Hi Berserkers! Welcome back to the cooler corner of Napa Valley - it’s time to reload!
If you’re new to Virage, we’re offering aged/age-able Cabernet Franc and Merlot blends reminiscent of Right Bank Bordeaux. Think mineral rich black cherry and plum… Grown in cooler climate in elevated rolling hills of Napa Carneros, these balanced blends express depth and complexity achieved in volcanic soils over a long, slow ripening season. Three aged wines here from the library plus my fun, delicious second label - bundle 'em up for increasing discounts in larger bundles. Flat Rate (max) shipping $30 on all boxes 
The Vintner Founder
I’m Emily, CIA-trained cook, former assistant to wine educator and author Karen MacNeil and a Napa-based wine business consultant who… fell in love with a wine and a vineyard, abandoned common sense and … set out, with a small team of pros I met while consulting at Quintessa, to produce a CabFranc/Merlot blend to rival Right-Bank Bordeaux.
I used to go to collectors’ private homes, adding Virage to blind tastings to play “Guess the California wine.” I sold a lot of wine that way (and met great people, like Berserker Paul Hiyake who invited me to WB!) Early on, I’d beg customers to open the wine a day early… or decant hours before dinner… a wine built to age needs a lot of O2 exposure to fully express itself when young. Those days are over for the wines! You can pop and pour, but there’s still evolution over several hours, which is way cool. Nobody wants a simple wine that says, “Hi, I’m Raspberries,” and two hours later is still saying the same (or fallen apart).
The Where–and Why
The mission of Virage–meaning a turn in the road–was supported by a Napa vineyard I took over from Havens, adding Merlot from neighboring Hyde Vineyards in 2010. The start-up life isn’t for everyone; in no time I was on my own, attending courses at UCDavis and Napa Valley College, and customizing a simple e-commerce site. I learned that a focused, working owner outperforms a rarely-involved big name known to Robert Parker. It’s all good, I wanted a wine you can purchase by the case, a wine people would regularly drink, to accompany dinner and good conversation, not put on a trophy shelf. Wearing many hats keeps cost down. Luckily, word got around, in part thanks to Berserkers!
Depth and complexity comes from sun and soils, the right grape planted in the right place. In this case, Carneros hillsides bathed in bay breezes, a unique-to-Carneros patch of Forward series soils extending just below the Mt. Veeder appellation line. Slower maturation in temperate areas close to water permits even ripening of flavors, tannins, and aromatics–without high heat raising sugar levels (creating high alcohol) and burning off the grape’s natural acid complex–no acid added to Virage wines! I discovered wine in culinary school–to me, its purpose is to accompany food, so I want that mouthwatering finish…You can bring this versatile wine to ANY dinner 
Here’s the PROFESSIONAL PRESS
RECENT CT NOTES
2010 Virage - 1/1/2023 - DELUND LIKES THIS WINE : 93 points
Pulled out of the cellar, popped and poured, served about 60 F. Rich ruby color. Mint, cocoa, cherry on the nose. Rich dark fruits, green bell pepper and dusty tannins on the palate. Well integrated alcohol and acidity. Long finish. Lovely wine, but I think it still has years ahead. I am sure that this would have continued to evolve in the glass, but we polished it off in short time.
2011 Virage - 5/5/2022 - RON SLYE WROTE : 93 points
This is just such a solid lively wine. Sort of a straight pitch right down the line (I am not much of a sports guy but what I mean is this is so solid and good). Nose of tomato leaf, violets, mushroom, a little smoke. Lovely palate. Some nice firm dark fruit, brown and slight green herbs. Very fine tannins near the end suggesting this might improve for another 2 to 3 years. I agree this is solidly in its drinking window but it has lots of time ahead of it. So glad I recently stocked up on these. Well done Emily. (Again!).
2012 Virage - 10/2/2022 - CHARLIE CARNES LIKES THIS WINE: 94 points
Drank this with Julie the other night. It’s so good. It’s shining at 10 years, it is dark, with dark red and black cherry, a lovely bit of soil, with some mellowed green tobacco, and a bit of iron. This drinks so well with food. Highly recommended!
2012 Bourriquot - 9/27/2022 - KLEZMAN WROTE:
This was excellent. Restrained in style, but deep fruit and lots of texture. Long finish. Lots of age.
FINALLY, THE BD14 OFFERS
YOU CAN CHOOSE or you can CLICK MY BUNDLES.
Grab a few, steal a case or more. Stock up, please, this may be my last BDay offering!! I’ve gotta let someone else take the reins here
OFFER 1: YOU CHOOSE
Enjoy
- 25% off any 3-PAK, use coupon code: BD3
- 30% off any 6-PAK, use coupon code: BD6
- 35% on any 12-PAK, use coupon code: BD12
Do not enter BD14 like everyone else’s offers. You will break the internet. I had enough trouble with my e-commerce provider last BD13 for a lifetime!
