Rockford Wines

Robert O'Callaghan purchased the Krondorf property in 1971 and founded Rockford Wines in 1984, establishing the winery within historic stone farm buildings dating to the 1850s in the Barossa Valley town of Tanunda. During the vine pull schemes of the 1970s and 1980s, O'Callaghan made the critical decision to preserve old vineyard sites that many others were abandoning, a move that secured Rockford's access to some of the most age-worthy fruit in the Barossa. The winery emerged as a leading voice in the Barossa renaissance alongside Charles Melton, St Hallett, and Peter Lehmann, all of whom championed old-vine Shiraz at a time when the region's identity hung in the balance.

• Property purchased in 1971; winery founded in 1984 with inaugural Basket Press Shiraz vintage
• Stone farm buildings on site date to the 1850s in Krondorf
• O'Callaghan preserved old vines through the government-sponsored vine pull schemes of the 1970s-1980s
• Became a training ground for future Barossa winemakers, including Dave Powell who went on to found Torbreck

Rockford is defined by an unwavering commitment to traditional methods at a time when most Australian producers had long modernised. The winery relies on hand-picking, open slate fermenters, basket presses, and minimal intervention throughout the winemaking process. Restored 19th-century equipment sits at the heart of production, including an 1880s Bagshaw destemmer and an 1890s Robinson basket press. These tools are not museum pieces; they are the working machinery behind every bottle of Basket Press Shiraz, and they remain the most public expression of O'Callaghan's belief that small-batch, low-intervention winemaking produces the most authentic expression of Barossa terroir.

• Hand-picking and open slate fermenters used throughout production
• 1880s Bagshaw destemmer and 1890s Robinson basket press remain in active use
• Minimal intervention philosophy applied across all wines
• Basket Press Shiraz aged for 2 years in French and American oak

Rockford works with multiple independent growers across the Barossa, sourcing fruit from parcels in Kalimna, Ebenezer, Moppa Springs, and Eden Valley. Vines range from 60 to 130 years old, with many growing on ungrafted rootstocks, a rarity that reflects both the region's freedom from phylloxera and O'Callaghan's determination to protect these sites. The soils across these parcels vary but include the red-brown earth characteristic of the Barossa floor. The Mediterranean climate, with warm days and cool nights, drives the concentration and structure that make these old-vine wines age-worthy. Long-term grower relationships are core to the Rockford model: many of the families supplying fruit have done so for generations.

• Fruit sourced from Kalimna, Ebenezer, Moppa Springs, and Eden Valley
• Vines aged 60 to 130 years, many on ungrafted rootstocks
• Soils include red-brown earth across varied vineyard parcels
• Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights shapes the fruit profile

The Basket Press Shiraz is Rockford's flagship and one of Australia's most celebrated reds, holding Langton's First Classified status for Barossa Shiraz. The 2002 vintage received 92 points from Robert Parker, and recent releases have climbed to 95-97 points from Parker and 96-97 from James Halliday. Production is deliberately limited, with wines distributed primarily through the cellar door and the Stone Wall Society, an exclusive membership club for long-term customers. The wine is basket-pressed on the 1890s Robinson press that gives it its name, and the combination of open slate fermentation, traditional oak maturation, and old-vine fruit produces a Shiraz that drinks beautifully on release and rewards two decades or more in bottle.

• Langton's First Classified Barossa Shiraz
• 2002 vintage scored 92 from Parker; recent vintages reach 95-97 Parker and 96-97 Halliday
• Limited production sold mainly through cellar door and Stone Wall Society membership
• Stone Wall Society is an exclusive club reserved for long-term Rockford customers

Beyond the flagship Basket Press Shiraz, Rockford produces a portfolio of equally traditional wines that anchor the Barossa's classical canon. The Black Shiraz is a non-vintage sparkling Shiraz made by the methode traditionnelle with extended lees ageing; allocated through the Stone Wall Society and small cellar-door release, it is one of Australia's most coveted sparkling reds. The Local Growers Semillon is a benchmark Barossa Semillon made from long-term grower fruit, fermented in old oak with extended lees contact for a textural style that ages a decade or more. The Moppa Springs GSM blend draws on Barossa Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro from old bush vines for a Rhône-style triad that reflects the region's pre-fortified red heritage. Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon and Eden Valley Riesling round out the portfolio with the same minimal-intervention philosophy.

• Rockford Black Shiraz: non-vintage sparkling Shiraz made methode traditionnelle; cult status with Stone Wall Society allocation
• Local Growers Semillon: textural Barossa Semillon from long-term grower fruit; old-oak fermentation with extended lees contact
• Moppa Springs Grenache-Shiraz-Mataro: Rhône-style GSM from old bush vines, reflecting the Barossa's pre-fortified heritage
• Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon and Eden Valley Riesling complete the portfolio with the same traditional discipline