Visiting Rodney Strong Vineyards

Our final winery visit was to Rodney Strong Vineyards. Social media manager, Laura Perret and her husband met my husband and I for a Sunday morning tour and tasting. We began in the winery. Our guide, Bill, started us off with a barrel sampling of the 2014 Symmetry and the 2013 Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon. He wanted to showcase both the terroir differences between the two and the different points in development between the two vintages.

We viewed more of the production facility and learned about some innovations they have made to keep the wine more secure during earthquakes before heading out to the terrace to enjoy a tasting with a vineyard view. Bill served us two rosés to start, both from the 2014 vintage and both priced at $25, one made from Pinot Noir and the other from Malbec. The Pinot Noir's character was more raspberry and rose petals while the Malbec was more watermelon with a bit of vanilla and toast. Bill explained these were primarily sold at the winery for the summer concerts but they are both available on line. While I wouldn't reject either one as both were refreshing summer wines, if given a choice, I would pick the one made from Pinot Noir.

Bill brought out some plates of charcuterie and cheese for us to enjoy and he poured the 2013 Reserve Chardonnay which was rich and slightly creamy with an apple pie nuance. We followed this with four of the red wine current releases. All are recommended wines.

2013 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $28)- Smooth, easy drinking, blackberry, black pepper
2013 Knight's Valley Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $35)- Richer, more chocolate character, more structured
2012 Symmetry Alexander Valley Meritage (SRP $55)- Rich, ripe blackberry, cassis, coffee
2012 Rockaway (SRP $75)- Concentrated, rich, more minerality behind the plum and cassis with baking spice and tobacco.

The tasting room is open daily to the public from 10:00am-5:00pm with tastings ranging from free for two tastes from the Sonoma County line on up to $55 for a paired food and wine experience. A visit to Rodney Strong Vineyards is highly recommended when in Sonoma County, see large scale production with an artisanal touch while enjoying a wine tasting in a beautiful vineyard setting.

An Immersive Introduction into the World of Asolo Prosecco

Dinner Views at Osteria Alla Baracca. I was very excited to visit the Asolo DOCG Prosecco region at the end of May on a press trip as it is an Italian area that I have not previously traveled through. Asolo is located in the Province of Treviso at the foot of Monte Grappa in the high hills to the west of the Piave River with views of the Dolomites. The grapes are grown in 17 communes surrounding the town of Asolo. The days were very warm while I was there but I needed a sweater or light jacket on most evenings due to the diurnal swing that makes it a great area for grape growing. Wines from the Master Class Tasting. Asolo was elevated to the DOCG level in 2009. The majority of the Prosecco that I have found in Houston is Prosecco DOC which is mostly from very large producers. Asolo was separated from this category and the region was given this higher status because there are terroir elements that make it distinctive in the world of Prosecco. The Sant'Anna Vineyard. Many of the vin

Lust Zinfandel 2007

My husband loves this wine so he purchased quite a few bottles at a recent Michael~David dinner that we had attended. Last night, I decided to open a bottle to serve with dinner. I was making a roasted southwestern pork tenderloin, sweet potato fries (w/ chipolte ketchup) and a salad consisting of baby lettuce (fresh from my garden) with strawberries, red bell peppers, red onions and walnuts tossed with a white balsamic-raspberry vinaigrette. This turned out to be a great pairing. It is a bold wine that really stood up to the strong chipolte seasoning while complementing the fruit flavors. I opened the bottle a 1/2 hour before I served it as I have found this wine to be more enjoyable when I do so. The Lust Zinfandel by Michael~David 2007 was a dark purple color with a ruby rim. It has intense aromas of very ripe mixed berries and baking spices-both allspice and ginger with hints of cedar. It has flavors of creme de cassis, milk chocolate and also more of the baking

Effervescent Elegance

In the December 2023 issue of Galveston Monthly , I explore the world of classic method sparkling wine. The holiday season is always an excellent time to enjoy some effervescent elegance in your glass!

Wine Life - Houston

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