The Auswine Forum

Matt@5453 wrote:

Chuck wrote:Shared a bottle of the '13 on Saturday.So much more available at the price level.
Carl

Are you referring to V2013 in particular or Rockford in general? I'd love to hear your recommendations for say 5-6 wines "at the price level" that equal or exceed this wine? Thx

Just sticking with Shiraz in AU.

Tyrrells:
4 Acres
Old Patch
Johnnos
Vat 9

Wendouree:
Shiraz
Shiraz Mataro

Adelina Shiraz

Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere

This is trying to judge the wines objectively...since I do think BP is a very good wine...That list gets a lot bigger if you just want to start looking at preferences in style...But no doubt, CD/Stonewaller pricing for BP makes it a very good value. I'd also say for what you get Noon is very good value...Greenock Creek as well...as long as you enjoy the style..

Polymer wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:

Chuck wrote:Shared a bottle of the '13 on Saturday.So much more available at the price level.
Carl

Are you referring to V2013 in particular or Rockford in general? I'd love to hear your recommendations for say 5-6 wines "at the price level" that equal or exceed this wine? Thx

Just sticking with Shiraz in AU.

Tyrrells:
4 Acres
Old Patch
Johnnos
Vat 9

Wendouree:
Shiraz
Shiraz Mataro

Adelina Shiraz

Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere

This is trying to judge the wines objectively...since I do think BP is a very good wine...That list gets a lot bigger if you just want to start looking at preferences in style...But no doubt, CD/Stonewaller pricing for BP makes it a very good value. I'd also say for what you get Noon is very good value...Greenock Creek as well...as long as you enjoy the style..

Marius.

Hi all. Been absent for a long time and just remembered the site and my password.
Yes I love my BP, always have and always will.
Nice to be back
Cheers

Welcome back rednut

Polymer wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:

Are you referring to V2013 in particular or Rockford in general? I'd love to hear your recommendations for say 5-6 wines "at the price level" that equal or exceed this wine? Thx

Just sticking with Shiraz in AU.


Adelina Shiraz
.

Kev

I was interested in your thoughts on this. I have purchased their riesling and really like them. They are well priced and quite frankly punch above their weight. Looked up their shiraz the other day but they were sold out. Any comments on it? Also have you tried their shiraz/mataro?

Mark

Who's Paul?

Bobthebuilder wrote:Who's Paul?

Sorry multitasking- meant to say Kev

rooman wrote:

Polymer wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:

Are you referring to V2013 in particular or Rockford in general? I'd love to hear your recommendations for say 5-6 wines "at the price level" that equal or exceed this wine? Thx

Just sticking with Shiraz in AU.


Adelina Shiraz
.

Kev

I was interested in your thoughts on this. I have purchased their riesling and really like them. They are well priced and quite frankly punch above their weight. Looked up their shiraz the other day but they were sold out. Any comments on it? Also have you tried their shiraz/mataro?

Mark

Haha..well, if you don't like Wendouree then you probably won't like their Shiraz or Shiraz Mataro..since it shares some similarity in flavor...but they're pretty good IMO...

You might also try Some Young Punks Monsters Attack Riesling if you like Adelina Riesling....It is the winemakers label..whereas Adelina is his wife's family's or something like that....

Polymer wrote:

rooman wrote:

Polymer wrote:
Just sticking with Shiraz in AU.


Adelina Shiraz
.

Kev

I was interested in your thoughts on this. I have purchased their riesling and really like them. They are well priced and quite frankly punch above their weight. Looked up their shiraz the other day but they were sold out. Any comments on it? Also have you tried their shiraz/mataro?

Mark

Haha..well, if you don't like Wendouree then you probably won't like their Shiraz or Shiraz Mataro..since it shares some similarity in flavor...but they're pretty good IMO...

You might also try Some Young Punks Monsters Attack Riesling if you like Adelina Riesling....It is the winemakers label..whereas Adelina is his wife's family's or something like that....

If nothing else I love the Adelina labels and thanks for the tip on the young punks. Re Wendouree its not so much don't like, bar the tainted wines, I found them very drinkable. The trouble is for all the hype I just don't get a wow factor. By way of contrast I shared a Mount Langi 2000 recently with a friend and we were both amazed at how good it was. I supposed with the Wendouree I am after the same sort of reaction. In fairness to the Wendouree we tried the other night, I have drunk bottles from the same case of Mount Langi earlier and had the same shrug reaction so it is about timing and waiting for these bigger wines to enter their drinking window.

