This month, we travel back to California to sample the wines of Robert Sinskey Vineyards (RSV), who makes wines of great purity from the Stags Leap and Carneros AVAs.

Your allocation is for a bottle of Robert Sinskey POV.  POV is an earthy Bordeaux blend from Robert Sinskey's biodynamic-certified vineyards in the Carneros. 

We also have a small supply of RSVs right bank styled Marcien blend, which you may also purchase.  (It's fabulous as well!)

As a vintner, Sinskey's mission is simple: “Farm conscientiously and make wine with minimal manipulation. Let the vineyards drive the winemaking. Emphasize elegance over power.”  He eschews points and scores, not submitting his wines for review. 

About POV:  Sinskey describes the wine as "Right Bank inspired - St Emilion with a Suntan"  .  Right
Three classic Bordeaux varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Sinskeys
Vandal, OSR and Three Amigos Vineyards.  The exact blend changes changes every vintage, but this edition spent  19 months in 30% new French oak barrels.

The color is a high-gloss, deep, ruby-tinged purple, nearly opaque at its core. Dense and intense aromas escape the glass, and elicit an immediate Pavlovian response with suggestions of ripe plums and blueberries. But oh, there is so much more: a blast of wild fennel, a dash of vanilla, a touch of violet! The aromas find substance with a sip, resplendent on the luxurious, high thread count texture woven by dense, ripe tannins. Impressive structure underpins the flavors, inviting culinary suitors and hinting of the possibilities of a long-term relationship, at least until the end of dinner. Shockingly delicious. Impossible to stop at one glass.

With a humble beginning of just 15 acres of vineyard land in the early eighties, RSV’s has grown to just under 200 acres of prime vineyard in five Carneros locations and a small 4.8 acre estate vineyard next to the winery in the Stags Leap District. The wines are 100% estate-produced.

RSV pursues purity from dirt-to-bottle and is convinced that organic and biodynamic grapes create living, vibrant and expressive wines. Luxuriously elegant wines and earth-friendly farming methods are not mutually exclusive. RSV has found that caring for the land, combined with conscientious business
practices, have helped define the well-crafted wines of RSV. After 20 years, the philosophy that “Wine is not an athletic event,” still holds true to this day.

The goal has always been to make “pure wines of character that pair well with cuisine.”

Rob Sinskey is an accomplished photographer, and this edition features original photography by Rob -
three photos per vintage. 

(written by Rob Sinskey) "You can’t accomplish much without a point of view. At RSV, we pursue wine as the craft we believe it was meant to be. From the beginning, we found our own unique - some would say contrarian - way to do things. We learned early that if we chased wine scores, we’d become blind to the unique character of our own vineyards. Instead, we developed a few mantras:

• Follow nature and craft wines that are true to place.
• Learn over time and plant varieties, clones or selections that maximize the natural potential of the place.
• Make wine with techniques that respect the purity and quality of the fruit without overwhelming it.
• Wine shouldn’t hurt! It should be elegant and delicious and make a fine dining companion.

Almost 30 years ago, RSV wagered that the cool, maritime climate of the Carneros would allow Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) to thrive, with slow, gentle ripening, creating balanced, expressive fruit. It really was not a great leap of faith as, viticulturally speaking, the Carneros has similarities with Pomerol and St. Emilion in that they both share clay based soils and a similar annual heat summation.

POV chronicles the interaction of site, variety and vintner that occurs every vintage on RSV’s certified organic and Biodynamic Carneros vineyards, illustrating the concept of interrelationships as each variety complements the other, making for a wine that transcends its individual components."


RECIPE Pan Roasted Lamb Loin with Anchovy-Olive Sauce and Artichoke Fritters Serves 4

The bold, lusty flavors of the sauce in the dish from Chef Hiro Sone of Terra and Ame, make it a great match for full-bodied, deep flavored red wines.

4 (8-ounce) lamb loins, trimmed of silver skin

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary

Pinch of chopped fresh thyme

Chickpea Batter:

1 cup chickpea flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

1/2 to 1 cup hot water

Anchovy-Black Olive Sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup veal stock

2 tablespoons tomato puree

Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons minced kalamata olives

1/8 teaspoon minced anchovy fillet

¼ teaspoon minced capers

Pinch of minced lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

4 large artichokes, cooked and quartered

1 cup sliced onion

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

16 sugar snap peas, stemmed and blanched

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

2 cups hot mashed potatoes

4 fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Coat the lamb loins with the olive oil and sprinkle on all sides with the herbs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the batter, combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot water until smooth, adding the remaining 1 cup water if necessary (the batter will be very thick). Set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat the butter and garlic together over medium heat and sauté until lightly browned. Add the wine and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the stock, tomato purée, and rosemary, and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup. Set aside. Just before serving, heat the sauce and then whisk in the olives, anchovy, capers, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Turn the loins over and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer for medium rare. Let rest in a warm place.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250°F.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F. Add the artichokes and onion to the batter. Using a large spoon, scoop some of the batter, making sure you get some artichokes and onion in each scoop. Fry for about 3 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a baking sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Melt the butter in sauté pan over medium high heat, add the snap peas, and sauté for about 1 minute, or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, finish the sauce. Put ½ cup of mashed potatoes in the center of each of 4 warmed plates. Put one fourth of the fritters on the upper side of the mashed potatoes. Spoon the sauce on the lower side of the mashed potatoes and arrange the snap peas between the fritters and the sauce. Cut each loin into 5 medallions and place them on the sauce in a semi-circle.

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