Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Rifle Range Road which runs parallel to Krondorf Road, is in the heart of the Valley Floor and winds its way up the hills to Kaiser Stuhl National Park. The old rifle range is long gone, but the farming land and vineyards that have always been part of the landscape are still there. Because most of our Cabernet Sauvignon comes from vineyards adjacent to Rifle Range Road, it seemed the most appropriate name for this wine which has been part of Rockford since the very beginning.

Owner Robert O’Callaghan says “my preference is to produce rich, earthy, soft, generous wines that will age”. Well he’s nailed the brief here. From vines planted along Rifle Range Road just behind the winery, that seemed to have enjoyed the Indian summer conditions of 2018. Here we have all the ripe, dark fruit that you expect from warmer climate Cabernet but it is far from one dimensional. Already shows some cigar box notes and will only gain further earthy complexity with time. It is far from criminal to open a bottle now but those who tuck a few bottles away for several years will be richly rewarded.

Beautiful wine here. Plum, blackberry, a little liquorice, violet, a tiny bit of roast red capsicum. It’s medium-bodied, delivers intense flavour with a dried rose thing happening, tight tannin, again just a little of that roast sweet vegetable adding complexity, freshness and excellent length. A wonderful expression of Barossa red. Thoroughly charming. - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, 95 Points

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Cabernet Sauvignon
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2018
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.8%