Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The hillsides of Alexander Valley are home to this lush but vibrant cabernet that doesn’t have the gloss of Napa but rather the umami, garrigue, and deliciousness of Sonoma. Red plums and dark berries, which winemaker Seidenfled describes as dried figs, give this wine a structure that pleases without scaring the drinker. It spends 18 months in French oak barrels (50% new), which you can sense but doesn’t dominate while dissipating. Drink or hold through 2028. 2021 was a very dry season with approximately 15% lower yields than previous years, triggering higher concentrations of flavours. Impressive for the price. Score – 91. (Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, Aug. 16, 2024)