Rodney Strong Vineyards Archives - Wine Country Getaways

About these huge wine barrels

On Wednesday of this week we had a very nice visit with Mark Ketcham, proprietor of Ketcham Vineyards in the Russian River Valley. There were ten of us tasting Pinot Noir wines in Mark’s spacious home. After our visit it was lunch time, and the closest winery with a picnic area was Rodney Strong. Rodney Strong has a lovely outdoor area. It is a great spot for lunch and the Rodney Strong Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are ideal wines for a lunch time snack on a summer day. Inside the winery, there is a walkway that encircles the tasting room, and visitors can view the wine cellar. As you can see in the photo, these huge barrels were being constructed. Loud, to say the least, was the noise level as these barrels were being put together. It was a treat to see the barrel crew work. The staves go up side-by-side and are then strapped tightly. If a stave is out of place, a large wooden mallet is used to pound it back to a tight fit. Then the newly finished barrel is filled with water (I assume) and the the staves swell together. Later, of course, grape juice will go into these huge wine barrels. I asked two different tasting room gents if they knew the gallon size of the barrels and also asked how the barrels would be used in the production of wine. Neither one could give me a definitive answer; they work in the tasting room and are not winemakers. Maybe on my next visit, the barrels will be in use, and I can get the real dope on these huge wine barrels. I am guessing that these barrels hold about 15,000 to 20,000 gallons of wine. They are definitely neutral oak, so perhaps the wine is to be aged only a short period of time. Anyone out there know exactly how these wine barrels are to be used?

Rodney Strong is open daily to visitors, 10am to 5pm, and I am guessing the barrel construction will go on for a few more days. If you want to visit other wineries near Rodney Strong, take the Old Redwood Road Wine Trail.

Rodney Strong Vineyards

Rodney Strong Vineyards is one of the older wineries in the Russian River area of Sonoma County with a bonding date of 1959. It is a big winery, 850,000 cases a year, and attracts a large number of visitors to its tasting room and tours. As part of a Travel Zoo coupon deal, a tour of the Rodney Strong Vineyards was included in our stay at the Vintners Inn. Get this: the last time we visited the Rodney Strong winery was back in 1972. The present day winery off Old Redwood Highway near Healdsburg was completed in 1970. At that time Rodney Strong, a former ballet dancer, was the owner. Today it is owned by Tom Klein. Those in the San Francisco Bay Area may know Tom’s wife better, Kate Kelly, former news anchor for KPIX.

About 80% of the wines produced are devoted to the Sonoma County label. They are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The retail price for these wines is $20 at the winery. However, you can find these wines at many supermarkets and warehouse stores for much less. For example, the Rodney Strong Sonoma Cabernet is sold at Costco for $12.95 and sometimes even less than that. Our tour guide Sheila mentioned: “These three wines keep Rodney Strong operating profitably.” I have tasted these wines and I consider them to be nicely made and a good value at the sale price one finds in the supermarkets. Rick Sayre is the head winemaker overseeing the entire winemaking operation.

Barrel room at Rodney Strong

In a completely different section of the winery, the other 20% of the wines are made. These wines are produced from single-vineyard or specially-selected grapes for the upper tier wines. These wines are aged in French oak barrels for two years. These wines are not found in any supermarkets. Many are sold directly to wine club members. These top tier wines are very expensive. We tasted three and they are very delicious and well made. But at $75 a bottle, it is far above what I am willing to pay for a bottle of wine.

The tour was very well done. We took a walk in the vineyards, viewed the crush pad, and tasted some barrel samples. The outdoor picnic area is a beauty. This is where the winery holds concerts and events for wine club members. When not is use for these special events, visitors can picnic and enjoy the beauty of the area.

Rodney Strong Vineyards is certified for its sustainable farming practices. They also have a huge number of solar panels, some 4000. While we were present in the vineyards, KTVU News was interviewing Rodney Strong Vineyards winegrowing manager, Doug McIlroy. The interview was centered about the drought problems for the 2014 growing season. Below is the video of that report as aired on KTVU news later that evening.

If you want to visit Rodney Strong Vineyards, visit the winery’s Website for a complete and thorough description of the tastings and tour offerings. Nearby are several wineries that are also fun and interesting to visit. Take a look at our Old Redwood Highway Wine Trail.

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