Travel Tips

Suzy Gershman’s Bottle Blogs: Part Three in Sonoma County

Locations in this article:  Las Vegas, NV Paris, France San Francisco, CA Santa Barbara, CA Shanghai, China

Wine bottle glassDear Peter,
So there I was, driving toward Jordan Winery in the Alexander Valley of Sonoma County and I pass vines that have the Rodney Strong label posted over them.

I am very excited to be able to test both these wines together as I have recently enjoyed an earth-moving experience with Rodney Strong and my grocery store.

It was a few weeks before I left Texas, I was making a leg of lamb for a dinner party and I wanted a nice big wine to go with it.

Like most people, I often buy my wine at the supermarket and I choose by color, grape and price. Because I like a Shiraz (also called Syrah), and I like to pay between $10-15 per bottle, I chose from an unknown-to-me firm, Rodney Strong.

If you haven’t read it, don’t miss Suzy’s First Bottle Blog here. Her second Bottle Blog is here.

The wine was exceptional and I became a fan immediately. Imagine my surprise to find the vines so close to Jordan. Imagine my surprise to learn the difference between a vineyard and a winery.

Pinot noir grapes - photo by Andy KatzAs it turns out, yes those are some of the Rodney Strong vineyards, but the visitor’s center and all the winery-related events take place many miles away, just south of  the town of Healdsburg and right up alongside Highway 101 (Redwood Highway exit).

It took about 15 minutes to get there from Alexander Valley Road and Jordan Winery, but turned out to be worth the drive if only to pass the town square of Healdsburg and to drive the short distance from the highway on what appears to be one of the last authentic farm routes in California Wine Country.

The Rodney Strong Winery did not look that inviting and if I did not know the brand, I probably would not have chosen to stop—or would not even be anywhere in this neighborhood, as you must seek out the address.

The center itself looks something like a bunker; you walk up many stairs before you arrive.

Don’t miss more gorgeous photos of wine county in Vineyards of Sonoma County, a gallery by Andy Katz.

Tasting Room Then you pass over the barrel room and into a gift shop-cum-tasting bar that can be jammed with visitors (especially on a weekend).

Yet within seconds of being at the bar, I knew it was all worthwhile. By luck, our “pourer” (for richer or for pourer, I kept thinking) looked like an aging rock star who knew his tannins from his nose. Ask for John if you get a chance, as he made this one of the best wine tastings of my visit simply because of his knowledge and style of pour.

We started off by confessing we were driving and heading onward to a dinner, so could not drink too much. John brought forward the spit bucket. Then he did five flights of wines in pairs so that you can actually taste the differences. One flight was a triple header.

Read more of Suzy’s wine adventures in her Postcard from San Francisco.

Pinot noir leaf - photo by Andy KatzRodney Strong offers full-bodied, tasty wines at a moderate price. The tasting fees are among the lowest in the area: $5 for four pours, or $10 for four pours if you trade up to the more expensive stuff (which usually costs $60-$75 a bottle anyway). Stepping away from the premium wines, the story at Rodney Strong (hmmm, the Strong suit?) is price and value. Most of the wines retail from $10-15.

We began with two Pinot Noirs—the estate and the reserve, with vintage years noted. In all cases, the estate wines were lighter than the reserve wines … and I preferred the reserve wines. Not that my preference has anything to do with it.

Most of the wines we tasted were ready to drink but could also be laid down to age. To me, the estate wines needed aging more than the reserve wines, but what do I know?

The two Pinots were amazingly different and I was dazzled by this tasting method. We moved on to a set of Zins, side by side; then the Syrah and finally some Cabs. The Cabernet tasting turned into a ménage a trios when John poured the single-estate 2005 Rockaway Cabernet Sauvignon, which retails for $75 a bottle (limit of two bottles per customer; only available at the visitors center).

Pinot noir vines - photo by Andy KatzAll three of the cabs were nice, but the Rockaway was so extraordinary that it was a lesson unto itself. On the other hand, just because you can taste the difference doesn’t mean you can afford a $60 bottle of wine. Still, it was a treat just to try it.

We then went to Meritage, which I tend to pronounce in the French fashion (this is not correct) even though this is a totally American blend not even offered in France. So it’s “meritije” not “meritajh.”

When I thought we were done (and still sober), John suggested we try the ports. Traditionally speaking, port is made with a mixture of wine and brandy. When we sipped the True Gentleman port (79 percent Zin, 20 percent Syrah, 1 percent Pinot plus brandy from Mendocino), I went so crazy that in one sweep I pulled my wallet out of my handbag and insisted on buying a bottle ($30).

As a port, it is sweet—but so rich and yummy that I can imagine myself in bed with it each night, sipping my way to sweet dreams.

Port-able kisses,
SuzyKG

By Suzy Gershman for PeterGreenberg.com. Visit Suzy on the Web at www.suzygershman.com, and check out more of her “Bottle Blogs” at www.borntoshoplady.blogspot.com.