How does this Rockford stonewaller thing work?

[Luke W]

I contacted Rockford to get on the mailing list (quite happy to wait the x number of years but was told that I had to order the lesser wines for a number of years and then depending on whether they thought I was a loyal customer then I could order some of the Black sparkling or the Basket Pressed Shiraz.

What if I don't want any of the other wines? Do I wait in limbo or never get to order the latter wines? Apparently you can get these wines (BS & BPS) for a limited time at cellar door but still can't order them from afar.

It doesn't seem to make sense. Can someone tell me what the other wines are like and if you have any idea how many you have to order over what period of time before you become a stonewaller and then how many of the premium wines can you order then?

Help

Luke

[pstarr]

My suggestion, if you want to get on the Stonewaller list is:
- start off by ordering a mixed case in your first year or two
- each year, send them an email after your order has arrived that says "Thanks. If you have any BP available to the mailing list later in the year, please let me know."
- if something from the mixed case really catches your fancy, order a six pack of that as a follow up order.

There is often a bit of Basket Press (less so sparkles) offered to the mailing list (in restricted allocations) after the early mailers, releases, CD tastings etc.

Taking a trip to the Barossa isn't a bad idea either. Go mid-week when it is a bit slower. Can be a way to taste more of the range.

Basically, a bit of patience, getting into the groove of what Rockfords are trying to do with some catholic purchasing and tasting, and you'll end up with the option of purchasing BP and the sparkles.

There are also lots of tasting notes around about the current wines. Try subscribing to Winefront and have a look at the coverage there.

[Craig(NZ)]

Either that or pick up a 6 pack of BP in a supermarket in New Zealand

[pstarr]

One more thing - I wouldn't say the other wines in the Rocky's range are "lesser wines". They are often really different wines, with a range of quality for my tastes - sometimes up to or better than the BP of that year. The Rifle Range, Rod & Spur and GSM (Moppa Springs) are all wines that can be really good. And the alicante bouchet is no slouch on a hot day either. I could imagine putting a bit of that away if I was back living in Queensland.

[George Krashos]

What Rockford are asking you to show in being on the non-Stonewaller Mailing List is loyalty - in other words, they consider long-term, loyal customers to be interested and willing to try/purchase all of their range of wines. Those are the customers they like selling their "flagship" wines to.

Simply put, they have no difficulty selling Basket Press and Black Shiraz. Being even more blunt, they have no huge, burning desire for your patronage if all you are interested in is in buying those two wines. Try some of the lesser lights - based on my experience, you are bound to be pleasantly surprised.

-- George Krashos

[rednut]

It takes time, I started by buying Alicante and Moppa Springs etc and letting them know at cellar door or via email what I had bought and who I was.
They wrote my buys in the back of the book and a while down the track I got my Stonewallers.

The rest is history. Took a little while but worth the wait and love their wines, all of them.
Long lunches are fantastic.

[Michael McNally]

I think we have had this discussion before (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Seems to me people either:
1 accept that demand for the top wines like Basket Press, allows Rockford to dictate to customers that you have to "demonstrate loyalty" and buy wines you might not otherwise buy/enjoy in order for a while to get "the good stuff"
or
2 they say "stuff that there are plenty of other quality producers out there who let you buy just what you want to buy" and sell their other wines on their merits.

It is a moot point for me as I cannot afford to regularly purchase Basket Press. I am happy to go on a waiting list for a good mailing list, but don't particularly like the "show me your loyalty" thing.

Cheers

Michael

[daz]

Doesn't Wendouree have a similar "loyalty" approach to marketing their premier wines?

[Roscoe]

Doesn't Wendouree have a similar "loyalty" approach to marketing their premier wines?

Yes daz. But as far as I am aware, all their wines are considered "premier" (they don't actually sell a lot of wine).

[Luke W]

Dear team

Thank you for your information - I'll try to show some loyalty. By the way after you become a stonewaller - how much of the good stuff are you allowed to buy or does this vary with the degree of loyalty that you have shown?

cheers

Luke

[rednut]

After Stonewaller status is reached you get 6 BP usually and sometimes offered another 6 if they still have more later on. This is offered in the Stonewaller Newsletter in October usually. Its at CD in March for everyone else so you can sneak in there and get a few more...
Sparkling I think 6, i have bought 6 anyway.
As much of the other stuff as you can carry......

[GraemeG]

So, unless you really like the other wines enough to buy them irrespective of the Black/Basket 'carrot' attached, you wouldn't bother.
And that's fair enough. Especially if they limit you to 6 and you're desperate for more.
In which case, take Craig's advice and head across the pond.
And if they sell BP to anyone who shows up at CD (when they have some) then I reckon they're doing a fair enough job, and no-one should have any real complaint about their 'business model', so to speak.
cheers,
G

[Chad]

I'm on the Rockford Mailing list, but not a Stonewaller yet. I have bought many of the so called "lesser" wines for the past couple of years and I can confidently say that I have not yet had a Rockford wine that didn't give me a "Wow" moment. I have drank the Moppa Springs (GSM), Rod'n'Spur (Shiraz/cab), the Rifle Range (Cabernet) and the Alicante Bouchet. I have been fortunate to have a good mate who is a Stonewaller and each year I get a small allocation of the BP which I have shared a very enjoyable bottle of the 2005 (apparently lesser vintage) and I also thoroughly enjoyed a Black Shiraz last Christmas with a roast turkey, again, WOW...... In particular I recently drank a 2006 Rifle Range Cabernet and it was amazingly velvety and smooth. My wife usually doesn't drink red wine, but she enjoyed it so much that last night she asked if we could open the final bottle, which we did. I hope to become a Stonewaller one day, but if I don't get lucky I will be plenty satisfied with their other red wines which IMO drink better than many other high profile wines from other wineries.

Chad

[dazza1968]

bide your time, keep in touch , buy a few good wines and your day will come .................................................. It really doesnt take long and i just made sure i bought a few unlike my dad who did not and well i am a stonewaller and he sponges off me LOL, All there wines are pretty good and even today i get quite a range . I cant afford alot of the big dollar wines like grange etc so this is a way i have something exclusive and from a smaller style producer .?

Regards Dazza

[Mike Hawkins]

I've been on the Stonewaller list for a deacde plus, and agree most of their wines are great. A mate of mine who also posts on this forum purchased a few bottles of Rifle Range for 3 years or so and was bumped up to Stonewaller list last year - it didn't take him long. And he continues to buy the Rifle Range ....

[graham]

Ditto, I've been a stonewaller for 12 years. Regardless of vintage I buy the baskest pressed, vine vale and black shiraz every year ( depending on finance also the rifle range, Alicante Bouchet and frontignac).
There are a number of vinyards I support through good and bad vintages, I feel that as a drinker I have an obligation to show my support.