Rodney Strong Vineyards

Rodney Strong Vineyards was founded in 1959 by Rod Strong (1927-2006), a former Broadway and ballet dancer who retired from dancing, married his dance partner Charlotte Ann Winson, and pivoted to winemaking. Strong was one of the early modern Sonoma County winemakers, establishing operations at a time when the county was still dominated by bulk production and family farms rather than the boutique estate model that would later define California wine. Strong was the first to bottle a vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County, releasing the 1974 Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon, a milestone that demonstrated the potential of single-vineyard expression in Sonoma. After Strong's retirement and intervening corporate ownership, Tom Klein, a fourth-generation California farmer, purchased the operation in 1989. The Klein family has owned and operated Rodney Strong for more than three decades, continuing a multi-generational family farming tradition.

• Founded 1959 by Rod Strong, a former Broadway and ballet dancer who retrained as a winemaker after retiring from dance
• 1974 Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon was Sonoma County's first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon
• Tom Klein, a fourth-generation California farmer, purchased the winery in 1989; the Klein family continues to own and operate Rodney Strong
• Anthony Capobianco serves as President; the winery operates as a multi-generational family business across multiple Sonoma AVAs

Rodney Strong's estate vineyard portfolio spans multiple Sonoma County AVAs, giving the winery one of the largest and most diverse vineyard holdings in the county. The Alexander's Crown vineyard in Alexander Valley, planted in 1971, sits on a south-facing hillside and produces the flagship Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon as well as fruit for the Symmetry Meritage. The Rockaway vineyard, a hillside Alexander Valley site, produces the Rockaway Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Russian River Valley estate vineyards provide fruit for the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay programs. Chalk Hill estate sites contribute Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon to the broader portfolio. All estate vineyards are certified California Sustainable, and the winery has been recognized for its long-standing environmental commitment.

• Estate vineyards across Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill, and other Sonoma AVAs
• Alexander's Crown (planted 1971): south-facing hillside Alexander Valley vineyard, source of the 1974 first vineyard-designated Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon
• Rockaway: hillside Alexander Valley site producing the Rockaway Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• All estate vineyards certified California Sustainable; the winery has held sustainability certifications since the inception of the program

Rodney Strong's portfolio spans entry-level appellation wines through ultra-premium single-vineyard reserves. The Sonoma County varietal program covers Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Merlot at accessible price points, providing strong everyday-drinking expressions of Sonoma terroir. The reserve and single-vineyard program includes the Symmetry Meritage (Bordeaux blend), Rockaway Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander's Crown Cabernet Sauvignon, and Reserve Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A traditional-method sparkling program rounds out the offerings. Across the range, the house style emphasizes balance, food-friendly acidity, and faithful varietal expression rather than extreme extraction or weight, reflecting Rod Strong's original vision of approachable Sonoma wines built for table use.

• Sonoma County varietal program: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot at accessible price points
• Reserve and single-vineyard tier: Symmetry Meritage, Rockaway Reserve, Alexander's Crown, Reserve Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
• Traditional-method sparkling wine program
• House style emphasizes balance, food-friendliness, and faithful varietal expression rather than extreme extraction

Justin Seidenfeld serves as Chief Winemaking & Operations Officer at Rodney Strong, overseeing the full portfolio and the technical operations across multiple AVAs and price tiers. Seidenfeld began his career as an intern at Iron Horse in Sebastopol in 2005 and is the third head winemaker in the more than sixty-year history of the winery. Olivia Wright serves as Director of Winemaking, charged with crafting the estate collection and directing technical aspects of operations. Greg Morthole serves as Winemaker, overseeing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for Rodney Strong as well as the wines of sister label Davis Bynum Winery. Rachel Shelton-O'Brien serves as Associate Winemaker. The winemaking team operates from a large production facility in Healdsburg, with multiple specialized cellars for red wine fermentation, white wine fermentation, sparkling wine, and barrel aging. Despite the production volume, the reserve and single-vineyard program is treated as a separate small-lot operation with dedicated barrels and meticulous attention to vineyard-specific expression.

• Justin Seidenfeld: Chief Winemaking & Operations Officer; only the third head winemaker in the winery's more than sixty-year history
• Olivia Wright: Director of Winemaking, responsible for the estate collection and technical direction across the portfolio
• Greg Morthole: Winemaker for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at Rodney Strong and the wines of Davis Bynum Winery; Rachel Shelton-O'Brien serves as Associate Winemaker
• Production facility in Healdsburg features specialized cellars for red, white, sparkling, and barrel aging programs; reserve and single-vineyard wines treated as a separate small-lot operation

Rodney Strong has been recognized for its long-standing environmental commitment. All estate vineyards are certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), with the winery being one of the first major Sonoma producers to achieve and maintain this certification. In 2009 Rodney Strong became the first carbon-neutral winery in Sonoma County, achieving this status through solar energy investments and carbon-offset programs. Community engagement programs include support for local schools, environmental nonprofits, and Sonoma County agricultural preservation initiatives. The winery's commitment to sustainability extends to packaging (lighter-weight bottles, recycled paper labels) and water conservation in the cellar.

• All estate vineyards certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA)
• First carbon-neutral winery in Sonoma County, a milestone achieved in 2009
• Solar energy investments and carbon-offset programs support the carbon-neutral commitment
• Lighter-weight bottles, recycled paper labels, and water conservation in the cellar extend sustainability beyond viticulture