1987 Robert Sinskey Merlot

Robert Sinskey is in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. It was founded in 1986 by Robert Sinskey, an eye physician with a passion for Pinot Noir and an interest in growing grapes. He became a limited partner in Acacia Winery, then bought 115 acres of his own and started making his own wine. Today the estate is run by Sinskey’s son Rob and includes nearly 150 acres. The estate grows a wide variety of grapes ranging from Pinot Banc and Pinot Gris to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Besides producing well-reviewed Pinot Noir, the estate makes many red and white blends.

Carneros AVA, also known as Los Carneros, is at the southern end of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys at the top of the San Francisco Bay. The 8,000 vineyard acres are mostly planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both of which thrive in the district’s cool, marine climate. Carneros became an AVA in 1983 and it has attracted foreign wine companies along with local producers. It has been especially appealing to European producers of sparkling wines including the giant Spanish cava producers Codorniu and Frexinet, and the French Champagne house Taittinger. Codorniu in Carneros is called Artesa, and Frexinet’s Carneros brand is Gloria Ferrer. Taittinger calls its Carneros winery Domaine Carneros. The European producers also make still wines in Carneros.

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.