Rodney Strong- Wine Club Insert

I am pleased to present you with three single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons from Rodney Strong’s 2010 vintage. This is quite a treat, as it is the first time in Rodney Strong’s history that we have been able to release three wines from the same vintage at one time. It truly demonstrates how fantastic our vineyards are and the quality of fruit that each produces. 

 

The 2010 growing season proved to be quite cool, with a fairly wet spring evolving into a cool summer. As a result, a touch of acidity remained in the fruit at harvest, resulting in wines that are vivacious and punctuated by dark fruit. A cool summer also meant longer hang time on the vine, which allowed the grapes to mature fully and produce wines with soft tannins. September ended up being favorably warm, which gave our fruit a gentle ripening push, resulting in an excellent harvest. Winemaker Greg Morthole noted that the 2010 vintage is one of his favorites and may be “a dark horse” for those who track vintages. 

 

The first 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon in your shipment is made from fruit sourced from the Rockaway vineyard. Rising to an elevation of 750 feet, this vineyard’s soil is comprised primarily of gravelly clay and sandstone. This well-drained earth encourages the production of small berries, which are ideal for making bold, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon with a juicy mouthfeel and elegant mid-palate. In 2010, we decided to co-ferment the Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec and Petit Verdot together in a single tank. Cofermentation allows the grapes to fuse together both aromatically and texturally, resulting in a wine with depth and complexity. 

 

The second wine in your shipment is made with fruit sourced from the Brother’s Ridge vineyard. Located east of Cloverdale, Brother’s Ridge has an elevation above 1,000 feet and a western face perfectly situated to capture the full warmth and light of the afternoon sun. We usually harvest this vineyard at two different times because the base of the slope (Block 1) always ripens first. Planted to clone 337, Brother’s Ridge produces a Cabernet with rich amounts of cassis, chocolate, and ripe tannins. 

 

The third 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon in your shipment is composed of fruit grown in the Alexander’s Crownvineyard. Established in 1971, Alexander’s Crown is distinguished as being the first vineyard in Sonoma County to produce a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. We couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to work with this exceptional vineyard. Rising 350 feet, the Crown is the first vineyard in the valley to feel the afternoon ocean breeze, and as a result produces an almost Bordeaux-like Cabernet Sauvignon, with a palate of red fruit, soft tannins, and balanced acidity. 

 

I am honored to be sharing these three magnificent, single vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignons with you this spring. I trust that you will enjoy them as much as I do, whether they’re enjoyed now, or laid down to reach further complexity in the bottle.