians (many can only hope to be appropriately looked after, but many more won't) who are going to need it in the next 5-10 years!

The recent RC is damning...all of us here can only hope that we stay well and have a few wines along the way.

Anyway compared to other states SA got off light... don't mind Adelaide on this occasion being just a big country town.
Off to my mother's tomorrow for a nice dinner, capped at 10 of us. Might even have a BP.
Cheers Craig

[Michael McNally]

Michael don't get me started, systemic of our times and the lousy lazy governments who pay security guards, cleaners and other ancillary staff peanuts and then expect exemplary results!!?? If these persons were employed on fixed term contracts that afforded them a decent wage, sick leave etc. Instead of hourly or daily payment then they wouldn't have to scrive off to a Pizza bar to make ends meet. Very very convenient for a Premier to now have a scapegoat.
I work in health...Covid aside I am far more worried about the coming Tsunami of the need for first class aged care and what to do with millions of Australians (many can only hope to be appropriately looked after, but many more won't) who are going to need it in the next 5-10 years!

The recent RC is damning...all of us here can only hope that we stay well and have a few wines along the way.

Anyway compared to other states SA got off light... don't mind Adelaide on this occasion being just a big country town.
Off to my mother's tomorrow for a nice dinner, capped at 10 of us. Might even have a BP.
Cheers Craig

{rant containing political content - look away if required}

I think we are somewhat on the same page given most of your comments, but it is hard to blame 'lousy, lazy governments' when parties of both political persuasions have drunk the cool aid that is low taxes and maximum profits for capital at the expense of government services. The capacity of the public sector has been eroded to the point where governments assume that they will contract shit like quarantine control of returning international passengers to private contractors (who then contract out in turn).

Why isn't the government doing better? Because it's cut taxes to the point it's broke, it has been undermined to the point where 'public servant' is a slur rather than a compliment, and they are flat out organising and providing basic services, much of which is now contract management of private companies providing those services while trying to maximise profit at the same time (NOT the contractors' fault).

People (not you Craig!) seem to want the goverment to do everything but not charge taxes and stay out of our lives to the greatest extent possible.

It's nonsense.

Cheers

Michael

[phillisc]

Too true Michael... fully agree the other mob aren't any good either.
I think it's a delicious irony that those so looked down on due to the lowly disposition of their employment as viewed by the public at large ( certainly not me, was told very early on in life, the cleaners, receptionists and others are the most important...more important than your boss), particularly in the time of a pandemic. Yet when the shit hits the fan it's their fault. Only too late is their true value recognised.
I certainly don't mind paying more tax if it guarantees these persons have a secure job, that we have competent health care.

SA so far has got lucky...and it's not the middle of winter. Despite $60M being spent on an app that has not detected a single contact case in the community, it is apathy that may be the problem. We shall see.
Anyway Michael I am raising a glass tomorrow with a few others for a dear mate who died yesterday, cancer, diagnosis just a year ago...he was 55.
Keep smiling
Cheers Craig

[phillisc]

Oh didn't get to the BP, but will have one soon.
Cheers Craig

[Scotty vino]

rockford Stone wall CD closed again! Timing is everything they say! they're happy for locals to roll thru courtyard and purchase.
gonna max out on dry country grenache grab another sixer on sat. prob it for this year.

[Redav]

That's a shame. I had notification that our Oct order is on the way

[Scotty vino]

back again for another 6 pack of 2016 dry country grenache. that's my quota.
Very very quiet up there. Just me and buddy in the rockford kennel. Just purchasing.
I saw two other people there besides staff.
Between lock downs and a fire threat last saturday when they had ash drifting thru the place its been hard for many.
Doing my bit and throwing some coin their way. The trade off aint half bad.

[phillisc]

Booked in on the 13th...fingers crossed. Yes will have a look at the Kennel.
Interested to line the two stickies up side by side, brought a bit of the cane cut over the years.

Got lunch booked and then three tastings after that, going to need a driver I think
Cheers Craig

[kenzo]

Regarding that older Black sparkling shiraz - I'm very interested to try this. It's the 1999 vintage Black, disgorged in 2016 after a whopping 17 years on lees. I intended to order 3 of the 750ml but somehow wires got crossed and I ended up with a magnum - I think it sits as the most expensive bottle of wine I've ever bought!
I did spring for multiples of the 2019 disgorgement, and still have a fair number of the 2002 disgorgement, so a comparison at some point will be interesting. Aged sparkling shiraz is one of my favourite wines, and I will be curious to see how these rival the Seppelt Show Reserve from the 80s that have been my favourite to date. I do have one bottle Seppelt Great Western Sparkling Burgundy 1975/1983 coming soon and curious to try this and see how it compares with the SR.
Missed out on the Primo Estate Joseph this year alas.
Maxed the allocation of the Grenache as it's the first release of that in a while, and sprung for the max allocation of the VP this year based on the comments above - have a few back to 1996 and have been trying to backfill whenever possible. Another unsung hero of Australian wines - the fortifieds!

[A_Steady]

Maxed the allocation of the Grenache as it's the first release of that in a while,

‘16 is the second release of the Grenache, haven’t tried it yet - but the ‘15 is a lovely drop

[kenzo]

From the Rockford release mailout on the Dry Country Grenache:

"Those of you who have been Rockford customers since the early days may remember a
wine called Dry Country Grenache. The final vintage was made in 1997. This was
mostly from one distinctive old vineyard which has been in the Cirillo family for many
generations. They have now established their own wine label so the future of this
special vineyard is certainly in safe hands. We’ve always had the commitment to
consider making another Dry Country if we were able to find the right vineyards. Half a
dozen years after Ben took over from Chris Ringland as Winemaker, he and the
winemaking team found what they had been searching for. After a long holiday, the
Dry Country labels were called back into service! We are now releasing our 2016 Dry
Country Grenache. Our Grenache wines have always reflected a style which holds true
to the pioneer era of Australian winemaking – medium bodied, soft and earthy, and
benefitting from 4 – 6 years of bottle age. This Dry Country Grenache really embodies
that approach and attitude. Side by side, our Moppa Springs is a fuller bodied wine,
because the Mataro and Shiraz components add weight, tannin and colour to the
Moppa blend. In contrast, the Dry Country Grenache has a fineness and softness
which is enhanced by a year maturing in old oak casks and time in bottle before release"

Would be interesting to compare a Cirillo with an earlier Rockford bottling.

[A_Steady]

[img]https://cdn.ct-static.com/labels/46783668-14 ... 4a17e0.jpg[/img]
[img]https://cdn.ct-static.com/labels/a59a089f-2d ... c61c0e.jpg[/img]
No doubt they are lighter than the Moppa