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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2009 and 2013 (based on 4 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 85.8 pts. and median of 87 pts. in 51 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by pdbender on 11/24/2017 & rated 86 points: Medium bodied, bright cherry flavors with lasting finish. Had with a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner. (1437 views) | | | Tasted by tfharris on 2/1/2012 & rated 88 points: Popped and poured. Very solid Pinot Noir for the price. (7378 views) | | | Tasted by wynnewood500 on 8/7/2011: Light bodied with cherry flavors. No tannins. Pleaseant drinking. (8417 views) | | | Tasted by 022599 on 5/6/2011 & rated 78 points: very deceiving wine. not very good (8822 views) | | | Tasted by vanessa.langevin on 4/1/2011: Light soft red. Smoky bacon on the nose that comes from the 11 months it spends on lees, followed by red cherry pie with spices on the palate. Darker and more smoky than the Davis Bynum. (7617 views) | | | Tasted by NU14 Rick on 3/6/2011 & rated 88 points: Cherry on the nose, beautiful light red in color. Silky smooth with a spicy, subtle bite to it. Perfect for the turkey pot pie this is being paired with. (8327 views) | | | Tasted by Mark on 2/2/2011 & rated 84 points: Overall unremarkable. Medium color, light, nothign really stood out. (2665 views) | | | Tasted by kultcha on 1/25/2011 & rated 80 points: Pale red colour. Soft nose showing a bit of red fruit and some tannings. Pretty simple palate of red fruit with a touch of spice that is quite dominated towards the finish by oak. The light palate maybe have been to blame (or the over-oaking) but this wine had no balance between the fruit and the oak. Air did not help create balance, neither did drinking it over 3 days. This is definitely for people who don't mind strong oak on the palate of a delicate wine. (6847 views) | | | Tasted by mdmcgonigal on 12/2/2010 & rated 87 points: Strawberry notes in the nose. Very light flavors of berry and leather. More fruit as it finishes (4638 views) | | | Tasted by Texas Pete on 11/27/2010 & rated 87 points: Decent for the price. Went well with Thanksgiving dinner. Fruit up front but lacking on the finish. (4647 views) | | | Tasted by ghoztly on 11/15/2010 & rated 84 points: Not a lot of nose, but what was there smelled a little burnt with undertones of berries. Taste is a bit acidic, but with a fairly strong fruit front to it. A bit of an after taste on this short finish. Not one of the better Pinot's out there. (4723 views) | | | Tasted by bpobric on 10/26/2010 & rated 84 points: Light to medium color...Red fruit on the nose. Medium finish...Not impressed at all with this Pino...Not enough character. (2614 views) | | | Tasted by PIntag on 10/2/2010 & rated 81 points: Not getting much on the nose. Quite oaky and slightly bitter when first opened but it softened a bit with some air. Not a lot of varietal character here, as others have mentioned. (4881 views) | | | Tasted by teenaging on 9/24/2010 & rated 87 points: Light in color, slightly musty nose, pleasant taste - best with food (4956 views) | | | Tasted by Sid_Mac on 8/27/2010 & rated 85 points: Acceptable California Pinot for under $20. Some spice. (5118 views) | | | Tasted by tmdieker on 8/2/2010 & rated 75 points: One of the worst Pinot's I can remember. (5382 views) | | | Tasted by Macscom5 on 7/18/2010 & rated 87 points: Excellent after some time to open up (5404 views) | | | Tasted by NickMarshall on 7/8/2010 & rated 84 points: Heavy artificial oak on the nose after pop and pour. Smelled more like an average California Cabernet than a Pinot. I took a sip and knew I had to let this wine breathe. It was totally one dimensional and tasted like a thin Cabernet with heavy oak. Picked up the glass again after half an hour and got a little bit burned rubber on the nose, some vanilla, oak was still dominant. The oak mellowed out a bit in the mouth but not by much. Still tasted like a Cabernet than a Pinot. That said it was smooth but with a short finish. If you like oaky fruit bombs, you may like this wine. I certainly didn't. (5524 views) | | | Tasted by wineshaman on 6/20/2010 & rated 87 points: Soft, light body, easy to drink, with cherry and some vanilla notes, not overdone or too sweet. (5549 views) | | | Tasted by MeMyself&I on 6/14/2010 & rated 88 points: Nice RRV PN at a pretty good price point... (2633 views) | | | Tasted by dssmith on 6/7/2010 & rated 75 points: Is this a pinot noir? It says so on the label, but it does not taste like the many French Pinots that I have drunk. It is too fruit forward, there is too much tanin, the bouquet is barnyardish. For the price it may be an ok wine, but to drink this I imagine classic pinot is a stretch. (5662 views) | | | Tasted by leatonmb on 6/5/2010 & rated 89 points: lovely buttery feel. not overly fruit forward. medium body fairly well balanced. not heavy on tannins. plum and cherry (5679 views) | | | Tasted by Tickman on 4/24/2010 & rated 90 points: Love it. Opens up after breathing. Cherry notes and not dry. Smooth. Great finish. (5891 views) | | | Tasted by Hecht_Pede on 3/30/2010 & rated 90 points: popped and decanted 3 hours and it really needed it, very closed for the first few hours and kind of new world boring, but with time it became more and more burgundy like.
color: dark clear red with some brown hue.
nose: after 4 hours this kicked in with a nice perfumed nose of stinky cheese, herbs, shoepolish, orange peel and a rubber component.
palate: strawberry and sweet oranges , animal blood, earthy grass note, vegetables and soy sauce. well integrated firm tannins, nice long finish 30+sec. drinking great now but needs 4 hours decanting. (6441 views) | | | Tasted by drdebs on 2/28/2010 & rated 90 points: Earthy Pinot Noir with notes of raspberry and a touch of barnyard in the aromas. Earthy, berry flavors. Lots of allspice and clove in the finish, but a tad disjointed. Not sure if time would help, but it may. NB: Several days later, I'm notching this up as it's done nothing to improve over the past two days, sitting on the counter with just the cork in. Give it time. Ideal drinking: late 2010-2012. Thanksgiving?? (6112 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Rodney Strong Producer website
Tom Klein
Proprietor
A fourth generation California farmer, Tom earned a business degree from Stanford and spent the first part of his career as a management consultant at the San Francisco office of the prestigious global management firm McKinsey & Company. One project during this time was evaluating a small winery in the Russian River Valley called Rodney Strong Vineyards and, in a chance meeting, he was introduced to founder Rod Strong and winemaker Rick Sayre. Already developing an interest in wine, this encounter planted a seed that would grow into a lifelong passion.
Rick Sayre
Head Winemaker
Rick began his winemaking career at the age of 19 as an assistant winemaker and cellar master at Simi Winery in Sonoma County. He had the opportunity to train under the world-renowned winemaster André Tchelistcheff, who instilled in his young trainee a deep passion for the art of winemaking and a desire to not only master his craft, but continually push the boundaries of creativity. “André taught me that a winemaker must live with his wine,” Rick recalls, “from walking the vineyards to the careful craft of guiding the wine into bottle. Even the smallest details can have a lasting effect.”
When Rod Strong decided to take a step back from the demanding role of winemaker, he called upon Rick Sayre, who joined the team at Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1979. In more than three decades in the cellars, Rick has guided the wine collection to include world-class Reserve, Symmetry and Single-Vineyard releases, an outstanding line of Estate wines and best-in-class Sonoma County wines that continue to please vintage after vintage. His voracious appetite for new winemaking knowledge has taken him around the world, including trips to the wine regions of France, Australia, New Zealand and Spain
Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyRussian River Valley Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia |
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