Rockford Wines is a renowned wine producer located in the iconic Barossa Valley of Australia. Established in the early 1980s by Robert O'Callaghan, it has gained recognition as one of the most distinguished wineries in Australia, producing premium Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. O'Callaghan commenced his career as a trainee winemaker in 1965 at Seppelt in Rutherglen, Victoria. In 1971, he relocated to the Barossa and acquired two hectares (five acres) of land beneath the Barossa ranges, where he planted vines and built a winery in the style of the 1850s stone cottage. Rockford's first vintage was released in 1984. Rockford's commitment to producing exceptional wines involves working in partnership with several independent wine growers around the Barossa region. Many of the vines are planted on their own rootstocks and are up to 130 years old, resulting in intense, concentrated grapes and wines with the same attributes. The winemaking process at Rockford is largely traditional, utilizing basket presses, open-topped slate fermenters and a 1880s petrol-driven Bagshaw destemmer/crusher.

The Barossa is a wine region in South Australia named after an English victory in the Spanish Peninsular War. It has two sub-regions, the Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley floor. The area experiences a warm Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and low rainfall, and is characterized by rich brown soils and alluvial sands. The Barossa is home to Australia's largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre, with many vineyards dating back over a century, making it a popular destination for wine enthusiasts. The Barossa Valley is a world-renowned wine producing area, home to over 150 wineries and 80 cellar doors. It is distinguished by its rich reds and fortified wines. Interestingly, the region is also home to the world's oldest continuously producing vines of Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro, Cabernet sauvignon and Semillon. These vines are a testament to the region's long-standing history and expertise in winemaking. 

The Rockford Rod & Spur Shiraz Cabernet 2019 is a unique blend of two-thirds Shiraz and one-third Cabernet, named after the rod and spur method of pruning. This wine is known for its versatility, sometimes dominated by Shiraz and other times by Cabernet, with the Shiraz component providing spice and soft tannins, while the Cabernet adds a lifted chocolate mint character and tightens up the palate. In spite of being a potent Cabernet year, the wine's texture is loose-knit and supple, with a perfume of blue fruits, mint, gum leaf, and salt bush. The palate gently stains the tongue and has a soft finish, with a ghostly train track of tannins that give the wine a sense of structure and length. This red wine has a beautiful velvety feel and a great sense of freshness and lift, making it a delightful drinking experience.

Blending of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon ensures the great Australian red wine style of the 1950’s and 60’s is not lost. Early Australian winemakers began to forge their own paths by blending varieties that had not traditionally been found together. The splicing of two great things doesn’t always produce something better. But, in some cases, the alchemy of winemaking weaves its magic to create a wine more interesting and complex than the separate components. They've named this wine in acknowledgement of their grape growers who spend the cold Barossa winters hand pruning in the traditional rod and spur method.

Blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, some mint, a little tobacco along with some liquorice. It’s medium-bodied, soft and approachable, with fine-grained tannin, a minty black and red fruited succulence, balanced acidity, and while it’s kind of juicy.

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5 Star Winery - Halliday Wine Companion

"Rockford can only be described as an icon, no matter how overused that word may be. It has a devoted band of customers who buy most of the wine through the cellar door or mail order (Rocky O'Callaghan's entrancing annual newsletter is like no other). Some wine is sold through restaurants, and there are two retailers in Sydney, and one each in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Whether they will have the Basket Press Shiraz available is another matter; it is as scarce as Henschke Hill of Grace (but less expensive)." - James Halliday

"Rockford Wines feature high quality traditional wines made from some of the best old Barossa vineyards. The winery and cellar door sales are part of a paved courtyard surrounded by stone buildings dating back to the early settlement of Krondorf. We're committed to keeping the best of traditional winemaking alive and sharing that joy with our customers." - Tourism Barossa