I’ve mentioned it before, but I always find the diverse styles of local rose interesting. Last week, I reviewed Wolffer’s latest effort, and in many ways, it’s a pink-colored white wine (it’s 40% chardonnay after all).

If that’s one of end of the spectrum — a white wine with color — then Shinn Estate Vineyards’ 2007 Rose ($15) is the opposite end. It’s truly a pale red wine. It’s a unique both for how it’s made and the way that it shows actual varietal character.

Many roses are either the result of blending or of bleeding juice off juice to intensify red wines, but Shinn grows a specific clone of merlot specifically for the production of this wine each year.

A medium pink, it’s medium bodied and offers briar, strawberry, watermelon and a faintly buttery note on both the nose and the palate. Dry, but fruity, and with a little noticeable skin tannin this is a rose to enjoy with a wide range of foods. Think barbeque chicken, think grilled salmon, think burgers.

Heck, I tasted it with a barely rare steak over the weekend and it worked surprisingly well. Make sure that you don’t over-chill this one. It’s better just barely chilled I think.

Grape(s): 100% merlot
Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
Price: $15
Rating:
 (3 out of 5 | Recommended)