Mark

The Monsters Attack Riesling is a bit tricked up...Some residual sugar (which I know you don't mind) and high acid (high TA low ph), some barrel and whole bunch.

The label I don't think does the wine any favors because it is probably looked at as not a very serious wine that should cost 10 dollars...but it really is quite good...

Polymer wrote:The Monsters Attack Riesling is a bit tricked up...Some residual sugar (which I know you don't mind) and high acid (high TA low ph), some barrel and whole bunch.

The label I don't think does the wine any favors because it is probably looked at as not a very serious wine that should cost 10 dollars...but it really is quite good...

Col also has another label called Vine Mind, some excellent wines under this label too. I've had both Riesling and Shiraz/Mataro. The Riesling in particular was very good.

Thanks for that..I'll have to check that out.

This years pricing if anyone is interested.

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/Misc/rockfordprices.JPG[/img]

perusing while finishing off this from last night...

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/Misc/svs.JPG[/img]

$66 ! Wow !

Last night, we had a Committee meeting for my wine group and everyone brings a bottle of wine, so not much gets done and we have to schedule another soon after. Anyways, my wine was the 2001 Rockford Basket Press as a little experiment in the wine's acceptance with foreign and wordly drinkers.

Now prior to the BP being poured, our member survey results were discussed and they proved absolutely dismal. There is bugger all interest in Australian wine. Incidentally, I asked to be a mentor for all Australian events proposed as my dinners when presented are successful- perfect cellaring, fastidious glassware checking and bottle preparation.

So the 2001 BP started presented as WOTN in the company of early 70's Vouvray, Jura ( smelt like grappa ), Roagna white, some Burgundy and Bordeaux.

You could tell the wine's been cellared perfectly. The aromatics are so fresh, the fruit sweet and without a hint of portiness. The classic BP leather pushed the boundaries a little toward the animale spectrum, well received I'm sure by the BDX / Rhone drinkers. Knowing compliments from our brand new MW and my Burgundy tragic mates asked for a few cases.

Very pleased the wine was so well received. The wine was double decanted, sediment removed, bottle washed with neutral water and wine returned. Ready for the rigours of public transport. Presentation/ preparation is half the battle !

PS Cigars, Sassaica 99 and Beychervelle 2000 came out afterward so perhaps it was pipped for WOTN in the end.

Some pretty mediocre current release reviews over at The Wine Front.

Has anyone else tried 2015 BP? The 2018 Black Shiraz seems to be struggling too.

JamieBahrain wrote:Some pretty mediocre current release reviews over at The Wine Front.

Has anyone else tried 2015 BP? The 2018 Black Shiraz seems to be struggling too.

Mediocre is an understatement! Shocked....... shocked to read about the Sparkling's release this year.
Disappointing as its one of my usual yearly purchases, so have just put in an order for 6 of the Primo Joseph's instead.

BUT this is why I pay/subscribe to TWF.

For those that aren't TWF subscribers and are wondering what the fuss is all about, the Black Shiraz scored 84 points and the Basket Press 89 points.

Ozzie W wrote:For those that aren't TWF subscribers and are wondering what the fuss is all about, the Black Shiraz scored 84 points and the Basket Press 89 points.

Yes same points as the $15 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Signature Shiraz ..........

Ozzie W wrote:For those that aren't TWF subscribers and are wondering what the fuss is all about, the Black Shiraz scored 84 points and the Basket Press 89 points.

thanks ozzie. I'll be heading up in a week or so to try the BP and Black etc.
On todays lofty scoring standards those scores aren't very good at all.
Add 3-5 points to each and that's your halliday scores.
Hmmm I'll decide for myself and report back.
last few BPS have been pretty solid for mine (12,13,14)
and most of the 15 shiraz I tried recently in the barossa have been solid as well.
15 spinifex bete noir most notably.

Based on the cellar tracker scoring, my rough maths suggests the average score is a touch over 92 for the BP from 1994 to 2014. 89 is not that far off.

Ozzie W wrote:For those that aren't TWF subscribers and are wondering what the fuss is all about, the Black Shiraz scored 84 points and the Basket Press 89 points.

