Foodie Chap With Vintner Robert Sinskey

KCBS radio "Foodie Chap" and KPIX 5 television "Eye On The Bay" host Liam Mayclem introduces us to the culinary stars behind the food and wine loved by so many in the Bay Area.

_________________________________________________________

Rob's philosophy that "Wine is not an athletic event," still holds true to this day. The goal is to make "pure wines of character that pair well with cuisine." Rob believes that wine should not be a "quick study," but rather, sneak up on you, seduce you, and evolve in the glass and in the bottle.

With a solid belief that artisanal winemaking begins with the care of the land, Rob, along with winemaker Jeff Virnig, quietly converted their vineyards to organics beginning in 1991. As they honed their craft, they slowly and methodically developed biodynamic "whole farm" practices. Rob and Jeff adopted methods that not only produced wines of individuality, but also left a minimal footprint on the land.

Looking beyond the vineyard, Rob Sinskey and the crew of RSV have taken a leadership role in reducing their carbon footprint by generating 75% of the energy used at the winery through solar photovoltaic installations and the brewing of bio-diesel, made from used restaurant oil, to power their trucks and tractors.

Rob Sinskey believes that the goals of making luxuriously elegant wines and farming with earth friendly methods are not mutually exclusive. Rather, he has found that caring for the land and conscientious business practices have helped to define the well-crafted wines of RSV.

I ventured north to NAPA to the Robert Sinskey Vineyards for our recent FoodieChap chat. Over some rather delicious Sinskey vino we talked wine notes and music notes and how both will soon come together at the 2014 Outside Lands Festival (August 8-10) in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

See you at Outside Lands where music and the smell of good food will fill the SF air as wine flows and rocks your world for 3 days this coming weekend.

Enjoy the chat and check out the wine notes below.

Cheers!

_________________________________________________________

KCBS Foodie Chap Podcast:

Robert Sinskey Vineyards

KCBS Radio

playpause

_________________________________________________________

Robert Sinskey (credit: Foodie Chap/Liam Mayclem)

ROBERT SINSKEY VINEYARDS TASTING NOTES

Robert Sinskey will be pouring three wines at OUTSIDE LANDS:

ABRAXAS:
Beautiful citrus, pear and white flower aromas with a hint of flint and spice – a stone wall greets the flowers growing on it – the Riesling lends a racy brightness, the Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc paint with a textured brush and the Gew¸rztramin- er lifts with a spicy note. Though this wine is yummy young, the great surprise has been its ability to evolve with age... especially the magnums.

PINOT NOIR 2011:
A delicious, elegant and focused Pinot Noir. This 2011 vintage of RSV Los Carneros Pinot Noir is a return to style after the more boisterous 2010. Winemaker Jeff Virnig sacrificed the single vineyard Pinot Noir production (very little Perfect Circle Pinots were produced in 2011) to make sure this wine continues to be the RSV standard bearer, selecting lots from five of RSVís Carneros vineyards to create a graceful cuvÈe that is on par with the best wines RSV has produced. Tight notes of raspberry, cranberry, and tea are backed by crisp acidity, for a wine that opens slowly, rewarding with a vibrant mouth feel and a bright finish. The vivacious wine is great with rich foods now, but will reward those who have the desire to cellar the wine and allow it to transform into an elegant beauty.

POV 2010:
The 2010 vintage of POV is a wine of unusually balanced contrasts. The long cool growing season was punctuated by a late season Indian summer for full development of flavor with a long, mouthwatering finish.
Aromas of blackberry jam, nutmeg, and bramble fill the senses at first pour, followed by notes of dried herbs, spice, and chocolate. The fruit forward nature of this vintage is tempered by firm tannins and good acidity, suggesting this wine has the structure for the long haul. The combination of bright fruit, herbs, and structure ensure it will find many companions at the dinner table.

See you in the wine tent at Outside Lands – Music, Food & Wine (August 8th – 10th)

Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
More info at www.sfoutsidelands.com

Enjoy!