June 9, 2024
When Rose Hill was Shinn, I liked the somewhat hippie-ish vibe it had, a bit off the beaten path, on Oregon Road (allegedly so named because it was so far away it might as well have been in Oregon—really, it’s not that far). However, the changes have been improvements, with a lovely shaded patio for outside tastings, plus a much larger indoor room for cold or rainy days. There’s now a large area of lawn set up with tables as well.
When you enter the parking area from Oregon Road, you will see four parking spots reserved for the overnight guests of the Inn, plus a pebbled lot for everyone else. The parking used to be around the back, but no more, though that is where you’ll find the entrance to the tasting room. We were cheerfully greeted by one of several pleasant young women who circulated around the patio, and told we could choose whichever table we liked. We picked a table for the four of us that was well shaded, and settled down to read the menu, which one acquires via a QR code embedded in the table top.
The menu offers three different flights: the Estate Flight, of five varied wines for $30, the Summer Flight, of five whites and a rosé for $30, and a Red Flight of five reds, also $30. We decided we would get the Estate and Summer flights, as there was no overlap, and requested extra glasses so we could share the generous tastes. We also ordered a sparkling pink lemonade for our designated driver, which he said was quite good.
Since it was lunchtime, we also perused the menu of “Light Bites,” and settled on the Mediterranean Board, for $32, thinking if it was not enough food we might order something else. However, as it happened, the serving of three dips—a hummus, a goat cheese and sweet red pepper puree, and a yogurt somewhat like a tzatziki—with toasted pita triangles and some breadsticks, plus black and green olives, was plenty, especially since we asked for and got some additional pita triangles when, as so often happens, we ran out of dippers before dips. We liked all three very much.
Our attentive waitress brought us a large bottle of chilled water with compostable plastic cups, and happily answered all the questions we had, though she had to ask someone else to tell us why the winery is called Rose Hill. Apparently, the owners used to live on a street called Rose Hill.
Since I tried all the wines, the following list includes all ten, with the wines from the Estate Flight first, except for the last two, when we tried the Merlot after the Rosé. At the end, we decided we’d like to try one more wine, while we finished off the last of our dips, and the waitress recommended the 2020 Cadence, a lovely red we found tasty and very drinkable, though not worth $45. The menu also offers a port and a brandy.
- 2022 Brut Rosé $48
This sparkling wine, made using the méthode champenoise, has a lovely aroma of toast and red berries, with some berry and lemon taste. Very nice.
- 2022 First Fruit $28
A steel-fermented sauvignon blanc, this is a very light white, with an interesting aroma of almond extract. We could see having this with—believe it or not—ice cubes in it, on a very hot day, as it is refreshing but not very flavorful.
- 2023 Concrete Blonde $48
Why concrete? I was able to answer this question, as I have learned that, in addition to steel and wood, wine can be fermented in a concrete “egg,” which I find adds some depth and interest to whites without the oakiness I dislike. We all like this one, which had just a touch of sweetness and much more body than the other sauvignon blanc. My friend pronounces this “versatile,” and we agree that you could pair it with cheeses, fruits, seafood, or chicken. Very nice to drink on its own, as well.
- 2023 Palmilla $34
I forgot to ask about the name, but this is a blend of albariño, gewürztraminer, sauvignon blanc, sémillon, and chardonnay. It smells like oranges, and tastes like various tropical fruits. We like it.
- 2022 Albariňo $65
My friend and I, who often agree about all sorts of things, agree about albariño as well—it is a wine we often order when, for example, we are in a wine bar and want to get a glass of something. What I like about albariño is that it is never too sweet, and usually has some pleasant citrus tastes without being too tart. This is fairly classic, though over-priced.
- Rose Hill Rosé $30
Most rosés around here taste and smell like strawberries, which this one does, too, with a slightly woodsy aroma as well. Pleasant.
- 2023 Riesling $28
There’s a reason why I never order a riesling unless I’ve tasted it, since they are often too sweet for me, and this one, though it is described as “off dry,” is a perfect example of why that is a wise policy. “Horrible,” says my pal. “Smells like candy,” I note. Yes, it is sweet.
- 2022 Merlot 3 Rosé $30
The menu notes that this is a Croteaux rosé, and I remember that the same people who bought Shinn also bought Croteaux, which only makes rosés. This is an extremely light rosé, almost white, very dry, with not much flavor.
- 2020 Estate Merlot $34
Though this has the usual cherry aroma of North Fork merlots, the flavor is very light and dry, with almost no fruit, “more like a pinot noir,” opines my friend. Just okay.
Reasons to visit: lovely patio; excellent service; good snacks; the Concrete Blonde (no blond jokes!), the Palmilla, the Albariňo, and the Cadence.
NoFo Wineaux 