Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Rockaway 2005

Night OneThe color is very deep dark garnet almost all the way to the edge, where it finally gives way to about an 1/8" of bright ruby.The nose is rich and jammy, filled with dark fruit. It is mostly blackcurrant and plum, with some blackberries and eucalyptus at the back end of a big sniff. After an hour of so open a fleeting glimpse of espresso played hide-and-seek amid the fruit.This was just as dark on the palate, very jammy and sweet. Blackcurrants and mulberry, along with some meaty smokiness opened the attack. Cedar and vanilla made their first appearance on the mid-palate, which quickly evolved to vanilla and brown sugar on toast. The sugar is cloying, the finish long but too sweet, all brown sugar and maple syrup.Five hours it changed some. Tannins started to appear as the jammy fruit settled down a bit. There was more blackberry, less mulberry and blackcurrant, with a strong smooth leathery tannin backbone. There was a quick vegetal hint in the mid-palate. The finish, though, is still dominated by vanilla, brown sugar and maple.Night TwoThe nose seems to have settled down quite a lot. There is still plenty of fruit but it is balanced by some earth. There is also some licorice and a bit of mixed eucalyptus and menthol. The wine settled down a great deal on the palate, too. There are still plenty of big flavors, blackberries and plums, but Night Two brings more nuance and more layers. The attack has blackberries and plums, plus licorice and a little spice. The mid-palate is greatly expanded, bringing unsweetened chocolate, cherries, and toasted almond skins. Tannins are smooth and fine, but pronounced. There is plenty of backbone to this, enough to give a few years, at the least, in the cellar.This is a great big modern wine, very ripe and fru

Opened to a dark garnet color and aromas of plums, currant, and some pepper. Had a touch of greenness to it, and smoke. All of these were echoed in the flavors. Peppery finish, and surprisingly approachable for such a young wine. Very glycerin in texture. As it opened up, the spiciness increased, and lots of cassis came forward along with some licorice aromas. On the second day, loads of blackberry and cassis, pure and a tad jammy, but still lots of spice in the finish. This wine has an extraordinary texture, and a deep, redolent smokiness. On third day, the wine was knit together beautifully in complete balance with tannins, fruit, spice, and licorice aromas and flavors. Based on this I think it will age very well, and continue to improve and develop, hence a bump up in score.