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 Vintage2017 Label 1 of 78 
TypeRed
ProducerRodney Strong (web)
VarietyPinot Noir
Designationn/a
Vineyardn/a
CountryUSA
RegionCalifornia
SubRegionSonoma County
AppellationRussian River Valley
OptionsShow variety and appellation
UPC Code(s)087512927957

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2020 and 2022 (based on 13 user opinions)

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 33 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by BHwine on 4/13/2023 & rated 86 points: I have been drinking this vintage for about 2 years now and it has been great. It was my go to pinot for the price if i want a mid week wine. I must say it's on the down side now. It has lost some of it's luster and if you have any left i would drink it up. I will definitely keep buying the newer vintages because it's a great pinot for the price. (528 views)
 Tasted by Chardawnay on 3/18/2023: Yum! (520 views)
 Tasted by Turtlerider on 2/5/2023: Having with salmon tonight… (631 views)
 Tasted by Pontifax on 4/26/2022 & rated 87 points: So a foray into Cali Pinot this week....
On nose: smoke , oak and cherry pits.
On palate: all above notes, with bramble, cloves and damp earth, " trying" to chime in...
I say this because the 14.5% alcohol swamps the fruit and other notes with its persistence....clearly a very hot Summer in this region, in this vintage perhaps specifically.......more a cool climate Pinot Noir, New Zealand PN and Burgundy fan....over 20 years, I have found only ONE Cali Pinot that hit the mark for me....a 2004 Hanzell tasted back in 2010....and there you have it. (1233 views)
 Tasted by Z1nnfull on 1/9/2022 & rated 90 points: This wine never ceases to amaze us - the price versus the quality (QPR) and how early the drinking window opens. Had it with whole chicken in the smoker and sides, and what a great pairing! (grilled salmon, also). This is just past 4 years and is in an ideal drinking window. 100% varietally correct; fruit is neither too robust or timid, everything balanced.
Have to rate this as one of the best red wines for the money, year in and year out. (1716 views)
 Tasted by Billybobbillybob2 on 10/14/2021 & rated 90 points: Really nice wine regardless of the price , found this at Costco, was a bit shocked at how good it was, ran back and bought the remaining 2017s. Not a delicate flower if that is your thing, Has some good structure, sturdiness, a bit of smoke and good concentration. I am wondering if it will improve with a little cellar time? (1499 views)
 Tasted by bluehorseshoe on 10/5/2021 & rated 90 points: How can they produce a Pinot that tastes this good for $14? Nothing fancy, just really good juice. Smells and tastes like Pinot Noir. Great weeknight wine! (1431 views)
 Tasted by bluehorseshoe on 9/22/2021 & rated 90 points: Beautiful crimson color. Clear and shimmering in the glass. Great nose and rich mouthfeel. Outstanding QPR at $14. (1371 views)
 Tasted by bluehorseshoe on 6/28/2021 & rated 90 points: Good for $14. Hard to find decent Pinot Noir at this price point. Earthy notes with smoke and red cherries. Early in the drinking window…should be good for 3 to 5 years. (905 views)
 Tasted by flussier on 6/25/2021 & rated 90 points: Pinot rond avec un nez charmeur. Sur des arômes de fumer, de fruit rouge confiture et de boisé Vin facile d’approche, sans prétention a un prix raisonnable. (756 views)
 Tasted by Jzizzle on 4/25/2021 & rated 89 points: This has lots of (attractive) oak, smoke, sweet candy red fruit, Quite full in the mouth. The California sunshine makes for a much splashier pinot experience. Pleasant, but not the elegance and prettiness of lighter versions I'm more accustomed to. (693 views)
 Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 3/8/2021 & rated 92 points: Retail $25. This is now the third bottle of this wine I've tried that I had originally for my Third Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir and it continues to impress. While this bottle is slightly lower (at least in score) than the other two, but still similar notes.

http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com (850 views)
 Tasted by PBC-PZ Wine on 2/5/2021: Slightly bitter after taste. Not as nice as Meiomi. (828 views)
 Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 1/21/2021 & rated 94 points: Retail $25. While this lists at 25 bucks, it is available in most markets for under twenty bucks. Last year at this time, for my Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir, I found this delightful. I still do. A Classic New World Pinot nose here: plenty of fresh red and black cherry, eucalyptus, and touches of spice and earth. Yum. The palate more than holds up to the nose with luscious fruit, balancing acidity, and a marvelous finish. Gangbusters. Outstanding.

http://www.thedrunkencyclist.com (984 views)
 Tasted by Worldb on 1/16/2021 & rated 91 points: Agree with The D.C. note...for 17.99 it is the best sub 20$ pinot I've had in a long time. Will buy more. RRV characteristics...strong nose with long finish....spice picks up after 30 minutes. Really good. (677 views)
 Tasted by davesmith1957 on 1/4/2021 & rated 88 points: No big deal. We paid $15 for this bottle and it tastes like a $15 pinot. Definitely a Pinot but not sophisticated or refined. (690 views)
 Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 11/24/2020 & rated 94 points: The Third Annual Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir (My House, Houston, TX): Retail $20. A Classic New World Pinot nose here: plenty of fresh red and black cherry, eucalyptus, and touches of spice and earth. Yum. The palate more than holds up to the nose with luscious fruit, balancing acidity, and a marvelous finish. Gangbusters. Excellent. 94 Points. thedrunkencyclist.com (1294 views)
 Tasted by Brent25 on 11/7/2020 & rated 88 points: Clear pale ruby; clean medium plus nose of red cherry jam, moist soil, toast and baking spices; dry; medium plus acidity; medium minus tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; palate has fruit payoff and addition of coffee; medium plus finish; drink now; a serviceable Pinot (1028 views)
 Tasted by ColinR on 11/1/2020 & rated 87 points: Garnet; cherries, wild strawberries, barnyard, soil, ripe apples, black licorice; ripe sour cherry, earthy, savoury, light-medium body, good acidity, slightly astringent, soft tannins, decent finish
Fragrant nose of cherries and strawberries with a hint of sweaty gym clothes. Flavour didn't follow however as it was somewhat lean. Still good for the midweek. (832 views)
 Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine...

Professional 'Channels'
By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (3/28/2022)
(Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Sonoma County Russian River Valley, Red, United States) Subscribe to see review text.
By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (3/24/2021)
(Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text.
By Michael Godel
WineAlign (3/20/2021)
(Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text.
By David Lawrason
WineAlign (3/19/2021)
(Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Sonoma County red) Subscribe to see review text.
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JamesSuckling.com and WineAlign. (manage subscription channels)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

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

2017 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

“100% P.N.; 11 months in 100% FR oak barrels, 36% new; 14.5% ABV, 0.55g/100mL T.A., & 3.50 pH [Info from the downloadable Trade pdf];”

https://costcowineblog.com/2017-rodney-strong-russian-river-pinot-noir/ has a free review of this, + the ff’ing medals from competitive judgings:

’21: [Results avail as of 7/21/21]: Golds @ Winemaker Challenge & Monterey Int’l; Silvers @ West Coast Wine Comp, S.F. Chronicle, Rodeo Uncorked Int’l, & Press Democrat N. Coast Wine Challenge;

’20: Double Gold & Best of Class @ Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Double Gold @ Harvest Terroir Challenge, & Silver @ Dan Berger Int’l

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.

USA

American 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.

California

2021 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 County

Mendocino County

Russian River Valley

Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia

 
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