95 Points. James Halliday - Wine Companion.1 August 2017

The beautiful label, traditional brown bottle, and the wine within, all have an allure. It's the richness and depth of the tannin structure - velvety and ripe, the suppleness on the palate, the savoury thread with coffee grounds, pepper, bitumen and yes oak but everything in its place plus its heady perfume with florals and red plums.

92 Points. Gary Walsh - Wine Front. 24 March 2017

It’s a staple of many a wine cellar, so we cover it as best we can. Seem to be missing the 2007 vintage though, which is a shame.

It smells great, as do so many Rockford wines. Cherry and dark chocolate, tar and dried mint, a bit of spice and rosy vanilla perfume. Medium to full bodied, plum and cherry, sage and salt, open weave powdery tannin, fine acid balance, and modest length. The finish is certainly abbreviated compared to the 2014 Rifle Range, and I’d suggest that’s a more powerful Rockford experience this release. Still, good Basket Press with more complexity and nuance to come with bottle age.