Hi Berserkers!! Y’all know I thought 2024 would be my last time here, but… I’m back!! Inventory I was fixin’ to sell wholesale to restaurants/retail in TN was not fun as expected, and sweet Todd let me back for BD16 to offer them to YOU at same prices! Let’s move 'em out–Tennessee’s loss 
For those who know the wines, get right to our offers! If Virage is new to you, here’s a quick intro. Please check out backstory on the site, blends, and me after the offers/shipping info below and pop over to the simple Virage Website
QUICK INTRO
We produce long-aging, complex Cab Franc/Merlot blends reminiscent of Right Bank Bordeaux. Expressive aromatics, supple tannin structure, mineral-rich black cherry, currant and plum. Long, mouth-watering finish.
Grown in rolling hills above the Carneros Hwy before the left turn at 29 up to Big Bad Napa Cab. Virage means a “turn in the road.” In this temperate climate, depth and complexity develop from long, slow ripening, bathed in gentle bay breezes, while protected from the cold ocean wind blasting lower-lying Carneros through the Petaluma Gap. Three library Virage vintages anchored in this vineyard are offered here. All sisters with a common thread but their own personality. Plus my fun—delicious—second label.
These wines have all been properly stored at 55F in a commercial warehouse since bottling day!! Great opportunity to add to your collection as they enter optimal drinking windows.
Recent CT review sums it up!!
10/26/2024 - Delund Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pardon me while I take some time to berate myself for drinking most of my stock of this wine when it was young. It’s been about 2 years since I revisited this wine, only decanted for 30 minutes before we started quaffing and the bottle was so tasty, it didn’t last long. Cellar temperature. Rich ruby color starting to edge towards garnet. Nose a bit more subdued than I remember. Mint, herbal earthy notes and red fruit. Lush mouthfeel, alcohol and oak well-integrated. Medium+ body. Balanced acidity. Intense tangy red and sweet dark fruits on the palate, green bell pepper, leather and vanilla. Long mouth-coating finish. Have to hold off at least another year before I go for my next bottle. Solid QPR.
Here’s our PROFESSIONAL PRESS on these vintages at release. W&S Years Best, SF Chronicle Silver and Gold, and WE/W&S 90-94!
CELLARTRACKER NOTES
2010 Virage
11/4/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Two hour decant, and this is singing. It’s clearly Californian, but has a structural home in Bordeaux. The fruit is still prominent, reminiscent of macerated black cherries. Tannins are still firm, but balanced with the fruit. A warm herbal note hovers in the background, lingering until the cherry powers through on the finish. I have one more bottle, and I suspect it can profitably age long term.
5/11/2024 - MeasuredTime Likes this wine: 93 Points
In looking at past reviews, this wine has gotten remarkably consistent ratings. I would concur. I won’t go into granular detail, but this is an excellent wine, ready to drink now and will last 5 more years at least before decline. Definitely better than the 2012.
2011 Virage
10/27/2024 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Followed the advice of previous posters and just popped and poured. The right choice — this started singing after only a couple of minutes in the glass. This was a medium bodied, classic CA meritage. Delightful mix of red berries and cherries, light vanilla, a little spice all in beautiful harmony. This wine really set itself apart by giving me a rare spatial idea of the fruit flavors in particular— like they were all scattered evenly around a target. Weird, but a very particular image, like a Star Wars sequence where the lasers lock on target and all the crosshairs line up and flash.
The winery’s notes on the 2011 vintage are instructive btw: they go into detail about how 2011 was not everywhere the bad weather challenge that critics’ summaries relate. This 2011 is a knockout.
6/10/2024 - Peter Kleban Likes this wine:
Took about 4 days on counter under N2 to open and take off. Then very nice indeed. A wine with gravitas, deep, rich and reasonably long. Pulls you in. Much better than previous bottles, probably due to it being older.
2012 Virage
1/22/2025 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
Smoked a pork tenderloin, so needed something that wouldn’t overpower it. Here comes the ‘12 Virage. 1 hour decant and drank over 2 hr.
14.4 AC feels like 13. Restrained and elegant. Medium bodied. Nose of red currants, red cherries, roasted red peppers, some earthiness, fresh leather. After more time, the nose was more dirt than fruit.
On the palate, more red currants, black currants, sour cherry, red cherry. Nice attack on the front of the palate, slightly hollow in the middle, but a nice seamless finish with acidic fruit and faint herbal and more roasted pepper notes. I hate bell pepper notes in wine, so it wasn’t green bell peppers, it was something else and it worked .
No oak or tannins in play, in a really good spot right now. One bottle left, will save for 2027+ though I have no doubts this could go to 2037+.
