Rodney Strong Vineyards has long produced its Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc, carrying a Sonoma County designation. The current vintage in 2022; cost is $18, right there in the sweet spot for quality/price ratio. The winery also makes the Davis Bynum Virginia’s Blend Sauvignon Blanc, from Russian River Valley. Current vintage is 2023; price is $30.
Now, the winery debuts the Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2023, from the region in northeastern Sonoma County. Alexander Valley was granted AVA status in 1984; its boundaries were amended in 1986, ‘88, 90 and 2001. (Some people really want to be in the Alexander Valley AVA.) During the day, the valley is among the warmest areas in northern California, but its wide diurnal swing in temperatures allows for cooler climate conditions at night.
The oak regimen for this wine is thoughtful — 54% of the wine goes into 400-liter French oak barrels, most of which are new; 45% sees stainless steel tanks; and 1% goes into an egg-shaped concrete vessel.
The color is very pale straw-gold; the bouquet is a heady amalgam of lemon verbena, acacia flower, celery leaf, fennel seed and lime peel; a few moments in the glass unfurl notes of lavender, graphite and limestone — it’s one of the most seductive wines I have encountered in the first half of 2024; on the palate, the wine is driven by bright acidity that powers peach and quince flavors imbued with smoke, rose petal and a bare hint of mango; the finish is a scintillating wash of limestone, seashell and bracing sea-breeze. 14% alcohol. This should make for versatile drinking through 2026; we drank it with corn and shishito salad dressed with a lime-cumin vinaigrette, flour tortillas on the side. Winemaker was Greg Morthole. Excellent. About $25.
A sample for review.