Tonight, let's take a look at the last of the Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 reds that I tasted recently (there are at least 3 other un-released wines that I haven't formally reviewed yet) -- Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 Petit Verdot ($35/500ml).
Much like malbec, is a petit verdot has spent more time in a leading role in recent years. But, also like malbec, there isn't really enough planted for it to become anything more than a member of the supporting cast in red blends and in small-production, almost-novelty wines like this one.
This wine certainly qualifies as small production. Only 1344 500ml bottles of this wine were produced. It hasn't been released yet either.
The nose is rich and complex, showing black currant and blueberry fruit, star anise/Chinese five spice, mint, cola and a little dark chocolate for good measure.
On the palate, it's plump and mouth-filling up front with gobs of dark fruit and spice, with more cola and subtle black pepper and dried herbs in the mix. The tannins, while ripe, are substantial and combined with the acidity -- make this wine a bit disjointed, bordering on harsh, at this point. It needs some bottle time to even out I think.
The finish is a bit disappointing too, it abrupt and shows a bit of heat.
Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13.8%
Production: 110 cases
Price: $35* (500ml)
Rating: 
(3 out of 5 | Recommended)
A few years ago Pellegrini let me try their Petit Verdot which was for club members only; they even offered me a chance to buy. I thought it was very intriguing, but seemed it seemed like it would dominate most foods that might accompany it. I ended up not buying it because I didn't know what to do with it.
So I pose this question (hopefully with a response from David Paige): What type of foods would go best with Petit Verdot? I'm assuming red meats. But what sort of preparation (including herbs/spices) would go into a recipe for pairing?
Thanks.
Posted by: Dave Foley | February 20, 2010 at 01:21 PM
Dave,
I have been thinking about food pairings for Petit Verdot for some time, but have not done anything specific so far. My intuition tells me to work with North Quarters Farm bison from Riverhead. I'll likely crust a roast in course black pepper and sea salt and cook it at a high temperature in our wood burning oven. Our Petit Verdot is still a long way from release so I am not likely to get the chance to try this pairing out until late this year. I'd be happy to share any recipes that work out.
David Page
Shinn Estate Vineyards and Farmhouse
Posted by: David Page | February 22, 2010 at 07:16 AM