Rodney Strong Vineyards 25th Anniversary Dinner

This weekend, I was one of 10 bloggers who hosted a Rodney Strong Vineyards 25th Anniversary Dinner. You could say that wine is my love language, so the opportunity to cook a six-course dinner for some of my best girlfriends — all while sampling the best wine Rodney Strong Vineyards has to offer — was such a great opportunity.

Rodney Strong Vineyards was founded in 1959 by former ballet dancer and wine pioneer, Rod Strong. Rod put Sonoma County, California, on the world map of wine.

In 1989, Tom Klein and his family purchased Rodney Strong Vineyards. A few years earlier, with a keen eye for agriculture from farming in California for three generations, the family recognized Rod’s contributions and foresaw the winery’s potential to lead Sonoma County to its inherent world-class wine quality recognition.

Existing vineyards were either sold or upgraded within a few short years and new vineyards were acquired along the way, resulting in the word-class wines that capture the essence of Sonoma County.

I wanted to share some info about our dinner, along with our menu and wine pairings. I put together the menu to go with the six different wines that we sampled. It was a such a fun night!

Of course, the star of the dinner was the wine. We served:

1. 2013 Rodney Strong Estate Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc
2. 2012 Rodney Strong Estate Chalk Hill Chardonnay
3. 2012 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
4. 2011 Rodney Strong Symmetry (red Meritage), Alexander Valley
5. 2010 Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
6. 2008 Rodney Strong A True Gentleman’s Port

And here’s our menu:

Appetizers, with 2013 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards, Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc

1. 3-Ingredient Crab Dip on Crackers
2. Cheese Plate

First Course, with 2012 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards, Chalk Hill Chardonnay

1. Grilled Salmon Salad with Fresh Strawberries

Second Course, with 2012 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

1. Skewered Chicken Tenders

First Main Course, with 2011 Rodney Strong Symmetry (Red Meritage), Alexander Valley

1. Bacon-Wrapped Beef Grillers with Cranberry Pecan Carrots

Second Main Course, with 2010 Rodney Strong Brothers Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

1. Grilled Pork Ribs with Buttered Pasta

Dessert, with 2008 Rodney Strong “A True Gentleman’s” Port

1. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
2. Chocolate Trio Parfait

We were able to follow along online with the Celebrity Chef Tour, which visited four cities during our dinner. The wine paired perfectly with each course, and we had a blast tweeting about all the fun we were having!

When was the last time you had a girls’ night?