Wine Article
2021 Michael Shaps Viognier
Last edited on 5/5/2022 by m.barretta
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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.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
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.
Varieties
- 95% Viognier
- 5% Riesling
AVA
- Virginia
Vineyard
- 54% Honah Lee
- 41% Mountain View
- 5% Shenandoah Vineyards
Harvest Date
- September 13, 2021
Fermentation & Aging
- 100% Stainless steel aged 5 months
Technical Data
- Brix at Harvest: 22
- pH: 3.35
- TA: 6.6 grams/L
- Alc: 12.7%
- RS: 0.02%
Bottled: January 18, 2022
Cases Produced: 217
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.
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
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.
Varieties
- 95% Viognier
- 5% Riesling
AVA
- Virginia
Vineyard
- 54% Honah Lee
- 41% Mountain View
- 5% Shenandoah Vineyards
Harvest Date
- September 13, 2021
Fermentation & Aging
- 100% Stainless steel aged 5 months
Technical Data
- Brix at Harvest: 22
- pH: 3.35
- TA: 6.6 grams/L
- Alc: 12.7%
- RS: 0.02%
Bottled: January 18, 2022
Cases Produced: 217