Very interesting reading & comments/notes on there about some bloke named Brett, and what used to go on in the show circuit...
not associated with this wine, winery or review mind you.

Rossco wrote:Mediocre is an understatement! Shocked.......

[snip]

BUT this is why I pay/subscribe to TWF.

Whilst It's unfortunate to hear that both have 'scored' poorly (given I bought three BPS as birth year wines), if it's a fair appraisal of highly regard wines, then it's good to hear that.

As you say, that's why you've subscribed. I've not subscribed somewhere but to me that sounds like they back up their statement of calling Spades and that's credibility that I'd look for should I want to subscribe somewhere someday.

Matt@5453 wrote:Based on the cellar tracker scoring, my rough maths suggests the average score is a touch over 92 for the BP from 1994 to 2014. 89 is not that far off.

I don't know if that is a good way to compare this because TWF scores are their scoring....CT is made up of many people's different scores...

What you'd be better off doing is comparing TWF scores then to other wines in CT...where I think you'd find many TWF scores significantly higher on most of the well known Aussie wines...lets say 3-4 points higher on average....So if TWF is 3-4 pts higher than CT on average then that disparity above is even more significant...

Polymer wrote:

Matt@5453 wrote:Based on the cellar tracker scoring, my rough maths suggests the average score is a touch over 92 for the BP from 1994 to 2014. 89 is not that far off.

I don't know if that is a good way to compare this because TWF scores are their scoring....CT is made up of many people's different scores...

What you'd be better off doing is comparing TWF scores then to other wines in CT...where I think you'd find many TWF scores significantly higher on most of the well known Aussie wines...lets say 3-4 points higher on average....So if TWF is 3-4 pts higher than CT on average then that disparity above is even more significant...

Totally agree. Just trying to put some context around the score from the TWF. What I am suggesting is the BP does not get 'flooded' with high scores on CT, I think that on balance the TWF score is probably (historically) around the the mark.

The last BP I tasted was the 2013 at Cellar door, it was okay, but nothing to write home about. My gut feel suggests the succession planning is not going 100% to plan in the winemaking department.

I notice that the prices for many of the Rockford wines are not much more than when I was at cellar door back in 2001. The Basket Press was sold out and from among the rest my picks were the Moppa Springs and Local Grower's Semillon.

I wouldn't worry about scoring, certainly not from young bottles that are early in their evolution. Many years ago a friend of mine said that he was noticing that he often preferred Parker/Wine Spectator scores of 88-89 rather than the 90+ pointers. There are extra points that critics give to wines on based on perceived longevity and a sense of quality that is rather subjective. When drinking a 10 year old bottle it may well be that the 89-pointer will be very nice while the 95 pointer is still waiting to unfurl. You need the 89 pointer so that you have something to drink while waiting for your high pointer wines to mature. My only 100-pointer wine in the Parker pantheon has turned out to be a stubborn, unyielding curmedgeon that, after 35 years, is only now starting to come around.

We should be drinking wine, not points.

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

I don't think people are worried about what it scores...but the fact that it has been scored in the past and is unusually low for any AU critic for a BP...it gets a lot of attention..

I'm not a big BP fan..I think the wines are very solid..everything sits in the right place but nothing amazing...but 89 from an AU critic for this wine is still a bit of surprise...Really curious to get other people's impressions on the wine when they get a chance to taste it...

I know the critics try to be objective, but I know I personally have rated a wine far lower than I probably should have as I was disappointed / expected more from the label. I have come back to the same wine subsequently and thought - "what was wrong with me that day?" Throw in the lottery that is cork which can create significant bottle variation in young wines as well as failures in old and I am not changing my buying based on one (albeit duo) review. To be clear, I am not alleging that Gary and Mike did anything other than look at the wine in the glass in front of them and make a balanced assessment/judgement. They are pros and I am not.

(Also I had already bought my BP and BS)

Cheers

Michael

Just to clarify, this wan't about points, it was about the comments on BP and SBlack.

I'm an inaugural Stonewaller and will only buy this vintage if I try. Generally, bought happily on faith.

I took the opportunity to open a 2015 BP yesterday over a family BBQ. No notes taken but I thought it atypical example of a Rockford BP. No significant change to previous vintages for my taste. I find that Rockford produces a certain “house”, old school Barossa Shiraz. If you like the style, the TWF scores should not be an issue.