Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/602988
48 WINES&VINES December 2015 M ichael Shaps started Virginia Wineworks south of Charlottesville, Va., with his business partner, Philip Stafford, in 2007. They called the business "Wineworks" to reflect the industrial feel of the building and to indicate that it was more than a winery—it was going to be "a multifaceted winery." According to Shaps, "Our objective was to be a contract winemaking facility that was more of a production space than a fancy winery and tasting room. We wanted the name to reflect the vision of what it would be." The winery part of the business produces wines from Virginia grapes under both the Michael Shaps and Wineworks labels, packages wines in bottles, bag-in-box format and growlers, and also offers contract winemaking services to approximately two- dozen clients. In addition, the Virginia Wineworks tasting room sells wine Shaps makes in Burgundy, France, under his label, Maison Michael Shaps. Shaps' route to owner and manager of this complex venture did not begin with studies at Cornell, Davis, Fresno or a local community college. After he graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in economics and business in 1986, he moved to Boston and soon was managing a restaurant where he also was in charge of the wine program. Intrigued by the wine industry, he moved to Burgundy in 1990, studied at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune and earned a diploma in enology and viticulture. Michael Shaps Wineworks 'Multi-faceted winery' expands in Virginia By Linda Jones McKee TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT KEY POINTS Located south of Charlottesville, Va., Michael Shaps Wineworks is a contract winemaking facility that produces wine for Michael Shaps' labels and approximately two dozen clients. Wineworks recently expanded its production capacity by 50%, adding an office building and (for the first time) a tasting room separate from the barrel room. Shaps was trained in France and uses some Old World wine making techniques such as fermenting primarily with native yeasts. He also has adapted concepts like the Italian appassi- mento technique to solve the local challenge of making wine from grapes that are low in sugar. Grapes destined for the appassimento process arrive at the winery in 14pound lugs.