Rodney Strong Vineyards
Rodney Strong, a former professional dancer, opened this pioneering winery in 1959. Today, in addition to a traditional tasting room, the winery has added more sophisticated options on the Terrace, an outdoor lounge that looks out on vineyards. Here, the menu offers seated wine flights that incorporate the Davis Bynum, Upshot, and Rowen labels and seated wine-and-food pairings that include cheese and charcuterie and poached lobster. Pro tip: Be sure to ask your server for a special pour of single-vineyard cabernet sauvignon or some of the winery’s popular port. During the summer, Rodney Strong hosts a concert series and brings in food trucks to cater the events. The winery also offers free guided tours daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; these hour-long strolls take visitors from the vineyard into the production area and back again, providing a crash-course in everything from growing grapes to crush, fermentation, and bottling.
