Drink (and think) like a somm
Michael Shaps
Viognier
Virginia
Monticello
Viognier 90%
Riesling 10%
Apricot, Honey, White Flowers, Vanilla
7 Months
Stainless Steel
100%
ABOUT
Michael Shaps 2023 Viognier
Michael has been producing this trademark style Viognier for over twenty years. Viognier can sometimes be known for very low acidity, but the use of 100% stainless steel as well as the addition of the Riesling helps keep this wine bright and refreshing.
The cooler fermentation temperature also keeps a focus on the tropical fruit notes like white peach, banana, and pineapple. The result is a more food-friendly Viognier that retains the classically strong aromatics and full body but with firm acidity to balance the structure of the wine.
PAIRINGS
IN A PINCH
Asian cuisine, soft cheeses.
DEEPER DIVE
This Viognier focuses more on maintaining its bright acidity than the usual rich, round body. This makes it better for pairing options and means it’s much more approachable on its own as well.
The lighter body allows it to take some heat as well, especially with some of the popular Thai and Chinese dishes.
This isn’t a subtle wine when it comes to its aromatics, so try to look for fruit chutneys or salsas to accompany the main dishes.
STANDOUT FEATURES: Bright fruit flavors, linear acidity, floral notes.
PAIRING SCALE
STEER CLEAR
Anything too rich could start to overpower this wine.
CHEESE OPTIONS
Brie
Brie
Country: France
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Rich, buttery, nutty
Ricotta
Ricotta
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow, Sheep, Goat, Water Buffalo
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Mild, sweet, savory
Chèvre
Chèvre
Country: France
Animal: Goat
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy, crumbly
Rind: Edible
Style: Acidic, salty, tangy
RECIPE IDEAS
SERVICE
WHICH GLASSES?
All-purpose glasses would be best here.
BORDEAUX
BURGUNDY
FLUTE
COUPE
ALL-PURPOSE
WHITE
DESSERT
SHOULD I DECANT THIS?
WHY “Up to you”?
This wine does a pretty good job of opening up right out of the bottle, but some time in the decanter definitely won’t hurt, just pay attention to the wines temperature.
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
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:
2025 – 2030
Development
NERD STUFF
TECHNICAL NOTES
Brix at Harvest: 22.4
pH: 3.25
TA: 8.03 grams/L
Alc: 13.5%
RS: 0.04%
Bottled: February 27, 2024
Cases Produced: 388
VINEYARD NOTES
Honah Lee vineyard is located in Gordonsville, Va where it sits at an elevation of 1000 ft. The soil is mostly made up of Davidson Clay which is very well draining, and perfect for Viognier. The slopes are southeastern facing, which provides the vines with maximum exposure to sunlight to let these grapes ripen to their full potential. The remainder of the fruit is sourced from Mountain View and Shenandoah Vineyards. Both have the right combination of elevation and well drained soil to give these grapes deep, concentrated flavors.
WINEMAKING NOTES
All of our Viognier is hand harvested and transferred to the winery for cooling prior to de-stemming and crushing. A 12-hour cold soak prior to pressing helps increase aromatics and build mouth feel. After pressing and settling, the wine is fermented at 58-62°F in stainless steel tanks without any yeast inoculation for 4-6 weeks. We do not use any commercial yeast strain, but rather create a starter from its own juice during the cold maceration process.
This wine does not go through malolactic fermentation, but remains on lees until preparation for bottling in late winter. The two Viognier vineyard sites are fermented separately and are blended together prior to bottling. A touch of Riesling was added to lift the acidity on the mid-palate.
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
