Posts Tagged“shinn estate”

WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot (North Fork of Long Island)

Many of the 2005 merlots that I’ve tasted have been big, plush and — frankly — not very true to Long Island’s unique terroir. These reds lean more towards California in style, at least in their youth, and aren’t very good values. Lovers of true Long Island wines should thank Shinn Estate Vineyards for staying true to the region with their Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot ($27). It’s a ripe, but surprisingly understated and agile red with blackberry, raspberry and plum on an expressive nose that is filled out with herbs, mocha, earth and vanilla. Similar flavors come through…

WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards ‘Red’ (North Fork)

Long Island, admittedly, doesn’t offer many red wine values under $20. So when I tasted Shinn Estate Vineyards’ latest non-vintage labeled ‘Red’ table wine, which is $15, I had high hopes. Would this be a wine I could tell people about when they want an every day-priced red? Yes…and no. I really liked the Red from a couple years ago, but this one, which is actually made from grapes grown in 2006, isn’t quite as good despite its redeeming qualities. The previous bottling was 75% merlot and 25% cabernet sauvignon, so this is quite different, made with 99% merlot and…

The 12 LI Wines of Christmas: #10 Shinn Estate 2006 First Fruit

This post is a part of my 12 Long Island Wines for Christmas series that will run from now until Christmas 2007. See the entire series here. As we enter the home stretch of my 12 Long Island Wines for Christmas, it’s time for another one of my favorite whites. In fact, it’s the last white in the mixed case. Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 First Fruit ($23) was so tasty this year that it sold out before I could stock my cellar for the summer. But, the 2007 will be released this spring and I won’t make the same mistake…

Home Restaurant Has Been Sold

In an email conversation with David Page, co-owner of Shinn Estate Vineyards, about their current red releases, he told me that he and Barbara have sold Home to their long-time silent partner, saying "The 15 years we spent at Home were some of the best years of our lives. We are excited about the opportunity to give Shinn Estate Vineyards and Farmhouse our full attention." Home will remain open through the end of the year, but will then close for renovations, reopening in the spring sometime. And while there will obviously be changes, Page told me that "The new ownership…

WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Rose (North Fork of Long Island)

"There is no reason to produce wimpy little pink wines with no varietal character." That’s what David Page, co-owner of Shinn Estate Vineyards said when I asked him about his 2006 Rose ($16). Their rose is different alright–different from every other Long Island rose I’ve tasted this summer. It’s a much richer, bolder wine. The strawberry- and watermelon-scented wine is far from wimpy. It’s medium bodied and much rounder and fuller on the palate–but still balanced with gentle acidity and even a little tannic structure. There is a faint buttery note too, although malolactic fermentation was strictly avoided. For me,…

Three Shinn Sips for Summer…and Breakfast to Boot

"There is no reason to produce wimpy little pink wines with no varietal character." That’s what David Page, co-owner of Shinn Estate Vineyards said when I asked him about his 2006 Rose ($16)–a much richer, bolder wine than many local bottlings. He’s right, the strawberry- and watermelon-scented wine with a faint buttery note is far from wimpy. It’s medium bodied and much rounder and fuller on the palate–but still balanced with gentle acidity and even a little tannic structure. While not the style I prefer, it’s hard to argue with this wine’s versatility. Page recommends it with "everything from lobster…

WTN: Grapes of Roth 2001 Merlot ($50)

Later this month, Roman Roth, the winemaking talent behind the wines of Wolffer Estate, Shinn Estate Vineyards and Roanoke Vineyards, will show off his garagiste side. Translated from French garagiste literally means “garage owner," but in the world of wine, it’s used to describe a winemaker who produces small lots of high-quality, handcrafted wines – sometimes right in his or her own garage. And while Roth didn’t make his private label — Grapes of Roth — in his garage, he’s embraced the garagiste philosophy, crafting fewer than two hundred cases of his 2001 Grapes of Roth Merlot ($50). Roth grew…