Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Wine:Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Rosé, Estate (North Fork of Long Island)

Shinn Estate Vineyards

2006 Rosé, Estate
(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, said when I asked him about his 2006 Rosé.

And, boy, is it different from most every other Long Island rosé I've tasted this summer. It's a much richer, bolder wine. Furthermore, rosé isn't an afterthought at Shinn. They have a particular lot, of a particular clone of Merlot, that they devote to their rosé every year.

Page is right, this 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, it's almost too bold, but it's still plenty fresh, refreshing and versatile. Page, a professional chef, recommends it with "everything from lobster rolls on the beach to charred steaks in the backyard." Sounds like the perfect wine for a North Fork summer.

Reviewed August 31, 2007 by Lenn Thompson.

The Wine

Winery: Shinn Estate Vineyards
Vineyard: Estate
Vintage: 2006
Wine: Rosé
Appellation: North Fork of Long Island
Grape: Merlot
Price: 750ml $16.00

Review Date: 8/31/2007

The Reviewer

Lenn Thompson

Lenn Thompson writes about New York wines for Dan's Papers,
Long Island Press, Long Island Wine Gazette, Edible East End
and Hamptons.com. Two words describe his taste in wine — balance and nuance. Lenn prefers food-friendly, elegant wines to jammy, over-extracted fruit bombs and heavy-handed oak. When reviewing, Lenn tastes each wine three times — alone right after opening, with food, and again the next day — believing that 90-second reviews are unrealistic and not how the average person enjoys wine.