Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
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Enjoy this wine now with braised short ribs, roasted leg of lamb or roasted root vegetables.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The fragrant nose on this wine speaks, among many things, of violets and leaves. The bright acidity is endlessly refreshing and the elegance continues onto the plum and blackberry flavoured finish.
Rating: 95+ -
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Hooray for the Alexander Valley! The 2013 Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet is a real winner. This wine brings plenty of ripe red and black fruits to the fore. Its ripe tannins and oak accents at the finish pairs it superbly with a grilled ribeye. (Tasted: December 24, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, which is a selection of lots from the estate’s hillside vineyards in Alexander Valley, offers broad black cherry and blackberry fruit, more supple tannins, a full-bodied, layered style with beautiful purity and loads of berry fruit. The oak is noticeable but well-integrated. This is a big, classic, and pure style of wine to drink over the next 20 years. Rating: 90+.
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Wine Enthusiast
Soft and packed with oak spice, this 100% varietal wine from a selection of sites shows rich blackberry and tobacco flavors. It has power, an approachable structure and a rich, layered, long-lasting finish.
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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.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Nearly a northern extension of Napa Valley, Alexander Valley starts just north of the small, Knights Valley, and is just a few minutes drive from the Napa town of Calistoga. It is Sonoma County’s hottest AVA. But the Russian River, which runs through the valley, creates cooler pockets and its soft, alluvial soil is ideal for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, some believe that Alexander Valley Cabernets truly rival the best from Napa Valley and many of the heavy-hitter producers have largely invested here.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes up over 50% of plantings, Merlot and old vine Zinfandel thrive here. Ample, fleshy Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white wine production. Some old-vine plantings of Grenache have also been discovered and more recent experiments with Sangiovese and Barbera show great promise.