Spring In Sonoma County/Rodney Strong Vineyards/

As we enjoy this beautiful spring day we should think about having dinner outside tonight.We have a few amazing wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards,and I'm thinking a few smaller courses,and THEN a main course...Let's get started!We have three single vineyard Cabernet and the fabled Symmetry,and have added the Cooley Ranch Syrah.I hope you are hungry!!??First we will take a look at the tasting notes and a little of this great history from Rodney Strong Vineyards! The Alexander Valley AVA is 22 miles long, ranging in elevation from 150 to 1500 feet above sea level, and is home to our three single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Our winegrowers have found the very best grapes grow on higher elevated western slopes, or as they say, the “sweet spots”. Spread throughout our three vineyards, we’ve determined the best blocks are typically located just below the ridge tops with a western facing aspect to capture the full warmth and light of the afternoon sun. In the northernmost hills near our Brothers vineyard, with average growing-season temperatures of 67 degrees, heat dominates, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen well. In the middle of the valley, Rockaway vineyard, with average temperatures of 62 degrees, balances heat and Pacifi c Ocean cooling breezes – allowing for classic structure development. The even cooler Alexander’s Crown vineyard, with average temperatures of 59 degrees in the southern valley, yields more delicate, “feminine” style Cabernet Sauvignon. In the distance of only 12 short miles, average temperatures change eight degrees among our vineyards during growing season, thereby allowing three very different expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Vineyards Established in 1971 and recognized as the first vineyard in Alexander Valley to produce a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander’s Crown vineyard is perched on a hill in the south of the Alexander Valley just west of Jimtown. Encompassing 63 acres, the vineyard is in the first part of the valley to feel cool Pacific breezes each afternoon. We use Block 1, the top 15 acres of well drained red volcanic soil to craft this wine, resulting in intensely flavored Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2013 Symmetry is a luxurious bouquet of blackberries, black cherry, plum and crushed lavender which unfold on the palate with silky layers of black fruits, dark chocolate covered espresso beans and baking spices. This wine is rich, harmonious and elegant with a long, lingering finish. Enjoy this wine now with a Beef Bourguignon, a lamb roast or a roasted vegetable tart or cellar for enjoyment for years to come. Food pairings Enjoy this wine now with a Beef Bourguignon, a lamb roast or a roasted vegetable tart. History With over 40 years of experience growing classic French grape varieties in Alexander Valley, we select our best Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other traditional Bordeaux grapes from the hills that overlook the valley, where well-drained rocky soils combine with warm, sunny days and cool nights to provide ideal growing conditions. Select areas within each vineyard are hand harvested, fermented separately and aged in the finest French oak barrels. After about six months, each lot is tasted and graded; only the highest graded wines are considered for Symmetry. The blend is then assembled, and the wine is returned to barrels to facilitate flavor integration. The wine is aged an additional 12 to 20 months, before bottling. We could have our hands full with these wines,BUT I want to add this next wine to our dinner today.This will be the first time tasting this wine for me,but I love the concept,and can't wait to enjoy this beautiful Syrah from Rodney Strong Vineyards. Syrah, the noble grape of France’s Rhone valley, has shown that it is particularly well suited to the soils and climate of the North Coast, a cool, fog laden region in the far northern reaches of Sonoma County. We crafted this Syrah in our cellar where we employ techniques such as cluster pre-sorting, berry sorting, cold soaking and a free-run juice utilization in a truly state of the art facility, with small tanks sized for the most discriminating vineyard selection process. Using a traditional Rhone winemaking technique, we co-ferment the Syrah with Viognier. The Vineyards Winter 2012 was very mild, as was the spring of 2013, which encouraged an early bud break. The summer was warm, with a hot spell in June and some misty weather in July, though mostly warm. August and September were fi lled with 80-90°F days, ideal temperatures for balanced ripening. Overall the 2013 vintage proved to be warmer than any of the previous 20 years. We picked the Syrah for this wine October 4th. So are u ready?Let's pour a glass of one of these great wines and listen to the new features on these wines!!Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards. Click here and join us as we enjoy great wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards.