Deep ruby color; black cherry, raspberry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, vanilla, oak, cedar, spice, black pepper on the nose and palate.
Dry; plush, integrated tannins, moderate acidity. This is built for pleasure rather than complexity. Medium-plus body. Blend of 79% cabernet sauvignon, 9% petit verdot, 6% malbec, 4% merlot, 2% cabernet franc—making it a Meritage effort, although Rodney Strong does not assert that on the label. Early reviews noted tannins. With my review at age six, those had resolved and became more so with swirling exposure to air in glass. This is plump, almost jammy exhibition of Sonoma darker fruit. The ripe grapes give it a suggestion of sweetness that will please sippers if they give it time in the bottle. 14.5% ABV
The Rodney Strong story began in 1904 with the planting of the River West Vineyard, just south of Healdsburg, where the Rodney Strong winery is located. Winery founder Rodney D. Strong was born in 1927 in Camas, Washington. In addition to being a three-sport athlete, musician, and senior-class president, “Rod” was a dance prodigy. He served in the Navy in World War II, then studied at the American School of Ballet under legends George Balanchine and Martha Graham. He danced on Broadway, then produced shows at The Lido in Paris, where he fell in love with fine wine.
In 1959, Rod retired from dancing, married his dance partner, Charlotte Ann Winson, and began a new career in wine. “I knew I couldn’t be an old dancer,” he quipped, “but I could be an old winemaker.” After consulting with UC-Davis scientists, Rod and Charlotte settled in Sonoma. In 1962, he purchased a vineyard planted in “mixed grapes,” which he replanted mostly in chardonnay, the first chardonnay in what would become the celebrated Chalk Hill AVA. In 1968, he bought land and planted some of the first pinot noir in the Russian River Valley.
Rod handed off winemaker responsibilities to Rick Sayre in 1979. At the same time, Tom Klein completed his Stanford MBA and began working for an international management consulting firm hired to evaluate the potential of Rodney Strong Vineyards. Klein met Rodney Strong and Rick Sayre. Ten years later, in 1989, the Klein family purchased Rodney Strong Vineyards and began an ambitious program of expanding and modernizing. In 2003, that included installing the largest solar array of any winery in the world.
In 2009, Rodney Strong celebrated its 50th anniversary, Rick Sayre’s 30th year as its winemaker, and the Klein family’s 20th year of ownership. In 2014, Wine Enthusiast named Rodney Strong American Winery of the Year. In 2019, Rick Sayre became the winemaker emeritus and Justin Seidenfeld director of winemaking. Seidenfeld produced this wine.
Rodney Strong Vineyards Symmetry Red Wine, Sonoma County 2018 is a crowd-pleasing blend led by cabernet sauvignon, followed by the usual suspects in a Meritage effort, but Rodney Strong refrains from calling it that. Red and black fruits romp on the palate, while tannins and acidity play supporting characters in this Sonoma drama. Pair with rich beef cuts, ribeye and other marbled cuts, beef stew. Grilled pork tenderloin, baby back ribs. Barbecued beef, slow-cooked brisket, pork. Lamb roasts, lamb stews. Grilled gourmet burgers with gruyere cheese. Mushroom stroganoff; mushroom pizza with tomato sauce. Roasted vegetables, mushroom dishes, sautéed, mushroom risotto with black olives and sage, vegetarian lasagna with tomato sauce. Cheese—camembert, brie, roquefort, aged cheddar, gouda. $55-70
