Moppa Springs, Ebenezer and Kalimna are some of the driest areas in the Barossa, where green vines grow on one side of the fence and ripened wheat on the other. This hard country is cold, wet, and frosty during pruning, then hot, dry and dusty during harvest. These are the kind of tough conditions that ensure Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz give their best. These varieties and the families who grow them earned the right to represent the Barossa in this traditional blend by surviving for more than 150 years when others could not.

In stark contrast to 2016, the 2017 growing season was one of the wettest on record. The water-soaked soils, cooler than normal spring and early summer meant the vines grew slowly. We experienced generally mild temperatures and only two short bursts of very warm weather. Two fortunately timed rain events in late January and early February kept the vines healthy and gave the fruit time to ripen steadily, eliminating any urgency to pick.

This wine reflects an elegant balance between cool, seasonal conditions and the generosity of flavour and earthiness that is synonymous with Rockford’s traditional Australian winemaking style.

Moppa Springs is a great reflection of this vintage and how perfectly suited the Barossa’s Mediterranean climate is for these pioneer varieties and can bottle age for many years.
2017.