10/2/2024 - Delund Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant, 60 F. Rich deep ruby color. Nose initially is a bit muddled, with red and dark fruits both making an appearance, but doesn’t really prepare you for the delightful wine that you are about to drink. Velvety tannins, lively acidity, oak pretty well integrated, as is the alcohol. Medium+ body. Big prototypical dark Napa fruits on the palate, spicy oak notes, a touch of green pepper, cranberry, dark cocoa, licorice. Long lingering finish. Complex, balanced and quaffable, great QPR, still has some time.
2012 Bourriquot
1/4/2025 - CurtaVino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Right in its window now. Well-blended flavors that are not over the top but layered perfectly with the acidity. Tannins are still there but have mellowed a bit. All of which makes the wine a joy to drink.
HERE WE GO: THREE (3) OFFERS for BD16
All include Flat Rate Shipping of $36 (max) per box shipped to a business address 
<<<< FLASH SALE: 4PAKS - just 10 available - $196 >>>>
Digging around to count shippers, I found 10 bottles of 2013 CabFranc from the Monopole Cru offer last year! And just enough 4paks to ship them in. Try 4 vintages–
One each 2010, 2011, 2012 plus the Barrel Select 100% CabFranc 2013.
If you’re reading this, CLICK TO ORDER!
OFFER #1: SAMPLER 6PAK of VIRAGE LIBRARY @ 30% OFF
6Pak - Virage Vertical ($420 - 30% = $294)
Such a popular BDay order, so as long as I have inventory, here ya go:
2x each of the library 2010-2011-2012. I haven’t raised these retail prices in years. I guess that explains why I’m driving a Subaru with 235,000 miles!! (But I seriously love that car. And my 150yr old house. Turns out I love well-made things that age well!!)
CLICK HERE TO ORDER drops right into your cart
OFFER #2: BUY VIRAGE LIKE A WHOLESALER!
50% off any FULL CASE of Virage 2010-2012
Yep, at these prices, why not take a case. SHOP HERE to brows all the wines.
Or click the wine name, and go straight to the order page, enter Qty12
COUPON CODE: BD16CASE
-
VIRAGE 2010 ($68.00 - 50% = $408 per case only $34 per bottle!)
–engaging aromatics, black stone fruits, layered mineral & leather W&S Years Best
–Half the Merlot is from HYDE VINEYARDS! Just a stone’s throw away. -
VIRAGE 2011 ($68.00 - 50% = $408 per case $34 per bottle)
– Lush, fresh, cassis & gravel WE91, W&S 92
–Pop-n-pour crowd-pleaser. Exquisite density and smooth mouthfeel
–Cabernet Franc from a Rutherford hillside vineyard, CabSauv from Sage Cyn! -
VIRAGE 2012 ($74.00 - 50% = $444 per case $37 per bottle)
– Dark fruit, mineral, plush, long. Unfiltered! SF Chron GOLD W&S 91
–Here’s your steak wine! Atlas Peak Aiken soils Cabernet Franc!
RULES of FULL-CASE ORDERING:
- Please order INDIVIDUAL bottles in multiples of 12 (vs the case option)
- All same wine. Or find a Berserker buddy and share multiple cases
- Flat Rate shipping deal is $36 per box, so #cases x $36 to BUSINESS ADDRESS ONLY. Trying to make things work efficiently here. Your favorite FedEx Hold location works too.
- In CA, AR, NV, OR, WA, WY: may do delivery by GSL in original case straight from the warehouse–helps make the offer work at this ridiculous price. And no bulky styro!
OFFER #3: BOURRIQUOT CASE 38% OFF <$30/bottle
CLICK HERE and add Qty 12 to cart.
COUPON CODE: BD16CASE ($576 - 38% = $357.12)
73% Atlas Peak Aiken soil Cabernet Franc
27% Carneros Forward soil Merlot
I promise you’ll love this bold, yummy wine. These are the same vineyards and same barrels as 2012 Virage. Great value, a friendly daily drinker.
In French, a bourriquot is a ‘stubborn donkey.’ They say dogs resemble their owners–so do wines. I find donkeys are smart and know their own mind. I couldn’t let these lovely barrels go. After blending Virage to perfection, I played around with the remaining barrels and liked the flavors in this combination, but at time of bottling, it was just too tannic/brambly from the higher % of hillside cab franc… so I didn’t send it in for scores. A few years bottle age and it was so good! Difficult to sell through the trade without scores, lucky you 
PAYMENT:
ZELLE: I love Zelle If you choose payment method “Zelle” or “Check by Mail,” you can check out faster and Zelle or mail your order total later!
Zelle comes directly to the VIRAGE bank account with your name attached. It’s WONDERFUL for my bookkeeper.
ADDED BONUS OF ZELLE: If you split cases with a buddy or two, just put their name(s) in the order notes, so I can find 3 payments to add up to 3 cases Thank you.
Zelle is run by a consortium of banks, TYPICALLY, your bank offers it in the online banking section where you transfer funds, with this as an option for external transfers. If not, you can download the app and link it to your account. Just be careful not to use with someone you don’t know, as it doesn’t offer the fraud detection (to you) as a cc does. (CC’s offer merchants no fraud protection.)
