About the Wine: Smarter and more knowledgeable people than me say that Rodney Strong is a benchmark in the wine world and thee are especially known for Cabs. The Sonoma appellation is one that I have good luck with in the past. The only thing I find worrisome about this one is the vintage. 2009 was not the best year for California Cabs, so this may be the black sheep of the family.
About THIS Wine: A violet rim surrounds a deep purple center. Cassis and other dark fruit make up a strong nose. The palate delivers with a lot of dark fruit and some oak opening into a red berry finish. The wine is not particularly dry nor did I find it especially tannic.
Drinking This Wine: I had it with shepherd's pie and the pairing was a good one. This lack of dryness and tannin would also make this a decent sipping wine. When I first opened the bottle I feared that it had spoiled, but it opened beautifully over the course of about an hour.
Overall Impression: I've had worse wines that cost twenty dollars. At seventeen this one is good for the price.
