Robert Sinskey Vineyards

I Love You, I Hate You…
The Muscat Dilemma!

Muscat is the most delicious wine in the world. Muscat is the most insipid, disgusting, mass produced wine in the world. If both of these statements are true, Muscat has an image problem. It is a grape that has suffered from its success - maligned by incredibly popular, cheap, sweet Moscato. It is afflicted with “White Zin” syndrome - a syndrome whereas most people assume the wine to be sweet. As we now know, not all pink wine is sweet, but it took decades for the public to warm up to and embrace a good, dry Rosé. Now it is arguably the most popular category of wine. I wonder if history will repeat itself and Muscat will become the next “it” wine. I doubt it, but it would be nice.

A classically made, dry Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains can be sublime. Free of cloying sugar, it becomes an aromatic wonder with an explosive flavor profile that works well with comforting foods. As I write this on a hot summer day in July, just post Fourth celebrations, I am thinking of all the traditional BBQ foods that are most at home with beer. Replace that koozie with a goblet of RSV’s Muscat and imagine how delicious it would be with hot dogs, ribs, burgers, grilled vegetables, chips and dip or even some fresh grilled fruits adorned with a shaving of Manchego cheese.

What makes Muscat so enjoyable is that it is about pleasure over pretense and it is hard to be taken seriously when spun up with Master Sommelier lingo. It doesn’t need it. Yummy is a good enough adjective…. but for the geeks, wine growing and tasting notes follow.

Heaven Scent

The haunting perfume of Muscat tingles all of my senses. I have visions of rose blossoms, heavy with petals cupping dew drops, ready to pluck. My mouth salivates thinking about how beautiful a dish that incorporates their rich scent would taste alongside this wine. I taste the pithiness of the wine in my mouth. It is a good pithiness with a slightly bitter edge that adds texture and lifts Muscat’s boisterous aromas. Muscat needs this texture to make it a good partner for food. RSV’s dry Muscat is in perfect balance. It is a beautiful partner to this delicate salad kissed with the scent of roses.

Until the Next Wine....
Maria

EAT: Crab, Endive and Avocado Salad with Rose-scented Pink Grapefruit

To make a great wine, you need to start with great grapes. RSV’s organically farmed (with Biodymanic principles) Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard is planted with a few rows of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. Though it was initially planted as a blending grape, it is absolutely sublime as a dry, crisp Muscat Blanc.

The 2015/2016 winter was impacted by the “El Nino“ effect with a good amount of rain in late December into January. Though only 11 inches of rain accumulated, the irrigation ponds were full at the start of the growing season. Moderate weather with dry conditions at fruit set made for a moderately abundant crop of great quality Muscat. Two blocks from the Scintilla Sonoma vineyard were night harvested by hand on September 6 and delivered cool to the cellar door first thing in the morning. The grapes were delicately whole-cluster pressed, with juice allowed to settle for 72 hours at 45 degrees fahrenheit before being racked. The pure juice was then cold fermented until dry… and yummy!