Deep ruby color; blackberry, dark cherry, blackcurrant, plum, mocha, chocolate, violets on the nose and palate.
Dry; supple, reserved tannins and balancing acidity (3.72 pH). Smooth, almost reticent rather than an obstreperous Cali cab. The ripe fruit and oak are there but not flagrantly demanding attention. A nice touch. The wine spent 24 months in French oak barrels, 75% new. Full body. Benefits from time in air, consider decanting or swirling in a large glass.
The 2018 vintage endured an unusually dry winter, followed by a cooler than normal summer with few heat spikes. In late summer the weather in Sonoma cooled and mists hung in the air, delaying harvest by almost a month. The longer hang time increased yields and added layers of complexity, while the mildness of summer did not cause spike in ripeness and alcohol. 14.5% ABV
The deep roots of Rodney Strong 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. After serving in the Navy in World War II, Rod 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.
The Judgement of Paris in 1976 established California wine as an equal on the world stage. The same year, Rodney Strong released the 1974 Alexander’s Crown Cabernet Sauvignon. Robert Parker rated the effort above all five Bordeaux First Growths in his first Wine Advocate newsletter, noting: “it is one of the finest cabernet ever made in California. If you can find it, consider yourself lucky.” Rodney Strong played an important role in establishing Sonoma County as a center for fine wine.
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 meet 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 the American Winery of the Year. In 2019, Rick Sayre became the winemaker emeritus and Justin Seidenfeld became director of winemaking, so this is one of the last Rodney Strong efforts directed by Sayre.
Rodney Strong Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 delivers good balance, depth, elegance, power. The 2018 vintage was unusual with dry conditions, mild summer, and mists that delayed harvest but did not put the wine out of balance. Pair with rich beef cuts; lamb—rack of lamb; wild game—venison, boar; beef stews; barbecue beef and pork; roasted vegetables. Cheese—cheddar, aged gouda, gorgonzola; aged cow’s milk cheese with some age; semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese with some age; slightly firm, soft-ripened cheese with earthy notes like triple-crème brie. $45-60
