Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
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Connoisseurs'
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Rich, lush and structured, the 2017 vintage displays intense aromas of black currant, cassis and crushed violet. This wine is velvety with a smooth, lingering finish of herbal notes, vanilla, and cocoa. Made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
A mid-volume, well-made, somewhat polished effort, this one has “drink now” charm at most every stop save for its tannic end on the palate. Its first nose of black cherries and creamy oak gets a further boost from a bit of Merlot-like openness, and the invitation of the nose extends into the wine’s fairly supple early texture and ripe flavors. At the finish, the wine runs into a fair bit of roughening tannin, but it can be enjoyed in the near term, and we suggest that it be paired with savory beef roasts to show at its best today. Of course, a few years of age could also be in order for it to soften out.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a lush, full-bodied red, made from several sites. Black peppercorn, tobacco and clove accent a strong core of toasted oak and rich black currant, finishing in vanilla cream.
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Founded by wine industry pioneer, Rod Strong, in 1959, Rodney Strong Vineyards is now owned by the Kleins, a farming-based family that prides itself on land stewardship and a relentless push for superior wine quality from Sonoma County. After purchasing the company in 1989, Tom Klein began the endeavor that today brings together excellent vineyards, the industry's finest winemaking equipment, and exceptional talent. The winery farms and sources grapes from vineyards throughout Sonoma County, focusing on Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill. Rodney Strong Vineyards is best known for its estate-bottled and vineyard-designated wines, and is also recognized for their sustainable and Fish Friendly Farming, dedication to solar energy production and becoming carbon neutral in 2009.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.