TWO RULES of SELF-BUNDLING:
- Please order individual bottles, the code requires minimum Qty 4, 6, 12.
- Please DO NOT USE MORE THAN ONE COUPON, or else
Click on “SHOP” here: VIRAGE NAPA VALLEY
OFFER 2: ONE-CLICK BUNDLES
Get in. Get out. Nobody gets hurt. Here’s THREE pre-set ONE-CLICK BUNDLES:
#1 - 12PAK Virage and Bourriquot mix
35% discount, 2x750ml bottles each the much-loved 2010, 2011, 2012 and 6x the delicious juicy daily drinker 2012 BOURRIQUOT. This case is so perfect you really need two of them. Drink the 10’s first, then 12’s then 11’s. Bourriquot all day.
Virage Wines all rated WE91-WE94
CLICK TO ORDER $444.60 average $37/bottle, fab
# 2 - 6PAK Virage Vertical
2x750ml each of the beautifully aged 10-11-12’s at 30% off
They’re still in the original post-bottling warehouse, chilling at 55F.
CLICK TO ORDER $294 that’s $49/bottle
# 3 - 6PAK Bourriquot Bargain
“Bo-Ree-Ko” Hard to say, easy to drink. This 73%-27% CabFranc/Merlot blend from 2012 is tasting so incredibly rich and delish, The bumper crop of Atlas Peak Cab Franc made this fun second label possible, a true steal.
CLICK TO ORDER $184.80 (that’s ~$30/bottle, get four of these you won’t be sorry More on yummy Bourriquot here
PAYMENT:
I love Zelle. If you Zelle your order total to emily@viragenapavalley.com I will be eternally grateful. I save cc fees and my reconciliation is so much easier, your name appears right on my bank statement. PLEASE CHOOSE Payment Method CHECK BY MAIL Thanks for taking that extra step to open up Zelle–after the forum closes is just fine! I also get it if you prefer the ease of cc’s in the time crunch that is BerserkerDay.
RE: CC’s - entry field for the card# is suddenly white on white… but it’s THERE! Put your cursor where it should obviously go, and it’ll take the 16#'s like a nice dog takes a treat.
SHIPPING:
Berserker buyers know… I’m maniacal with shipping details. I do NOT want your wine to suffer heat nor cold, sleet nor snow, though we can’t avoid dark of night… My nightmare is your wine spends an afternoon trundling about on the local FedEx truck if your driver happens to arrive when you’re walking the dog… Or worse, FedEx suddenly decides to ship back to sender, somewhere I may not be. This happened to my longtime customer in Ohio, and the driver forged his signature on my porch, after NOT knocking on my door, and when I let the dog out to see what the suspicious box was on my guesthouse/office porch, well, the driver was still in my yard! Oscar chased him out, after which the driver actually threatened to sue me! The joys of wine shipping.
So be warned, I WILL strong-arm you to ship to a business address or mark your FedEx label “Hold at Location.” Deliveries arrive earlier in the day, save us $5-$10 per order, and no porch pirates! If you don’t work in an office or have a buddy with a regular business open for deliveries, let me know your favorite local FedEx (Walgreen’s etc) where wines wait for you 5 days in temp-controlled comfort. Many recipients just re-direct to a FedEx office anyway; but FedEx still charges the Home Delivery upcharge (determined at time of labeling). It’s a hassle, I know, to drive the Ferrari to the FedEx, and lug the 36lb box home, but it’s worth it so your wines taste their best!
I will ship most orders in March, weather permitting. I will always check in to make sure you’re in town before shipping.
STATES:
The Virage website notes in more detail where we cannot ship - NH, MI, TN, UT, the usual suspects. PM me with any questions. If you buy wine in California, and ship it to yourself from California later after securing a local CA storage/shipper, like 55 Degrees or Bodega Shipping in St. Helena, or Stagecoach in Napa, etc., you can do as you like with your wines, as I understand it. PM me to discuss.
GRATITUDE to @Patrick_Taylor for moral and technical support. And thanks to all the wineries scraping their margins for this fun. Even with the new format, all the public marketing and new fees, the special vibe remains–the laughs, the wine and life insights, the benevolent snark that makes Berserkers Berserkers. Y’all do LOVE wine, you all UNDERSTAND wine (or try to), all without pretense or BS. I truly hate the new format, I hate everything new, LOL, I miss the fun emojis, and I don’t believe bigger is better, but I love this group. Please stock up; I’m likely selling this business in the coming year… Hey, now’s YOUR chance to run Virage! 
The End
(and there was much rejoicing)(says Patrick my editor!)
Have fun today!
Please tell me your favorite Virage in the comments!!
PM, email or text anytime!
(707) 480-9155
