Drink (and think) like a somm
Michael Shaps
Cabernet Franc
Virginia
Monticello
Cabernet Franc 100%
Red Cherry, Raspberry, Black Pepper, Cloves
19 Months
New French Oak
40%
Neutral Oak
60%
ABOUT
Michael Shaps 2023 Cabernet Franc
“Cabernet Franc has been one of Michael’s favorite varieties to make because of its unique expression and style that represents the variety and Virginia well. Cabernet Franc is resistant to Virginia’s humid conditions and ripens well on the deep clay soils.
This vintage, we decided to showcase the variety with a 100% varietal wine. Fresh red cherry and raspberry are prevalent on the palate and a medium body is matched with bright acidity to make this a very versatile pairing wine. Enjoyable now, but can aged for about 3-5 years.”
-Michael Shaps
PAIRINGS
IN A PINCH
Charcuterie, lean meats and soft cheeses.
DEEPER DIVE
Cabernet Franc on its own is not meant to be a powerhouse, which actually makes it a great pairing wine due to its more approachable structure.
Its medium body and elevated acidity makes it great for dishes like grilled lamb, filet mignon, and flank steak.
However Cabernet Franc’s peppery quality also gives it the ability to pair with more difficult options like vegetables, especially when roasted or grilled.
STANDOUT FEATURES: Medium body, pepper notes, red fruit.
PAIRING SCALE
STEER CLEAR
Anything too light like fish or anything too heavy, especially rich sauces.
CHEESE OPTIONS
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow
Type: Hard
Texture: Grainy, crumbly
Style: Salty, tangy, nutty
Taleggio
Taleggio
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Mild, sweet, aromatic
Époisse
Époisse
Country: France
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Rich, earthy, spicy
RECIPE IDEAS
SERVICE
WHICH GLASSES?
All-purpose glasses are going to be your best bet here.
BORDEAUX
BURGUNDY
FLUTE
COUPE
ALL-PURPOSE
WHITE
DESSERT
SHOULD I DECANT THIS?
WHY “Up to you”?
Letting this wine open up in a decanter definitely won’t hurt, and could help bring out some of the more savory notes, but this wine also displays most of its flavors right up front.
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.
Minutes to decant this wine:
Year opened
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, 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:
2026 – 2031
Development
NERD STUFF
TECHNICAL NOTES
Brix at Harvest: 23.1
pH: 3.66
TA: 6.3 grams/L
Alc: 13.9%
RS: 0.01%
Bottled: May 9, 2025
Cases Produced: 552
VINEYARD NOTES
The fruit for the 2023 Cabernet Franc was sourced from a few of the best vineyard sites Michael could find that year. Honah Lee makes up the majority which consistently delivers excellent fruit from its high elevation of 1000 ft. The Shenandoah Vineyards fruit is grown on loam and limestone soils which offers more dark, concentrated fruit with robust tannins, while the Honah Lee fruit has brighter red fruits and softer tannins.
WINEMAKING NOTES
All of our Cabernet Franc is hand harvested and transferred to the winery for cooling prior to de-stemming without crushing. 20% whole berry return is added to the tank to help bring out a brighter fruit component. A 48-hour cold maceration prior to fermentation helps build mouth feel and color without extracting too much tannin.
No commercial yeast strains are used, as we prefer to create a starter from its own juice during the cold maceration process. We conduct pump-overs twice daily throughout fermentation; after it’s complete we continue to extend the maceration for several weeks with daily pump-overs.
After pressing and settling, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels, of which 40% are new oak. Malolactic fermentation occurs during barrel aging. After the malolactic is complete the wine is racked and aged for a total of 19 months before being bottled unfiltered.
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
