Over the Barrel... with Lenn Thompson

Understated and Food Friendly - Even from 2005

With the recent sale of their Manhattan restaurant, "Home," Barbara Shinn and David Page, owners of Shinn Estate Vineyards, have moved to the North Fork full time, further establishing themselves on the local wine scene. And with a burgeoning winery and their extremely popular B&B, the Shinn Estate Farmhouse, they are keeping plenty busy.

Their currently released red wines-all from the hot, dry 2005 vintage-exemplify a house style that is true to the owners' culinary roots. They are aromatic, understated and show their best on the dinner table.

Their everyday-styled, "Red" table wine ($15) is labeled non-vintage, but the 99% merlot and 1% petit verdot grapes came from the 2006 vintage. A medium-light cherry red in the glass, it offers cherry and red raspberry fruit aromas on the nose with subtle black pepper-from that petit verdot no doubt-and just a little earthiness. Though not quite as flavorful as it is aromatic, it is light-bodied and juicy, with flavors that closely match the nose. Drink it over the next year or so. And, with low tannins, it might even take a slight chill well.

Many of the 2005 merlots that I've tasted have been big, plush and-frankly-not very true to Long Island's unique terroir. Lovers of Long Island wine should thank Shinn Estate for staying true to the region with their Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot ($27), a ripe, but surprisingly understated and agile merlot. Blackberry, raspberry and plum dominate a nose that is filled out with herbs, mocha, earth and vanilla. Similar flavors come through on the palate, with the addition of a minerally note on a medium finish. Medium-grip, but ripe, tannins provide nice structure and will give this wine some longevity, maybe 5-7 years. Now, it benefits greatly from an hour or two open, breathing.

The name may be whimsical, but Shinn Estate Vineyards' 2005 Wild Boar Doe ($30) is a savory, flavorful wine for red blend lovers. Made with 40% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 17% malbec, 15% petit verdot and 5% cabernet franc, the nose is dominated by ripe, just-crushed blackberries and black cherries, black pepper and sweet-savory spice. Perhaps the ripest tasting of Shinn's 2005 wines, loads of black fruit flavors coats the tongue with alluring spice, pepper, tobacco and vanilla. A distinct, but delicious, -probably from all that malbec-make this a perfect pairing for lamb or venison. The tannins are fine grained and soft. Drink over the next five years.

My favorite of the lot is Shinn Estate Vineyards' 2005 Cabernet Franc ($39). Extremely aromatic, the nose is a mélange of raspberry, cherry, earth, herbs and Moroccan spice market. Gentle tannins provide just the right structure for a wine that deftly balances fruit flavor, earthiness and spice. Raspberries, sage, grilled mushrooms and savory spice mingle on the palate showing both intensity and nuance. This is the sort of wine, despite the price, that proves cabernet franc just might be Long Island's best red variety. Simply delicious, and with only 175 cases made, there isn't much of it. Drink now and for up to five years.

Clearly, instead of using 2005's hot growing season as a excuse to make super-extracted, almost-California-style wines, Shinn stayed true to itself and to Long Island.

Visit www.shinnestatevineyards.com for more information.

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