Michael Shaps
Wild Meadow
Chardonnay
2022
Virginia, USA
Virginia AVA
Chardonnay 100%
16 Months
New French oak 33%
Neutral oak 63%
Oak influence on flavor
Cheese rind, green apple, lemon zest, bread dough.
About
Michael Shaps 2022 Chardonnay
In 2007 Michael discovered the five-acre Wild Meadow Vineyard site and realized after the first vintage the amazing potential it had. Using the same techniques and approach to this chardonnay as he does at his winery in Meursault, this chardonnay expresses the elegance and complexity that is often associated with his Burgundian wines.
The 2022 Chardonnay is a combination of ideal fruit quality from this special site, a slow non-inoculated fermentation and prolonged malolactic fermentation with heavy lees contact. The result has yielded a complete wine that will age well for 5-7 years.
Is this from Virginia or Burgundy? Hard to tell with the depth, complexity, and outstanding secondary flavors coming through of yeast and cheese.
Show this to any of your friends who say they don’t like Chardonnay.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Shellfish, cave-ripened cheeses.
Deeper Dive
This wine does a great job of bridging the gap from stainless steel and oaky Chardonnays. The light use of new oak gives this wine the roundness it needs to balance the acidity, while allowing for a wide range of pairing options.
It’s not a massive wine, so you’re going to want to be careful not to overpower it. Look for full-bodied seafood dishes, and poultry without sauces that are too heavy.
It’s going to be great for appetizers as well like oysters, soft cheeses, and smoked salmon.
Stand out features: Brioche, citrus notes, round mouthfeel.
Pairing Scale
This is a general guide to give you an idea where this wine falls in a spectrum of dish complexities.
Steer Clear
Rich red meats or anything with a heavy sauce (although a butter sauce should be fine with this).
Cheeses
Recipe Ideas
Service
Which glasses?
Go with large Burgundy glasses if you have them, otherwise all-purpose works just fine.
Should I decant this?
Why "probably"?
There’s a lot to unpack in this wine, and some decanting will definitely help bring that out.
It will open in your glass as well, but just make sure to swirl generously after pouring.
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 – 2032
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 2022 Wild Meadow Chardonnay
AHsomm is a proud member of the Virginia Wineries Association.
