James Halliday 95 Points | Seventeen Years of Age — Unused Power Under the Bonnet

The 2008 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 1.5 Litre is one of the most extraordinary bottles in the store: a magnum of one of Australia's most revered cult wines, with seventeen years of bottle age, from a vintage that has proven itself one of the finest in Barossa history. Halliday's note says it all — perfect balance and structure, idling along, with unused power under the bonnet. In magnum, that power has been developing with extraordinary patience. This is a wine for those who understand what they are looking at.

My Wine Man on Rockford

Rockford is one of the Barossa Valley's most celebrated and fiercely independent producers. Robert O'Callaghan established the winery in 1984 with a singular philosophy: to make wine using 19th-century methods, from old-vine Barossa fruit, without compromise or concession to fashion. The Basket Press Shiraz is made exactly as its name suggests — pressed in a traditional basket press, fermented in open slate fermenters, and matured in old American oak. It is a wine that has attracted a cult following among collectors worldwide, with allocations sold out years in advance and bottles appearing at auction at multiples of their release price. The 2008 magnum is a rare opportunity.

Tasting Notes

Strong red-purple in the glass — remarkable colour for a wine of this age, a testament to the concentration and structure of the fruit. Right in the mainstream of the Rockford Basket Press style: blackberry, plum, and a hint of mocha drive the bouquet, carrying through to a smooth, supple palate. The wine is idling along, with unused power under the bonnet — perfect balance and structure that speaks of decades still ahead. 95pts James Halliday.

Style & Drinking Window

Full-bodied with extraordinary depth, balance, and structure. In magnum, the 2008 Basket Press is developing with exceptional grace — seventeen years of bottle age has brought remarkable complexity, but the wine still has significant development ahead. Decant for three hours minimum. A wine to cellar further or to open on the most significant of occasions.

Why This Is a Smart Buy

At HK$4,888, the 2008 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz magnum is one of the rarest and most compelling bottles in the store. Cult producer, 19th-century winemaking methods, 17 years of bottle age in magnum format, and a track record of auction performance that speaks for itself. For serious collectors, this is not a question of price. It is a question of availability.

Looking for a Different Style?

Explore more icon-level aged Australian Shiraz from different producers:

• 2017 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz — 99pts from Halliday — Australia's most celebrated single-vineyard Shiraz site, for those who want the country's highest-scoring Shiraz
• 2021 Henschke Hill of Grace Eden Valley Shiraz — Australia's other great single-vineyard Shiraz icon, from vines planted in the 1860s
• 2018 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 — Australia's most famous wine — for those who want the ultimate expression of what Australian Shiraz can achieve

Life's too short for bad wine.