Trade - Awards & Accolades


2016 ROWEN Red Wine Blend
"57% Cabernet Sauvignon; 20% Malbec; 20% Syrah; 3% Viognier. This multivarietal blend does not pretend to be a classic Cabernet, but that does not stop it from being a decidedly involving wine that is as complex as it is rich, and it exhibits an especially fine winemaking hand with judicious oak, suggestions of toasted herbs and trim bit of a vanillin sweetness extending throughout its very considerable length. It is rich, well-extracted and marvelously long on the palate, and just as we were impressed by ROWEN’s previous Red Wine offerings in 2014 and 2015, we are once again. This is a label well worth watching. GOOD VALUE.” - S.E.

2016 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
"Juicy and lusciously fruity, with roasted tropical fruit, apple pastry and pear tart flavors. Buttery and spicy accents show on the vibrant finish. Drink now through 2022." - K.M.

2016 ROWEN Red Wine Blend
Juicy in soft layers of cherry, cola and vanilla, this balanced wine is approachable and memorable. It shows a richness of fruit on the midpalate and a lasting hint of toasted oak." — V.B.

2014 Reserve Pinot Noir
Compost, earth and spicy cardamom notes provide the savory intrigue of this full-bodied, expressive wine, with additional pine forest, pomegranate and orange peel flavors that add to its complexity and appeal. Sourced from several vineyards in the heart of the appellation, it represents the vintage and the location well. - V.B.

90 points - 2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
91 points - 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir


2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
“Medium-light yellow; rich, fragrant, slightly buttery, apple and stone fruit aroma with a trace of vanilla; medium body; crisp, citrus, spiced apple and pear flavors with undertones of toasty oak and a slight creaminess in the mouthfeel; lingering aftertaste. Very highly recommended.” - N.P.

Excellent acclaim for our 2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay & 2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnayy
- 92 points, Best Buy - Wine & Spirits
- 90 points - California Grapevine
- 90 points, Gold Medal - West Coast Wine Competition
- 90 points - Wine Spectator
- 92 points, Gold Medal - Sommelier Challenge
2016 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
- 99 points, Best of Class - West Coast Wine Competition
- 91 points - Wine Spectator
- 91 points - Wine Enthusiast
- 94 points, Platinum Medal - Critics Challenge

2014 reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
"Medium-dark ruby; attractive, ripe, red currentand blackberry fruit aroma with hints of dried herbs and mint chocolate; full body; deep, ripe, cedary, blackberry fruit flavors with hints of cocoa and baking spices, and a relatively smooth mouthfeel; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Enjoyable to drink now and over the next two to four years."


2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
“Rod Strong first planted Chardonnay in the white volcanic soils of Chalk Hill in 1965, and this estate-grown wine carries a memory of that chalky soil in its mineral freshness and apple-skin spice. It’s clean and powerful, that power driven by some reduction that keeps the wine tight. Give it time in a decanter to open up, then serve as an aperitif with poached prawns.” - J.G.

92 points, Best Buy - 2017 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
92 points, Best Buy - 2017 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
90 points, Best Buy - 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2016 Chalk Hill Chardonnay
“...creamy, lush layers of baked apple and pear. Voluptuous in style, it provides a backbone of balanced acidity.”

2016 Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay
With a noble sense of reduction on the nose, this wine is taut and tart in acidity, focused in Meyer Lemon and balanced oak. A grainy texture adds complexity to the light-bodied ripeness. – Virginie Boone


2016 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
"This displays heady aromas of apple, ginger and toasted brioche. Juicy and lengthy, the palate dazzles in underlying mineral aspects of stone and earth." - V. B.

Rodney Strong wines receive high praise at the 2019 Critics Challenge
- 94 points - 2016 Russian River Pinot Noir
- 91 points - 2015 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- 91 points - 2018 Upshot White Wine Blend
- 90 points - 2015 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
- 90 points - 2015 Sonoma County Merlot
- 90 points - 2018 Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc

2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
"Juicy black cherry and blueberry wrap around big, expansive tannins in this hearty red that is sourced from several of the producer’s best sites. With a backbone of structure and oak, it’s toasty in character yet robustly fruity." – Virginie Boone

2015 Symmetry Meritage Red Wine
"This is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 10% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. Thick and viscous, it shows a wealth of full-bodied oak, tannin and tobacco flavors in tune with brambly black cherry and currant. Lifted acidity on the finish keeps it fresh in feel." -V.B.