2018 Robert Sinskey Blanc, Los Carneros, California, USA

ABOUT THIS WINE

RSV is getting a do-over of sorts with Pinot Blanc. When RSV started growing the delicately beautiful grape, just a few acres of Pinot Blanc was planted as an experiment in the OSR Vineyard. Once the grape was a proven success in the Carneros, a block of Blanc was added to the Three Amigos Vineyard. Both of these vineyards are on the Napa side of the Carneros. Then, a block of Blanc was added to RSV’s Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard on the Sonoma side of the Carneros. These three distinct vineyards offer an ability to create different wines, each a unique cuvée with an individual expression. The half-bottles of Pinot Blanc, primarily from grapes grown on the two Napa vineyards, have more malates (naturally occurring malic acid) for a brighter, more structured wine that shows best with a bit of bottle patina, whereas the Blanc, bottled in full size bottles, is a cuvée of almost equal amounts of Napa and Sonoma fruit. The Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard produces a Pinot Blanc that is a bit fleshier, with a roundness that allows the wine to be served younger and, since it was bottled in regular sized bottles with a cork finish, will evolve gracefully over time.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

RSV is a second generation, family-owned and operated vineyard and winery. Every vine for every wine was planted by RSV and every vineyard is certified* organic. One could say that RSV is beyond organic. Since 1991, RSV has been practicing the “whole farm” philosophy of interrelationships based on Rudolph Steiner’s 1928 lecture “Agriculture.” This approach stresses the need to heal damage done by modern, mechanized farming - tapping into the rhythms of nature, encouraging natural processes, to grow superior winegrapes that require little but care to craft into expressive, vibrant and living wines.

RSV approaches the cellar as purists (with the same winemaker, Jeff Virnig, for over twenty-five years) to craft wines that are true and pure. The guiding principle that “wine is not an athletic event” has allowed the wines of RSV to stay true to vineyard and variety. Elegance over brawn has always been the house style and RSV does not submit wine for review by score-centric critics; because to taste wine in a competitive atmosphere, without food on the table, encourages wines that shout, ignoring subtle wines of balance, finesse and elegance... the attributes that define the fine wines of RSV.

*RSV’s vineyards are certified by C.C.O.F. - California Certified Organic Farmers. Due to the fee structure of Demeter USA, RSV no longer uses the trademarked words “Demeter” or “Biodynamic” as of the 2012 vintage - no matter, RSV has not changed farming philosophy.