Robert Sinskey Vineyards

Back to the Garden!

My first F-bomb came in glorious fashion. We were just a pack of pre-teens, hanging out, playing music on the portable record player - I don’t think we called it a turntable then - as I un-sleeved my new copy of the Woodstock soundtrack. Things were going along just fine when “The Fish Cheer/I Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag” came on. We looked at each other, mouths open wide, as the chant, “Give me an F... Give me a U” built into the call and return refrain “What’s that spell?” And the 600,000 strong throng of stoned humanity obliged with a roaring F-bomb.

We listened to that song in silence - except for a few awkward giggles - as Country Joe sang “1-2-3 what are we fighting for, don’t ask me I don’t give a damn, next stop is Vietnam. 5-6-7 open up the pearly gates, ain’t no time to wonder why, whoopee we’re all gonna die.” I grabbed the tone arm as soon as the song finished and placed it back at the beginning to play it again - and again.

We were dumbstruck, not just by the profanity, but the sudden awareness that we were powerless kids, only a half dozen years away from draft age. We were gobsmacked with the realization that we could be drafted at eighteen but, at that time, we would not be old enough to vote. We intuitively responded the only way we knew how - with our voices. Without collusion, the gang and I rose from our beanbag chairs, flung open the window and screamed the “Fish” cheer followed by the “Fixing to Die Rag.” Then we did it again, and again, over and over - this gang of kids became one under the rallying cry of a protest song.

It might have been our awakening but youth-at-large were the ones applying the real pressure. Backed by a soundtrack that coalesced a nascent, growing population of future voters, they organized such effective protests that there was no other political solution than to end the war, the draft and change the voting age to 18. The kids scored a victory.

The current war we are waging is not just in the Middle East but a live battle for the health of our planet. Though our current administration seems to be a throwback to the Nixonian era, it comes without the political will to protect our natural resources… Earth Day was created during the Nixon administration. At that time, the back-to-nature hippie ethos jumped the political divide, convincing policy makers that it was in the interest of the American people to preserve and protect the environment - and they made the first baby steps by requiring reductions in emissions, protecting endangered species and preserving open land. So, as this administration rolls back environmental protections, where are the protest songs? Maybe they are out there and I am just too old to find them on the internet, but when we all listened to the same radio and watched the same TV there was more of a group-think that coalesced a movement powered by music. If we had a divergent opinion, we were exposed to the other point of view by osmosis. Now we tend to end up in our self-contained feed-back loop of what we want to hear.

One of the hippies’ best creations, besides granola, yogurt and pot brownies, was the slogan; “Think globally, act locally!” This is the foundation of how we try to run RSV. The goal is to do no harm while making hedonistically delicious beverages and culinary experiences. Secondarily, the hope is to use this platform to take things beyond local… Whether you are right, left or center, we can all agree that without fresh air, clean water and a diverse eco-system, we, as a species, are in for a world of hurt. I have said this before and I will say it to my dying day, nature abhors a monoculture and the worst thing that can happen to this planet, and humanity, is for humans to become the monoculture that nature decides it needs to check. Humanity, and the environment, will be better off if we embrace common sense measures to protect natural resources and restrict carbon emissions. We must make the difficult decisions for the good of all humankind. Some businesses will be hurt while others will thrive, but it does not need to be onerous if we embrace the new reality. Environmental sensitivity and successful business practices are not mutually exclusive. Rather, one compliments the other so all may thrive.

Eat, Drink, Repeat!

RSV’s Pinot Gris has a beautiful fragrance of spice and pear with a hint of sweet herbs. Its voluptuous texture is tempered by a crisp line of acidity that runs straight down the back of your tongue for a mouthwatering finish. This is what I love about our Pinot Gris and why it makes a fantastic partner for food.

I love fava beans with Pinot Gris and turn to fresh favas when they make a brief appearance in Spring, but out of season I reach for dried beans. To compensate, I add copious amounts of tender green herbs that lend their bright color, freshness and fragrance to the mix. Using dried beans eliminates the tedious task of removing the beans from the pod. You can sometimes find them with their skins removed as well.

The herbed fava puree showcases the bright fruit notes of the Pinot Gris while the wine cuts through the rich creamy texture of the favas. It’s a pretty darn good and highly addictive combination. I find myself taking a bite and a sip and then another and another until I have to purposefully walk away and find a distraction. The recipe can easily be halved but then you run the risk of running out.

Until the Next Wine....
Maria

EAT: Herbed Fava Bean Puree

For many, Pinot Gris is an enigma. It can range from a watery simple wine that many know as inexpensive Pinot Grigio or a complex, noble wine from a region like Alsace. It can be dry or sweet or somewhere in-between. It can be firm with tannin from skin contact or bright and fresh from whole cluster pressing where no skin enters the fermenter. RSV makes several renditions of Pinot Gris, the skin contact Orgia, the delicately sweet Pinot Gris Late and this crisp, dry wine, simply called Pinot Gris.

RSV’s cool, organically farmed Carneros vineyards are ideal for the Pinot Gris grape. The relatively cool weather allows the wine to hang on the vine long enough to develop beautifully complex flavors yet not too long that it looses its natural acidity.

With the philosophy of “grow it well and not mess it up,” RSV night harvested optimally ripened fruit by hand and delivered it to the cellar door cool and fresh where it was whole cluster pressed. The juice was allowed to settle for 72 hours before being racked to stainless steel fermenters for 28-30 days at a cool temperature of between 58-62F. The wines did not under go malolactic fermentation in order to maintain the beautiful crisp acidity. It is as pure as it gets. 308 cases produced.