Pale gold color; lemon, citrus, tangerine, yellow apple, pear, vanilla, butter, oak spice on the nose and palate.
Dry; very bright acidity (3.17 pH). Rich, medium body. Light tartness. The 2021 vintage was mild and dry, a nice respite from the fires of 2020. The winemakers anticipated ideal ripening conditions, maybe an early harvest. Mother Nature had other plans (no surprise there). The website notes: “The old Wente clone Chardonnay was planted on the famed St. George rootstock in 1977 in our Shiloh vineyard, up against the foothills of the Mayacamas mountain range that rise just to the east. It yielded 2 tons per acre this harvest, far less than the average for Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley.”
Rodney Strong winemaker Justin Seidenfeld executed cluster pre-sorting and extended maceration. The winery employs small tanks for precise vineyard selection, followed by informed blending. The wine spent 14 months in French oak, 53% new, engendering the well-done oak notes. The Russian River Valley’s climate is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean. The region experiences warm, sunny days followed by cool, foggy nights as fogs roll in through the Petaluma Gap, helping generate acidity. The diurnal shift often can be 30 to 40 degrees. That is how you get 3.17 pH. 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 Russian River Valley Reserve Chardonnay, 2021 is a rich, premium pour from quality maker. Skillfully touches all the bases of the oak and malo Russian River style; avoids cartoony excess. Pair with shellfish; rich fish; seafood in general; chicken, turkey, duck; pork; salads and vegetarian fare; portobello mushrooms; movie theatre popcorn. Cheese—triple-crème cheeses, camembert, brie, sharp cheddar, mild blue cheese, sheep’s milk cheeses. $46-50