Robert Sinskey Vineyards

Another Point of View...
from the "Right Bank" of Napa!

Grape growers, like all farmers, are the canaries in the coal mine. We feel it first. Just look at what we’ve experienced over the last five or so years: extreme drought capped by record rain followed recently by extreme, record-setting high temperatures. We are experiencing the very definition of climate change - unusual, erratic weather.

When RSV adopted an organic farming model over twenty five years ago, we had several goals: Do the “right” thing in an area where farming and residential properties interfaced. Create world class wine in a responsible way for “guilt-free hedonism!” Work with, not against, nature in order to leave the land in better shape than when we acquired it. Create a positive working environment for all employees. Leave as small a footprint as possible when it comes to the winery and the mechanized farm implements by incorporating animals, solar, bio-fuels, etc.. Grow resilient vines that can withstand the looming issue of climate change.

At the time, we felt that if climate change really was in process, then things were going to become more extreme and challenging to farmers in the not too distant future. Winemaker Jeff Virnig proposed that we institute a method of farming now known as “regenerative agriculture.” This farming model is not only organic, it also encourages practices that lead to carbon sequestering; see: https://rodaleinstitute.org/assets/WhitePaper.pdf. This model would ideally create a healthy vine that could withstand weather extremes, such as spikes in temperature.

Today we see that climate change is indeed in process and our adoption of the “think globally - act locally” approach has, so far, paid off and our vines are holding up quite well, thank you. However, we have had to rethink some varieties and selections in certain locations. For example, we recently replanted a vineyard that had grown too warm for Pinot Noir with Zinfandel and Primitivo and a Merlot parcel with Cabernet Franc. We continue to hone our response to the ever-changing weather by actively seeking out selections that will maintain their acidity and ripen later in the warming climate.

As temperatures rise in some regions, single variety wines run the risk of becoming monochromatic. One of the better tools we have for making great wine in this less predictable environment is to blend varieties to make a great wine that is reflective of the vintage. In the Carneros regions, both Merlot and Cabernet Franc do a great job holding on to acid while Cabernet Sauvignon gets an extra long growing season for flavor development. Every vintage, each variety responds to the weather patterns in their own unique way, allowing us to blend these three varieties together in just the right proportions for a truly luxurious, guilt-free and hedonistic wine that doesn’t hurt the planet or your palate.

The Art of the Blend

Most people shy away from the heat of chili peppers when serving red wine. It’s a shame because heat aside, most chili peppers have beautifully complex aromas and flavors. Aji Amarillo chili, a staple in Peruvian cuisine, has beautiful fruit and floral notes. Chipotle or smoked jalapeno, has smoky, earthy dried herb tones. Ancho chili, known as poblano in its fresh state, take on a subtle, slightly bitter, dark chocolate flavor and green herb notes when dried and ground. Combined together, in the right proportion, this triad of chili peppers become aromatically powerful. A sweet spice like cinnamon is the perfect addition to the chili pepper mix. Add it to boost flavors, round out the heat and add a subtlety fragrant bass note.

POV, with its elegant balance of bright acid, subtle tannin and deep dark brooding fruit, makes a strong partner for this dish. The cinnamon pulls out a spice note deep within the aromas of POV. The ancho chili accents the chocolate notes from the Cabernet Franc and the dried herb notes from the Cabernet Sauvignon while the Aji Amarillo enhances the dark cherry aromas and flavors of the Merlot. Together, the cuvée of grapes that make up the POV and the blends of chili in the silky sauce sing in harmony in your glass and on your plate and make it hard to not lose yourself in the seduction created by the art of the blend.

Until the Next Wine...
Maria

EAT: Slow-cooked Pork Shoulder with 3 Chili Peppers and Spices

The second year of drought produced grapes with thicker skins and smaller berries for deeply colored, intensely flavored wines. Most of Napa Valley described the vintage as “early, even and excellent.” However, RSV’s “Right Bank of Napa Valley” Vandal Vineyard is not like the rest of the region. Though we do share the “excellent” adjective, the relatively cool season allowed a longer hang time than most. Harvest was completed October 8th as the last block of RSV’s organically farmed Cabernet Sauvignon was brought to the cellar, crushed and allowed to ferment on feral yeast. Gentle cap irrigation was employed to extract color and flavor without the bitter notes that can develop from more aggressive pump overs. Once dry, the wines were moved to small French oak barrels (approximately 30% new) where the wines rested for almost two years in the RSV caves. It was then blended by taste to take advantage of the unique way Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon respond to the eccentricities of the growing season. The result is an elegant, well balanced wine that is delicious young but will continue to improve for the next decade or more.