Rodney Strong Master Blender SweepstakesBeginning on Monday, April 3, 2017, wine fans from across the United States will have the opportunity to enter online to be one of three Rodney Strong Vineyards Master Blenders! The winners will be randomly chosen to enjoy an exclusive, educational long weekend in Sonoma County with a guest.

The prize is a one of a kind, hands on, wine country experience with the Rodney Strong vineyard and winemaking teams. The weekend will kick-off with exclusive behind-the-scenes vineyard tours with Rodney Strong Master Blender Sweepstakes Winegrower Ryan Decker who will bring the winning pairs to vineyards and locations that visitors to Sonoma County rarely get to experience. I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan, while touring all of the Rodney Strong Vineyards, and he is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and so much fun to tour with.

Rodney Strong Winemaker Greg Morthole will lead winners through an in-depth understanding of the winemaking process at Rodney Strong, including the creation of the iconic Symmetry Meritage Red Blend. The trip will conclude with the winners having the opportunity to take what they’ve learned and create their very own Meritage blend. While visiting Rodney Strong in Sonoma this past March, I had the pleasure of wine blending myself with Greg and some amazing wine bloggers and it was a blast! I had never had the opportunity to blend wine before, and while it is pretty challenging, it is also a lot of fun.

Accommodations will be at a four-diamond luxury hotel located in the heart of Healdsburg, just a few miles from the winery. The hotel is absolutely stunning and the culinary experience in Sonoma is also something to look forward to. Winners will enjoy meals at some of the top restaurants in Sonoma County as well as ones prepared exclusively for them by Rodney Strong Chef Tara Wachtel using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Tara is an extremely talented, and I had the pleasure of tasting her Rodney Strong Dinnercuisine while visiting Rodney Strong Vineyards.

The Master Blender Sweepstakes is a great opportunity for Rodney Strong fans to learn about the winemaking process behind some of their favorite wines, all the while enjoying the beauty and culinary excellence of Sonoma County. If you haven’t tried Rodney Strong wines, or aren’t a fan yet… after this trip, you sure will be!

For more information and to enter the Master Blender Sweepstakes, please go HERE. 

Rodney Strong Vineyards is dedicated to crafting world-class wines that capture the essence of Sonoma County. Rodney Strong sustainably farms 14 estate vineyards and produces wines from Sonoma County’s finest appellations – Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Knights Valley, Petaluma Gap, and Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1959 by Sonoma County wine pioneer Rodney D. Strong as the 13th bonded winery in the county. It was purchased by the Klein family, a fourth generation California farming family, in 1989. The company aspires to conserve and protect the environment in all its operations through sustainable practices, solar power, and fish friendly farming.

Rodney Strong Vineyards is located at 11455 Old Redwood Highway, off Highway 101 just south of the town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. The winery is just one hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge. – RodneyStrong.com