2016 MERITAGE MONTICELLO RED WINE Varietals 46% Merlot VINEYARD NOTES 27% Petit Verdot The majority of this fruit was grown on Rougemont farm in Keswick, a vineyard with a hot southeastern facing slope on deep Davidson clay soils in the Monticello AVA. All of 9% Cabernet Franc the cabernet sauvignon and a portion of the petit verdot were grown at Adventure Farm, 9% Malbec located in Earlysville at 850 feet elevation. 13 miles south at Carter’s Mountain vineyard, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon the cabernet franc was grown at 1000 feet elevation on a southwest facing slope with AVA lighter clay and loam soils. The malbec was grown at the Wild Meadow vineyard, located Monticello in Purcellville, where the late season makes for ideal malbec growing conditions. Some of Vineyards the petit verdot was grown at Honah Lee vineyard, located in Gordonsville, on Davidson Rougemont 55% Clay soil with a southeastern exposure at approximately1000 feet elevation. The 2016 Adventure Farm 18% vintage was an above average growing season with moderate rainfall and very warm Carter’s Mountain 9% and dry conditions late in the season. Wild Meadow 9% Honah Lee 9% WINEMAKING NOTES Harvest Date All of the grapes were de-stemmed into open top fermenters and then cold soaked for 5-7 September 14-30, 2016 days for added extraction. The tanks are then heated in order to encourage ambient yeast fermentation. We do not use any commercial yeast strains, but rather create a starter from Fermentation & Aging its own juice during the cold maceration process. During fermentation, we conduct Stainless steel fermenters pump-overs twice daily until the end of fermentation and continue to extend the and barrel aged maceration for several weeks with daily pump-overs. After pressing and settling, the wine 54% new French Oak, is transferred to French oak barrels, of which 54% are new oak. The wines are aged as aged 21 months varietals, blended, and aged for a total of 21 months. Technical Data Brix at Harvest: 21.8-23.5 WINEMAKER’S NOTES pH: 3.6 We believe that the Bordeaux blends produce some of Virginia’s best and more expressive TA: 6.97 grams/L wines. The art of blending different varietals from different vineyards highlights the Alc: 13.4% nuances of each of our vineyard sites. Our 2016 Meritage blend is a reflection of what we strive for in both the grape growing and winemaking. We are crafting a wine to represent RS: 0.02% the highest quality of what we are capable of producing from the vineyard to the bottle. Bottled: July 31, 2018 Only the best grapes and finished barrels go into this blend. Cases Produced: 273 MichaelShapsWines.com.