Once you’re on the app or in your bank transfer page, add a ZELLE contact:
- Personal or Business: Business
- Business Name: Virage
- Email: emily@viragenapavalley.com
Shouldn’t be any issues, but here’s a failsafe QR code.
PAPER CHECK: I can mobile deposit from anywhere. San Francisco address should appear on your confirmation screen. Kind of a pain, so thank you.
CREDIT CARD: IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST, let me know so I can switch credit cards on. I was hacked by card-tester bots this week (nightmare) and have all the cc’s turned off for now.
Once that’s on for you, at check out, there IS an input box for your 16-digit card# Hover your cursor a little above and left of where the input box obviously should be; it will reveal itself like the door to Narnia. Volusion ecommerce runs a white box on white background 
The hack was frosting on the cake as I already HATE PAYING THE 10-12% credit card fees on orders discounted this much, so please consider Zelle or Check by Mail. Small vendors get reamed by the merchant service and cc processors; you honestly cannot believe… I hate to whine, but consumers don’t realize. I know, I know, I am sorry about your miles….
SHIPPING:
Y’all know I’m maniacal with shipping. I can’t bear great wine to suffer heat or cold. My nightmare is your wine spends an afternoon trundling around on the local FedEx truck if your driver happens to arrive when you’re in the shower or walking the dog… then FedEx decides to ship back to sender, to somewhere I may not be. It happens. And they charge 3x --out, back, and out again 
Accordingly, the FLAT RATE SHIPPING DEAL requires shipping to a BUSINESS ADDRESS or to a "FedEx Hold Location” near you! Using the Business/Hold location, we eliminate the risk of missed delivery, chasing the package down, and we save $5-$9 per BOX for Residential Surcharge plus other surcharges. If you don’t have a regular commercial address open M-F for deliveries, let me know your favorite local FedEx/Walgreens pickup site, or I will email you the closest 3 locations when I create your FedEx label—the Hold sites pop up for me during data entry. They hold FIVE (5) days in temp-controlled comfort. It’s a hassle, I know, to drive to pick up wine, but it’s so worth it–your new wines will taste their best!
I will ship most orders in March, weather permitting. I always check in to make sure you’re around before shipping.
STATES:
The Virage website notes in more detail where we cannot ship - NH, MI, UT, the usual suspects. If your shipping address goes through, you’re good to go. PM me with any questions. Important Reminder: If you buy wine in California, and secure local CA storage, like 55 Degrees in St. Helena, or Stagecoach in Napa, or my new favorite organization Domaine (UOVO), choose “Ship to 55 Degrees” and I’ll drop off then you/they can move your wines around at your request!! Domaine/UOVO transfers from American Canyon (a mile from my warehouse) to your local UOVO in St. Louis, Chicago, DC, New York, etc. AMAZING SERVICE.
Have fun today!
PM or text questions anytime!
emily@viragenapavalley.com
(707) 480-9155
And,
THE LONG STORY
I’m Emily, CIA-trained cook with a finance/economics degree, former assistant to James Beard award author Karen MacNeil. I was consulting in Napa Valley when I fell in love with an idea and a vineyard, abandoned all common sense, and set out with some folks I worked with at QUINTESSA to produce an age-worthy California Cab Franc - Merlot blend in the Right-Bank Bordeaux tradition.
To sell them, I would go to collectors’ homes, adding Virage to blind tastings of Right Bank Bordeaux to play “Guess the California wine.” Back then, the wines were so tight when young, I couldn’t even pour for a restaurant or retailer. I’d plead with customers to open a day ahead… or decant for HOURS … Those days are over! The proof is in the pudding; these wines really aged beautifully. You can pop and pour now. But all these vintages still evolve over the evening, and even days.
WHERE AND WHY
Virage–meaning a turn in the road–was inspired by a unique CARNEROS foothills vineyard site, as mentioned above just the right temperate environment, volcanic soils, planted to Merlot and Cabernet Franc in its own little valley. The start-up life is hard; in no time I was operating the one-woman show, taking courses at UCDavis and Napa Valley College to improve technical skills. I discovered a focused owner outperforms a famous consultant you rarely see.
And wearing a lot of hats lowers cost. I grew up a 4H kid, growing our own veggies, raising chickens in the backyard. I didn’t WANT to produce another $300 Big Bad Napa Cab. The idea was a DELICIOUS food-friendly wine you order by the case, a wine you gather around with friends and family to enjoy time together over a meal–i.e., a wine you drink and share, not a trophy on a shelf. Gratefully, critics responded positively and word got around, also in part thanks to YOU Berserkers who write CT notes! For sure, this approach is not what people think of when they think of a vintner–those who sell for $250/bottle live the glamorous life; I do not!!
More at www.viragenapavalley.com
