Michael Shaps
L. Scott
2021
Virginia, USA
Monticello AVA
Tannat 50%
Merlot 33%
Malbec 17%
22 Months
New French oak 66%
Neutral oak 34%
Oak influence on flavor
Blackberry, Blueberry, Espresso, Violets.
About
Michael Shaps 2021 L. Scott
For this blend, the grapes were de-stemmed, lightly crushed, and then cold soaked for five days for added extraction before the fermentation process.
The fermentation occurred in stainless steel fermenters using native yeast. We do not use any commercial yeast strain, but rather create a starter from its own juice during the cold maceration process.
Following traditional winemaking methods, two pump-overs occurred daily in order to move the juice over the skins and seeds, which creates a bolder wine. After about four weeks the free run juice is separated from the skins before pressing, and then aged for 22 months in oak barrels, 66% of which are New French oak.
Think Meritage but bigger. Higher tannins, fuller body, and much darker fruit with some espresso and chocolate on the finish.
Lots of complexity, and will definitely benefit from some time in the cellar or decanter.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Grilled red meat, aged cheeses.
Deeper Dive
This wine is a step up in body from the typical Virginia Meritage blend. The tannins are higher and the fruit is darker with some earthy notes on the finish.
Grilled dishes that add some smoke are going to be this wine’s best friend, so long as they’re not smothered in rich sauces. The power of this wine will give it the ability to span its pairing options from lamb to ribeye.
It’s also going to be a great pairing for some aged cheeses, especially anything blue.
Stand out features: Elevated tannins, rich body, long finish.
Pairing Scale
This is a general guide to give you and idea where this wine falls in a spectrum of dish complexities.
Steer Clear
Light and lean dishes like fish or baked chicken. Anything too spicy or sweet will bring out an imbalance in the wine’s alcohol and bitterness respectively.
Unfortunately, the red wine and chocolate thing is for the most part a myth. Dry reds end up tasting bitter due to the sugar in the chocolate. Anything sweet is better saved for a dessert wine.
Cheeses
Recipe Ideas
Service
Which glasses?
Go with large Bordeaux glasses if you have them, otherwise all-purpose works just fine.
Should I decant this?
Why "yes"?
This wine is going to unfurl for quite some time, and a decanter is going to really help to let its layers start to show.
You could get away with just swirling the wine in your glass for a while, but just don’t starting sipping immediately or you’ll miss out on the majority of the wine’s potential.
How long?
Generally you would want to decant a younger wine for longer to help it open up and be cautious of exposing older wines to oxygen for too long. There are always exceptions of course, but this is a pretty good rule to follow.
Serving Temp
The correct serving temperature is important to show a wine’s true potential, but don’t stress over getting the temp exactly right. Use the chart below to try to get in the right ballpark.
Aging
When should I open this?
If a wine has been released by the producer and is available for sale, it means it is ready to drink. Wines don’t necessarily get “better” with age, they just change. Typically, this change involves things like losing fresh fruit flavors in exchange for more savory notes.
The moment you should open the bottle depends on your preference, so it’s more important to understand the evolution and the life span of the bottle than it is to try to time its opening perfectly. (It’s far better to open a bottle too early than too late.)
This bottle should probably be opened between:
2025 – 2035
Vintage
2021
This was a pretty typical vintage for most of Virginia.
There was a bit of late spring frost throughout the state, but overall, it did not severely damage most crops.
A warm and dry summer with few major rain events provided a pretty standard growing season for the grapes, allowing some to ripen to full potential.
Yield was lower than normal, but for the most part the quality of fruit was high and should produce very good wine.
Producer
ABOUT US
Founded in 2007, Michael Shaps Wineworks is located in the former Montdomaine Winery, twelve miles south of Charlottesville, Virginia. The original concept was to use the facility for production of the existing Michael Shaps brand of wines, and to produce a second brand called Wineworks, a more value-oriented line of Virginia wines.
Within the first year the opportunity arose to develop Virginia’s first contract winemaking operation–more commonly known as custom crush–to make wine for independent growers who want their own brand. Found in many wine regions around the world, this previously untapped market became a focus for Wineworks.
Between 2008-2014 the customer base grew to over twenty contract winemaking clients and the facility grew in size and capacity, requiring two expansions. Wineworks quickly became a regional leader for contract winemaking, serving clients from Tennessee to Delaware.
Michael ShapsWhen Michael’s founding partner left in 2014, he brought in investors to expand the winery facility to increase production capacity to 30,000 cases of wine and changed the name from Virginia Wineworks to Michael Shaps Wineworks. In 2015 the processing volume reached 430 tons (approximately 28,000 cases) and the 2017 harvest brought in over 500 tons.
OUR VINEYARDS
Our Vineyard sites have been chosen and cultivated with care, thinking about the current vintages as well as future vintages. We believe that great wines start in the field, without great fruit, we cannot achieve great wine.
HONAH LEE
Located in Gordonsville, VA, Honah Lee Vineyard is our primary vineyard site.
WILD MEADOW
Wild Meadow Vineyard has been highly acclaimed as one of the best chardonnay sites in the state.
MICHAEL SHAPS ESTATE
Michael Shaps Estate Vineyard
The Harris Creek Road property has been planted to vineyard since the early 1990s.
Interested in joining our wine club?
Membership Benefits:
- 4 shipments per year: February, May, September, December
- 30% discount on all Wine Club shipments
- 20% discount on all other wine bottle purchases–both online and in tasting rooms
- Complimentary wine tastings for two (limit 2 per membership) at the winery of either Virginia or Burgundy wines, depending on your club each time you visit the winery
- 20% off wine flights at Wineworks Extended each time you visit
- Discounted tickets to many special events
- Access to pre-release & “library” wines not available to the public
- Tickets for two (limit 2 per membership) to the quarterly Wine Club Pickup parties, held in February, May, September, December
Contact
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Michael Shaps 2021 L. Scott
AHsomm is a proud member of the Virginia Wineries Association.
