Sherwood House has long been one of my favorite wineries. I love and admire what they do! They make a few wines, and they make them very well!
Charles and Barbara Smithen were North Fork, Long Island residents for over twenty years, and they finally found their dream home in 1996. The farmhouse, which was built in 1860, and the surrounding 38 acres of former corn and potato fields offered outstanding conditions for growing wine grapes. The Smithen's initially planted Chardonnay vines from Burgundian clones and later added Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
Gilles Martin became the winemaker here in 1996. He went on to produce some of Long Island's best awarded wines, including his 2008 Chardonnay which was awarded "Best in Class" and 91 points at the 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition and his 2005 Blanc de Blanc which received a 90 rating from Wine & Spirits Magazine. With a Master of Oenology degree from France's prestigious Universite Montpellier I, Gilles Martin has directed the operations of more than two dozen wineries during his fifteen years of viniculture experience and has been the head winemaker at Sherwood House since it's inception. His resume' is impressive. I consider Gilles among the best winemakers in the state.
I cannot lie. Whenever I am with friends I want to impress, who are wine snobs, I always start off with Sherwood House. And I have been doing so for at least 10-15 years. Amazing quality. Always. Great stuff. A wonderful wine.
