2023 Commonwealth Crush TAFKAS White Blend -The Artist Formerly Known As Sparkling, Shenandoah Valley,Virginia

"TAFKAS" The Artist Formerly Known As 2023 White Blend is a vibrant and modern sparkling wine, often recognized for its refreshing and accessible profile. This 2023 Commonwealth Crush blend is a distinctively crafted, low-intervention white wine produced in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, designed to emulate a still Coteaux Champenois style rather than a sparkling wine. The wine is a blend of 57% Pinot Gris and 43% Pinot Blanc, sourced from the Noer family vineyard in Verona, Virginia, featuring limestone and sandstone-based soils. Following a slow, gentle whole-cluster press similar to Champagne techniques, the wine underwent spontaneous fermentation and was aged on its lees in a combination of 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral French oak. It is noted for its high acidity, bright aromatics, and focused, dry profile, offering a unique, refreshing, and textural, yet still, alternative to typical Virginia whites. making it an excellent, easy-drinking option for casual sipping or pairing

Common Wealth Crush (CWC) in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a unique winery incubator/custom crush facility co-founded by brothers Ben and Tim Jordan and friend Patt Eagan, featuring sommelier Lee Campbell as a key partner, focusing on low-intervention, diverse Virginia wines and fostering the next generation of winemakers, with significant emphasis on diversity by actively creating an inclusive space in the traditionally white, male-dominated industry, especially through collaborations like the disease-resistant grape initiative (ViRV) with Emily Hodson. Lee Campbell is a highly accomplished Black sommelier, wine director, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in the industry, recognized for her pivotal role in the natural wine movement and her work in Virginia.