Sherwood House wines are handcrafted using traditional methods combined with the latest scientific techniques. Gently pressed from handpicked grapes, the juices are fermented and aged in French oak barrels for extended periods of time. All the grapes used for their limited-release wines are grown on the vineyard estate, located on the North Fork of Long Island.

In fall of 2005, Barbara and Dr. Charles Smithens opened up their "tasting cottage" onsite at their vineyard at 2600 Oregon Road, Mattituck, NY.  A mere 8' x 12' garden shed has been transformed into a small but elegant wine tasting bar, and picnic tables outside welcome visitors who want to relax and soak in the sun and scenery. The tasting cottage is open for seasonally, Fridays through Sundays, 12 to 6 pm, and is now one of the North Fork wine trail's most popular destinations.

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have since been planted on 38 acres of former corn and potato fields. The wines are made at the ultra-modern facilities of the Premium Wine Group, in Mattituck.

Sherwood House Vineyards is owned and operated by Dr. Charles Smithen and his wife Barbara, a vintage jewelry dealer. A highly regarded cardiologist in New York City as well as a faculty member at Cornell Medical School, Dr. Smithen has a longstanding passion for wine that originated long before the latest revelations about wine's healthful properties emerged. It began during the late 1960s when he spent two and half years doing medical research in London. To further his wine education he made frequent trips to France, visiting vineyards and wineries in various regions.