About this winery

Rodney Strong Vineyards is dedicated to Sonoma County. The winery was established in 1959 by Rod Strong, one of the first pioneers of the modern wine industry in California, as the 13th bonded winery in Sonoma County. Rick Sayre, current Director of Winemaking, joined in 1979. Since 1989, the winery has been privately owned by the Klein family, a fourth generation California agricultural family. Rodney Strong Vineyards grow and produce wines exclusively from four of Sonoma County's finest...

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Production notes

The 2015 vintage was warm overall, but cooler than the previous few years. Budbreak was very early, weeks ahead of average. Yields were very low, half of what they were the previous vintage. The low yields led to sugars accumulating much faster in the clusters than the speed at which ripening was occurring. Cool and warm to hot weather alternated the rest of the summer. The acidity and tannins in the berries remained firm as we were looking at the possibility of a record early harvest date. We chose to wait, and allow the acid and tannins to soften before we picked, while the sugars continued to climb. On September 18, once the acid and tannins softened and the fruit tasted at it’s best, we commenced picking the South and West blocks, and waited another 11 days to come back to pick the North and East blocks, as they always ripen later.

Tasting notes

The 2015 Alexander’s Crown exhibits ripe flavors of black currant, blackberries and violets. The wine is voluptuous, has a rich mouthfeel, soft tannins and a long lingering finish with notes of dried herbs and a touch of mocha. Enjoy this wine now or cellar it for enjoyment in 8 to 10 years.