Rodney Still Going Strong in Sonoma County

One of Strong's favourite quotes, and one he used often when visiting Vancouver was, "it was easier to be an old winemaker than an old dancer." To that end, he opened the winery in 1959 and spent the latter part of his life extolling the virtues of Cabernet Sauvignon in Sonoma County.

It was no easy job given the notoriety of nearby Napa Valley where Cabernet is king, but Strong, like many pioneers, had a vision that kept him focused. What Strong started, San Francisco businessman Tom Klein seems determined to finish or at least bring to fruition since he purchased the winery in 1989. Klein has built an impressive team of people led by chief winemaker Rick Sayre.

Sayre's first harvest was 1979 and more than 30 years down the road, Rodney Strong has become a beacon of the Alexander Valley, a region often thought to be too warm to produce high-quality reds.

Sayre's team has dismissed that fallacy and more with a trio of excellent hillside, single vineyard reds.

The iconic and now revamped Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon (it is about to be re-released beginning with the 2008 vintage), the Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon and the Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon each tell a story of terroir and exposition that would make Rodney the dancer fly through the air. Sayre is also responsible for establishing the "Winery within the Winery" at Rodney Strong. The blocks, be they single clones, or grapes grown on a special soil type, are tracked from the minute they enter the winery until they are bottled.

Sayre's sidekick is the youthful Greg Morthole, who began working at Rodney Strong in 2005, and has quickly progressed to become the "Winery within a Winery" winemaker and is now responsible for another Klein family acquisition, the boutique Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay winery Davis Bynum.

Both winemakers work with viticulturalist Doug McIlroy, who in addition to his winegrowing responsibilities, has led the winery's quest to be sustainable inside and out. McIlroy employs numerous green practices across the winery's 13 estate vineyards, and has been instrumental in the Rodney Strong winery achieving carbon neutrality in 2009.

Of course, none of this means much unless you can deliver in the bottle and at the moment Sayre, Morthole and McIlroy are collectively making all that happen and more.

The transformation of Rodney Strong Chardonnay 2009 is complete. Cool nights and warm afternoons produce a vibrant Chardonnay that is now a 40/60 blend of barreland stainless steel-fermented fruit grown in the Russian River, Alexander Valley, and Sonoma Coast appellations. Look for a bright, citrus nose with hazelnuts and baked apple and peachy-fruit flavours in the finish. Terrific value here.

Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007 has an enticing blackberry jam, chocolate, spicy nose that previews a rich, warm glossy palate with fine-grained tannins. The vintage gets an upgrade with the re-launch of Alexander's Crown, postponed in 2007 in favour of 2008, leaving the best fruit from the Crown available to the Reserve Cabernet label. Expect an intense-style red with smoky, blackberry jam, tobacco and savoury, dried herbs underneath. Much better balanced than the 2006 showing more finesse and style. Best with a grilled steak or lamb.

There is richness and roundness to Davis Bynum Chardonnay 2008 that can be seductive, especially when you add a creamy lees character. All that and more is at the heart of this DB Chardonnay flecked with honey, vanilla and ripe apricot fruit with smooth hazelnut finish. There's just enough acidity to keep it fresh and food friendly. Impressive.

The Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 2009 is a mix of several clones -all grown on gravelly loam soils in the Russian River Valley. The Bynum style is lush, aided by rich, warm Russian River-style Pinot fruit. The '09 opens with smoky, black cherry fruit notes that carry through the entire wine. It's all Pinot -so big and rich in the mouth with an equally full-flavoured spicy finish. It is hedonistic Pinot selling at an affordable price.

The Rodney Strong Symmetry 2007 is one of the best we have seen from this producer. Eschewing the "Meritage" moniker, this Bordeaux blend reminds us that grapes ripen in California. The plate is supple with fine-grained tannins; the flavours a mix of vanilla, blackberry jam, cedar, smoke, chocolate and coffee. It's warm but well balanced, and youthful. Needs two to three years to soften. Only sold in private wine shops.

The Rodney Strong Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is blockbuster Alexander Valley red that would likely thrill its founder would he be around today. The vineyard rises to some 225 metres and when combined with a dry year like '07, the result is small clusters and small berries. Considered a great year at Rockaway, the wine is immense in structure and intensity yet with enough restraint to show some style. Sweet cassis fruit recedes into a jacket of small-grained tannins and excellent acidity. A decade from now this will over deliver at a tenth of the price of top classified Bordeaux.

Price: $21

UPC: 087512913257

Score: 89/100

Remarks: New Age Sonoma Chardonnay.

Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

Price: $66

UPC: 087512075283

Score: 91/100

Remarks: Intense red wine with smoky, blackberry jam and savoury, dried herbs.

Davis Bynum Chardonnay 2008, Russian River, Sonoma County, California

Price: $29

UPC: 0087512887268

Score: 91/100

Remarks: Chardonnay flecked with honey, vanilla and ripe apricot fruit. Impressive.

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 2009, Russian River, Sonoma County, California

Price: $35

UPC: 0087512887459

Score: 91/100

Remarks: Hedonistic Pinot at an affordable price.

Rodney Strong Symmetry 2007, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

Price: $97, private wine stores only

UPC: 087512075337

Score: 92/100

Remarks: One of the best Symmetrys we have tasted; only sold in private wine shops.

Rodney Strong Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

Price: $113 Everything Wine only

UPC: N/A

Score: 94/100

Remarks: A blockbuster red for the cellar.