Sips: From Long Island, Shinn’s ‘Red’ is inexpensive and over-delivers

Long Island’s North Fork is not the first place that comes to mind when I think of value wines in the under-$15 category, especially reds. The region’s relatively small producers necessarily have to ask quite a bit more for their estate-grown wines. So I was surprised when a friend brought over a bottle of Shinn Estate Vineyards’ “Red,” a non-vintage blend that still had the  $13.50 price tag on the bottle (it lists for $15 on Shinn’s website). I’d forgotten that Shinn, which is located on a quiet old farm road in Mattituck, 90 miles or so east of Manhattan, even made an entry-level red (the winery produces some of Long Island’s most distinctive merlots, cabernet francs, malbecs and Bordeaux-style blends). Its Red is a blend of 52 percent merlot, 26 percent cab franc and 22 percent syrah, with a least some of the fruit sourced from other North Fork vineyards.

The wine shows a lot of bright red fruit notes, good tannic structure and has an impressively long finish. Sipping it with  a casual meal (think chicken, grilled salmon, burgers, pizza) is an altogether pleasant experience that doesn’t invite over-analysis, simply enjoyment of it, which is exactly what a wine at this price should do. I’ve never had a house wine – too many new releases to taste – but if I were in the market for a red, this would  be high on my list. And for those of us in or not far from the area, the fact that it’s locally produced might just seal the deal.

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Sips: Two red wines from South Africa stand out among Bordeaux-style blends

Two Bordeaux-style red blends from South Africa stand out for their elegance and finesse at a time when many wine drinkers are looking for good-value alternatives to France and California. We’re talking about cabernet sauvignon and other red grapes that  are commonly known as Bordeaux varieties. The first wine is a $20 bargain from the Paarl area that considerably exceeded my expectations.  The label on Glen Carlou’s 2008 Grand Classique reads like a who’s who of Bordeaux grapes – cabernet sauvignon 52 percent, malbec 16 percent, merlot 14 percent, petit verdot 13 percent and cabernet franc five percent. This is a bright and opulent wine with good fruit concentration supported by a firm tannic structure. It’s easy to drink yet complex, with tastes of blueberry, cherry, black cherry and cranberry and notes of mocha and milk chocolate. Excellent for a variety of meats and fowl. Alcohol is restrained at 14 percent. Imported by The Hess Collection New World Wines, Napa, California.

The second wine is Rustenberg’s 2006 “John X. Merriman” from the Stellenbosch area. I don’t know if it’s the vintage, but I enjoyed this wine more than I had in previous years. For one thing I found the fruit riper, and the oak influence was more subtle.  The blend includes the same grapes as the Glen Carlou but the proportions are quite different – cabernet sauvignon 45 percent, merlot 38 percent, petit verdot 13 percent and very small amounts of cabernet franc and malbec. This wine, with a price of $25 or so, is fairly big (14.5 percent alcohol) but well balanced and almost demands a grilled steak with its firm tannins, herbs, blackberry and vanilla notes. It’s enjoyable now but will benefit from a few years or so in the cellar. Imported by Cape Classics, New York. Wines received as press samples.

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Sips: Raymond’s excellent Napa merlot

California merlot still suffers, I believe, from a somewhat undeserved reputation as an easy-drinking but largely undistinguished red. Raymond’s delicious 2007 Napa  Valley “Reserve Selection” Merlot belies that status and should be considered whenever the need calls for a distinctive and elegant Bordeaux-style wine. The first thing that appealed to me about this wine is that it is not overly alcoholic. The label lists alcohol at 14.2 percent, compared with some California merlots (and other reds) that exceed 15 percent and can suffer from an alcoholic hotness (Bordeaux reds typically weigh in at 13 percent ). Sorry, but it’s just hard for me to contemplate such wines as refreshing food companions. Second, Raymond’s merlot (with the addition of 15 percent cabernet sauvignon) is notable for its complexity, with concentrated tastes of ripe fig, plum, cherry and black cherry with background notes of earth, mocha and vanilla. Third, oak treatment is subtle and well integrated with the fruit, which is supported by a good tannic structure and ample acidity. All of this makes Raymond’s merlot an excellent companion to a variety of foods, including many beef and lamb, pork, chicken and vegetarian dishes. And its price, $23, is just right. Received as a press sample.

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