Drink (and think) like a somm
Michael Shaps
Meritage
Virginia
Monticello
Cabernet Franc 37%
Petit Verdot 25%
Merlot 25%
Malbec 13%
Plum, Violets, Spices, Blackberry
20 Months
New French Oak 50%
Neutral Oak 50%
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Low
Med -
Medium
Med +
High
ABOUT
Michael Shaps 2021 Meritage
We believe that the Bordeaux blends produce some of Virginia’s best and most expressive wines. The art of blending different varieties from different vineyards highlights the nuances of each of our vineyard sites.
Our 2021 Meritage blend is a reflection of what we strive for in both the grape growing and winemaking. We are crafting a wine to represent the highest quality of what we are capable of producing from the vineyard to the bottle.
Only the best grapes and finished barrels go into this blend. The result is a balanced, well-structured wine that will continue to develop under proper cellar conditions for about 10-12 years.
PAIRINGS
IN A PINCH
Typical Meritage paring: Charcuterie, grilled meats.
DEEPER DIVE
This specific Cabernet Franc dominant Meritage is focused on balance over power, which gives it a wide range of pairing options.
The dark fruit is immediately present on the nose and palate, while elevated acidity and medium tannins help support the wine’s structure.
It boasts a medium plus body, which means it’s going to be great from roast game to leaner cuts of meat, especially when grilled.
STANDOUT FEATURES
- Dark Fruit
- Linear Acidity
- Firm Tannins
STEAR CLEAR
Anything too light or too heavy.
PAIRING SCALE
Light Dishes
Salads
Raw Bar
Med – Dishes
Fatty Fish
Roast Chicken
Med. Dishes
Lean Meats
Rich Poultry
Med + Dishes
Burgers
Fatty Meats
Full Dishes
Stews
Rich Sauces
CHEESE OPTIONS
Stilton
Stilton
Country: England
Animal: Cow
Type: Strong, funky
Texture: Hard
Style: Full-bodied, tangy
Taleggio
Taleggio
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Style: Mild, sweet, aromatic
Chèvre
Chèvre
Country: France
Animal: Goat
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy, crumbly
Style: Acidic, salty, tangy
RECIPE IDEAS
SERVICE
WHICH GLASSES?
Large Bordeaux or All-purpose glasses would be best.
BORDEAUX
BURGUNDY
FLUTE
COUPE
ALL-PURPOSE
WHITE
DESSERT
SHOULD I DECANT THIS?
WHY “Yes”?
There’s a lot to unpack in this wine, and most of it will be missed if it doesn’t have at least a little time to breathe.
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 bottle:
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 – 2030
NERD STUFF
TECHNICAL NOTES
Brix at Harvest: 22.5-23.8
pH: 3.7
TA: 6.75 grams/L
Alc: 13.3%
RS: 0.01%
Bottled: July 26, 2023
Cases Produced: 199
VINEYARD NOTES
All of the fruit this year comes from Honah Lee located in Gordonsville, VA within the Monticello AVA. The vineyard is at an elevation of 1000ft and is made up mostly of Davidson Clay. The southeast exposure offers great sunlight to help achieve maximum ripeness.
The 2021 vintage was a nicely balanced year with moderate heat throughout the growing season and adequate moisture to match. This allowed the red varieties to ripen nicely and provide rich fruit flavors while maintaining brighter acidity than is usually achieved in warmer vintages.
WINEMAKING NOTES
All of the grapes were de-stemmed into open top fermenters and then cold soaked for 5-7 days for added extraction. The tanks are then heated in order to encourage ambient yeast fermentation. We do not use any commercial yeast strain, but rather create a starter from its own juice during the cold maceration process.
During fermentation, we conduct pump-overs twice daily until the end of fermentation and continue to extend the maceration for several weeks with daily pump-overs. After about four weeks the free run juice is separated from the skins, which are then pressed.
The wine is then transferred to French oak barrels, of which 50% is new oak. The wines are aged as varietals, then blended the following Spring, and aged for a total of 20 months.
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
