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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2012 and 2015 (based on 15 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 86.7 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 166 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Harley1199 on 4/28/2014: Limpid cherry colour.
Perfumed nose of petals of rose and liquor cherries. A bit four-squared.
Palate is savoury yet uncomplicated. Medium bodied mouthfeel. Nice bitterness.
If compared with last 2006 La Crema this is quite similar but just a step down.
Paired with well-aged Parmesan Reggiano. Yes, cheese was superior...
De color cereza transparente.
Nariz perfumada a pétalos de rosa y cerezas en licor. Un poco cuadriculada.
La boca es sabrosa aunque sin complejidades. La textura corresponde a un vino de cuerpo medio. Rica amargura.
Si la comparamos con la última La Crema 2006 es bastante simple pero sólo un escalón por debajo.
Acompañó un Parmesano añejo. El queso estaba superior... (8251 views) | | | Tasted by Treblid on 12/11/2013 & rated 88 points: For a $15 pinot it was very good and went well with take-out Greek. It's not a pahlmeyer but like I said it was $15. (8050 views) | | | Tasted by LindaFox on 10/3/2013 & rated 90 points: pale red with aromas of earth and mushrooms, flavors of coffee, oak, earth, and licorice. Not a lot of fruit. Light in body and tannin, vibrant acidity, long finish. complex. (6933 views) | | | Tasted by RonT on 5/31/2013 & rated 87 points: Nice body and deep color for a Pinot. Cherry, oak, vanilla and some light spice. This is a good solid wine but may be overly oaked for may. Nice acid, tannin, fruit balance with a long finish. (7005 views) | | | Tasted by Chris Ryan on 1/20/2013 & rated 88 points: Medium ruby; nose of spice and cherry. Dry, almost-medium acidity, low tannins, medium body. Nice complex red fruits in the mouth, well balanced sour and sweet, with smoky wooden background. (Others here have noted cola, and it's an interesting observation—I don't disagree.) Good length with a finish of cherry and oak.
Interesting to note that the vineyard claims to be carbon neutral and uses solar power. (3473 views) | | | Tasted by catmccon on 12/23/2012 & rated 92 points: This reminds me why I love pinot. Fruit forward, perfect with Christmas dinner at Folly- finishes with a hint of pepper. Get a different taste with each sip- complicated in a relaxing sort of way. Really, really nice. (2317 views) | | | Tasted by birdiefour on 12/21/2012 & rated 90 points: Nice pinot....new world style, California type, not as fruit-driven as most Oregon pinots. A lot of funk on the nose but only a little on the palate. (6142 views) | | | Tasted by soyhead on 11/14/2012 & rated 90 points: nose - complex, chestnut, oak, musky, rich
mouth - root beer, forest floor, complex
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seemingly improved considerably since i tried it last year (3291 views) | | | Tasted by Frank_A_M on 9/19/2012 & rated 87 points: Just ok, nothing special. (5931 views) | | | Tasted by The Kokopelli on 9/9/2012 & rated 88 points: Transparent ruby hued with a light body, the Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir has a nose that features lightly charred oak, strawberry, rich earthy tones, and vanilla. Smooth and light on its feet, it has tastes of tart cherries, healthy minerality, and a little hint of cinnamon. Not the sweet kind, like in a cinnamon roll, but sharp zing of a hard cinnamon candy. The finish is short, with cherries, oak, and cinnamon. This ones seems best right out of the bottle. Not an over-performer, but a sold Pinot Noir in the below $20 price range. (5186 views) | | | Tasted by Dan & Krista Stockman on 8/20/2012 & rated 90 points: Yummy. Great with lamb chops. Big shoulders but light in the mouth, lots of fruit and a long finish. (2377 views) | | | Tasted by snarfglk on 8/7/2012 & rated 88 points: Beautiful strawberry notes, this is drinking well. (2118 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Slick on 8/7/2012 & rated 89 points: Old World in style with lots of black fruit and earthy elements of forest floor, mulch, and a touch of barnyard. Feels heftier than its mid-body would suggest. Balanced, with a nice texture, fine acidity, and a refined sweetness. Very nice. (3116 views) | | | Tasted by VancouverRay on 7/16/2012 & rated 88 points: An hour in the decanter did a lot for this one. (5081 views) | | | Tasted by alexandersford on 7/9/2012 & rated 88 points: Surprisingly tasty and a great value at the price. Right in line with '09 Russian River Valley Pinots. (3735 views) | | | Tasted by CarlCP on 6/9/2012 & rated 89 points: Light violet color
