Rodney Strong Estate Knotty Vines Zinfandel 2015
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Fresh, bright berry fruit from their heritage Russian River vineyard combined with the ripe, peppery jam, from our Alexander Valley and Dry Creek vineyards make for a wonderful diversity of flavor, showcasing the best that Zinfandel can offer. This wine offers notes of blackberry, plum and boysenberry with a touch of red fruit jam and baking spices.
Enjoy this Zin now with grilled ribs, roasted vegetables, or a chicken barbecue pizza.
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Ten percent of this wine came from six acres of zinfandel planted in 1904 at the River West Vineyard in Healdsburg; another 14 percent came from the vineyard’s 1940 block. Justin Seidenfeld blended that with fruit from 40-year-old estate vineyards in Alexander and Russian River valleys, producing what is, on first taste, a gentle, richly oaked, raspberry-scented zin. With air, it begins yielding spice the way chorizo yields spice as it warms, then builds with a lovely fruit freshness and raspberry clarity. By the fourth day open, it’s fresher and more vibrant than ever, suggesting a long life ahead.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Rodney Strong Knotty Vines Zinfandel is one of my go-to wines from Sonoma County. The 2015 vintage is one of the winery's best efforts. TASTING NOTES: This wine is elevated, packed, and exciting. Its aromas and flavors of red and blueberries are long and lasting. Pair it with roast pork in a wine reduction sauce accented with raspberries. (Tasted: August 12, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a thick, somewhat reduced and barrel-effusive wine that is dry and intense in style. Tart red fruit meets grilled meat, earth and leather as full-bodied ripeness comes to the fore on the palate. It will please fans of a burly style.
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Founded by wine industry pioneer, Rod Strong, in 1959, Rodney Strong Vineyards is now owned by the Kleins, a farming-based family that prides itself on land stewardship and a relentless push for superior wine quality from Sonoma County. After purchasing the company in 1989, Tom Klein began the endeavor that today brings together excellent vineyards, the industry's finest winemaking equipment, and exceptional talent. The winery farms and sources grapes from vineyards throughout Sonoma County, focusing on Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill. Rodney Strong Vineyards is best known for its estate-bottled and vineyard-designated wines, and is also recognized for their sustainable and Fish Friendly Farming, dedication to solar energy production and becoming carbon neutral in 2009.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.