All of our tannat is hand harvested and transferred to the winery for cooling prior to de-stemming and light crushing. Prior to fermentation the grapes are cold soaked for 48 hours for added extraction. 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 pressing and settling, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels of varying age. After malolactic fermentation is completed during the barrel aging process, the wine is racked and aged for a total of 23 months before bottling. This wine goes into bottle unfiltered and in most years, un-fined as well.

We are Michael Shaps Wineworks. Founded in 2007, we create complex wines with careful attention to the details of fine wine production, in a traditional old-world style. We use natural yeast and our wines spend a significant amount of time in barrel prior to release. As an independent winery, we focus on quality, refined small-batch production. We are a working winery nestled in the woods South of Charlottesville, and we are all devoted to the craft of winemaking.

Tasting Notes: Notes of black fruit, tobacco, and leather. Pair with heavier meats like beef tenderloin, or strong cheese like blue and parmesan.

Varietal: Tannat

Region: Monticello, Virginia