Nose is a spicy, little smokey, light cherry
Taste is light berry,g cherry
Finish is long smooth cherry (3163 views) | | | Tasted by Jayarr on 5/28/2012 & rated 88 points: Pleasantly surprised with this one. Was expecting some more California Kool Aid but had more complexity than I thought would albeit not much but still, it was more than just cherry drink. Some earth and briar kept it a but more interesting. (3261 views) | | | Tasted by greenwalter on 2/3/2012 & rated 88 points: Medium weight, red fruit, nice acidity and balance. Not complex, nothing on the nose. (4382 views) | | | Tasted by greenwalter on 2/3/2012 & rated 86 points: Good acidity, cherries. But kind of hollow. (4297 views) | | | Tasted by ilsa on 1/23/2012 & rated 72 points: Generally I'm a fan of Rodney Strong, but this bottling truly disappointed. Weak in color, thin in body, one-dimensional sour cherry on the palate on night one. A return to the wine the next night confirmed its unbalanced state, proffering nothing but high alcohol. Reluctantly, I discarded the bottle rather than suffer through another evening. Avoid. (2854 views) | | | Tasted by Congilough on 1/22/2012 & rated 80 points: good a bit thin (4565 views) | | | Tasted by ChemicalBuddha1979 on 1/15/2012 & rated 92 points: I had this wine almost a full day after it had been opened. We threw a party on the night of the 14th, and one of our guests had opened it. Unfortunately (or perhaps, fortunately) I didn't get to enjoy it on that day, but I pumped the air out and stored it overnight before having a glass with my lunch on the 15th. It was very obvious to me, at that point, that I was drinking a very tasty wine. Judging by some of the reviews I have read about this Pinot, it appears that aerating/decanting may certainly be key. Also, this wine may still have some aging to do; the reviews I've read seem to be getting better over time.
This wine was purple-red in color, but very light and clear. Overall, the body was light-to-medium in weight. The nose had some degree of complexity. It didn't have too much going on, but the aromas were certainly distinct and easily separable. I got dried cranberries, some woodsiness/autumn leaves, and a little bit of oak. On the palate, this wine was a little tart. I didn't taste much sugar, but I got a little more intense sweetness, almost bitterness, like vanilla, or vanilla-flavored dark chocolate. I also tasted a little creaminess here. The finish was short and peppery. Low in tannins, low in acidity. (4046 views) | | | Tasted by cat butt on 1/13/2012 & rated 80 points: Thin, harsh, very short finish - almost as good as the $10 "bicycle pinot" from my local wine store... (4614 views) | | | Tasted by fforte393 on 1/13/2012 & rated 80 points: This wine had a nice bright ruby color. The nose was a bit overpowering with regard to oak, hiding any other nuances and aromas. After breathing for awhile, there was noticeable strawberry and some vanilla with cinnamon, all indicative of strong oak. There was no finish, and unfortunately no character or depth. I think for this price point, ($18 or so) this wine is decent, but not memorable. (4622 views) | | | Tasted by toddmk on 1/4/2012: As much as you can expect for a sub $20 pinot. A pretty decent expression of the pinot grape with cherry and earthy notes coming through. Low tannins make this an easy drinker but this lacks complexity and the flavors come across somewhat weak on the palate. (4592 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By David Lawrason
WineAlign (5/27/2011)
(Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (5/27/2011)
(Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Steve Thurlow
WineAlign (1/1/2011)
(Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/22/2011)
(Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River Valley) Focused, black cherry, black raspberry nose; tart, black cherry, black raspberry, cola palate; medium finish 87 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of WineAlign and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| 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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