It’s hard not to see Spring in the vineyards as a miracle. The vines are dormant through the Winter, like baseball, but when opening day for the grapevines arrives, I want to cue the stealth fighter flyover, break out the patriotic bunting, and have an overrated country western singer sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Another season […]

It was the last one. The last bottle in my Rodney Strong wine shipment. I planned to maybe open it on my birthday, after Easter, or possibly Mother’s Day? Then I thought, “No, I better wait. I want to save that bottle for something different, an extra special kind of occasion.” Then I heard about, […]

Vintages are a lot like people: Some are hot, some are cold, and the occasional is a disaster, but they all have something to say. So, what constitutes what the press calls a “great” vintage? And why is it better than a different year, and not as good as another? The answer is complicated. Climate […]

We recently partnered with Secret Supper, a collective of people with a desire to bring people together around great food and wine in stunning and unique locations. We partnered on five pop-up suppers across the country in the fall, including: Austin, TX Dallas, TX Kennebunkport, ME Houston, TX Marathon, FL People came from near and […]

You can visit Rodney Strong Winery any time of the year, we’re happy to welcome you, but there’s something special about Harvest. And August brings the beginning of Harvest. You can wander around the vineyards and nearly hear the grapes ripening. That’s hyperbole, of course, but it is true that wine country sounds different this […]

I love Zinfandel. I have an emotional attachment to Zinfandel. Zinfandel was the first red wine that seduced me as a young wine enthusiast. I was so passionate about Zinfandel that the owners of the wine shop where I worked my first wine job had a wine glass made for me that said, “Mr. Zin.” […]

“Hello, my name is Ron, and I’m a recovering sommelier.” For many people, being handed the wine list in a fancy restaurant is a bit like being asked to go a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson. You haven’t a clue how to do it, and you know it’s going to hurt. I do have […]

After what can only be described as the hellish vintage of 2020 (fire and brimstone and pestilence—the only thing missing was toilet paper), 2021 was a splendid year. As for 2020, it must be said that the wines are amazing despite the insanity of the year. It’s a testament to the courage and professionalism of […]

It’s a sign of how ancient a variety Malbec is that it has more than 1000 synonyms, according to the great French ampelographer Pierre Galet (an “ampelographer” is defined as a botanist who specializes in identifying grape varieties, and does not mean a guy who studies chubby people). In its original home Cahors, it’s called […]

If you took a poll of wine writers that asked which annual topics they dread the most, I am certain that the winners would be “Pairing Wine and Chocolate” and “What Wines to Drink With My Holiday Meals.” For the record, chocolate pairs with Cabernet Sauvignon like antifreeze pairs with Gatorade. I love chocolate and […]

When I was first employed as a sommelier, I wasn’t a sommelier. I was a wine steward. Americans were unfamiliar with the word “sommelier.” Most were unable to pronounce it, including those employed as one. If I told people I was a sommelier, they often thought I was from the Horn of Africa. I didn’t […]

When the first grape truck arrives at Rodney Strong one August morning each vintage, this vintage no different than the previous, everything changes. The truck is carrying about twenty tons of Pinot Noir destined to be part of our Russian River Rosé of Pinot Noir. Everyone at the winery that August morning stops what they’re […]