MICHAEL SHAPS WINES.
Michael Shaps wines are produced in small lots from leased vineyards that are grown under the supervision of Michael Shaps and Philip Stafford.  Michael has established a reputation for high quality that ranks on an international scale with some of the best wines in the world.  For the past eight vintages Michael has created these wines with careful attention to the details of fine wine production.  The wines are produced with a traditional old-world style.  The whites focus on varietal intensity and the retention of natural acidity.  The reds are highly extracted and crafted to be age worthy and require cellaring.

Michael strongly believes in choosing grape varieties that represent the potential of Virginia viticulture.  Michael's wines prove that Virginia can produce wines that compete head to head with some of the finest wines from the best regions in the wine world.

In addition to wining the prestigious Governor's Cup wine competition, Michael Shaps wines have earned gold medals in several competitions and have been written up in publications such as Saveur, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, the Washingtonian, Washington Post  and many others.

2008 MICHAEL SHAPS VIOGNIER     $32
The latest release is from the fantastic 2008 vintage.  Our style of Viognier has not changed.  Harvested at 23 brix to retain brightness and balance, the wine was soaked overnight on the skins prior to pressing and fermentation.  We believe in producing a Viognier that has aromatic intensity as well as texture and palate structure.  As in previous vintages that have won national acclaim, this wine expresses classic peach, apricot, and floral notes. The mouthfeel is layered with citrus, anise and has great length.  This is a dry Viognier with crisp flavors that pair with most shellfish and seafood. 

2007 MICHAEL SHAPS CHARDONNAY     $32
This is the first release under the Michael Shaps label.  After years of making Chardonnay for other labels as well as in Burgundy, Michael is proud to produce one under his own label.  This Chardonnay is produced from grapes grown at the Wild Meadow Vineyard in Hillsboro, Virginia using the Dijon clone #96 and fermented with a native yeast strain.   This wine was made in 50% new oak with a native fermentation that lasted six weeks.  The result is a Chardonnay with unique character.  The native yeast fermentation has produced a complexity of aromas that are held together with the richness of French oak.  The "sur lies" aging gives the wine weight and complexity that integrates well with the acidity and fruit structure. With special care and attention to details, this wine shows that Virginia can make an elegant Chardonnay with a lot of character.  150 cases.

2007 MICHAEL SHAPS PETIT VERDOT     $32    
The current release is the follow up to the highly acclaimed 2005 vintage. A small lot production of a very dark aromatic red.  This has wonderful spice and floral notes.  The color is reflective of the concentration of flavors.  Rich, with bold tannins, a lot of structure and varietal intensity, this is a young wine that has great aging potential. 75 cases.

2007 MICHAEL SHAPS CABERNET FRANC $32
Made in a traditional old world style, this is a heavily extracted wine desingned to highlight the aging potential of Cabernet Franc.  The grapes were harvested at ultimate maturity (25 brix) and the wine went through and extended maceration for six weeks.  This Cabernet Franc has rich dark fruit aromas and a hint of spice.  The tannin extraction is evident, but does not overwhelm the wine.  The concentration of fruit, balanced by oak provides for a lengthy finish.  This wine will be evolving for the next ten years.  250 cases produced

2007 MICHAEL SHAPS MERLOT $32 Aged for 22 months in oak prior to bottling, this wine shows the true expression of what the Merlot grape can offer when produce in a more classic style. The extended maceration aided in integrating the tannins and through a careful selection of 50% new French oak, the wine has been aging gracefully in our cellars. The jammy flavors are complimented by the soft oak, and are wrapped tightly by the firm bit mature tannins. Very similar stylisticly to the 2002 vintage which received high accolades from British wine writer Tom Stephenson. 100 cases produced

2007 MICHAEL SHAPS “Raisin d’Etre” Late Harvest Petit Verdot/Cabernet Franc $32 (375ml)
This is made by the “Ripasso” method of drying grapes prior to fermentation. We selected a mix of both Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc to air dry on racks for two months. The raisining effect increased the sugar content from 24 Brix up to 36 brix. The small yield allows us to make just one barrel of this wine. The result is a dessert style wine with about 14.5 % alcohol and about 4% residual sugar. The aromas are delightful notes of raisins and prunes. The flavors express warm spice box notes and rich raisins. The combination of tannins, alcohol and sugars make this wine