Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheers! It’s my favorite day of the month, Wine Blogging Wednesday! For those who are unfamiliar, Wine Blogging Wednesday is a monthly event when wine bloggers from around the globe all write about a common topic. And it’s not just another Wine Blogging Wednesday, it’s the 4th anniversary of this monthly event and as such the founder of the event, Lenn Thompson from Lenndevours is hosting. The topic he selected for today is “Back to Your Roots,” an opportunity to revisit a wine from early in our wine consuming days.

I reflected for a while about the wines I bought in my early years. Quite frankly, I can’t remember many of them. I recall drinking lots wines from Bolla, some from Barton & Guestier, and I’m sure there were many 1.5 liter bottles of pure swill in my early wine days. But there is one wine that I recall with affection, Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.

It was about 12 years ago that I first discovered Rodney Strong wines. I would guess it was the 1994 or 1995 vintage of Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, which was an era of growth for Rodney Strong under the then relatively new owner Tom Klein.

At the time I was on a rather limited budget—I worked in television back then, which is probably the lowest paying profession any college graduate can pursue. I was only buying the cheapest of cheap wine in those days, but a friend of mine found a case of Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon in his father’s basement and we pilfered it. Actually, the dad was out of town for several months—so we had plenty of time to work our way through this case of wine.

It was fantastic. I recall how significantly more enjoyable it was than my typical wine purchases of the day. Then when I looked for it in wine shops I was surprised to find it reasonably priced at under $10. It was still more than I wanted to spend back then (I was really poor), but it planted the seed that eventually bloomed into this website.

Every now and then over the years I’ve picked up a bottle of Rodney Strong to reflect on that early discovery. Some vintages have been disappointing and it gradually crept up in price over the years, which has resulted in its removal from my regular purchase list. But I still have an affinity for it and I plan to visit the winery this Fall.

2005 Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon

And so, I once again revisit the Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2005 vintage. The nose is a delightful bouquet of vanilla, cedar, plum and blackberry. The palate is bold and earthy, with lots oak. There is certainly some black cherry flavor, but the fruit is somewhat restrained on the palate. The finish is spicy and tannic, leaving a nice mouth feel. It’s a solid Cabernet and it’s enjoyable, but also rather simple and predictable.

Wine: Rodney Strong Sonoma County
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 13.8%
Rating: 85
Price Paid: $14.97