Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander's Crown 2013

Wine Enthusiast 92 points - Cedar, graphite and concentrated plum aromas mark the nose of this full-bodied wine from the southern end of the appellation, where it’s cool and breezy from the Pacific Ocean. Entirely varietal, it shows a wealth of red and black berry fruitiness, dotted with dried herb..August/2017

Ultimate Beverage Challenge 91 points - Strong aromas of minerals and black currants waft from the glass. Bold on the tongue with dried currants, crushed rose petals and blueberry fruit leather. The earthy smoked soil and leaf flavors are strong on the finish with a medium grained leathery texture..June/2016

Wine Advocate 94 points - A famous wine from the early days of The Wine Advocate, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander’s Crown Single Vineyard comes from a lower elevation of 250 to 360 feet. The wine displays broad, sweet creme de cassis, black cherry and blueberry fruit, some licorice, graphite, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and outstanding length and purity. This is a beauty, and makes me think back to the great 1974, which was the first one I remember tasting..Robert M. Parker, Jr., March/2016

Established in 1971 and recognized as the first vineyard in Sonoma County to produce a single vineyard cabernet sauvignon, Alexander’s Crown is perched on a hill in the south-center of the Alexander Valley just west of Jimtown. It rises to about 350 feet at its peak with a soil composition of predominantly well drained gravelly loam derived from both river sediments and volcanic activity. The top of the hill, block 1, is red in color, and tends to produce the most intensely flavored wine. The first part of the valley to feel ocean air in the afternoon, the Crown expresses cabernet in an almost Bordeaux-like style, with ripe flavors centered on red fruit, soft tannins, and balanced acidity.