Common Wealth Crush

COUNTRY: U.S.

REGION: Virginia

“I first met Lee Campbell in 2008 when I was doing an instore tasting for Earth Day. She was pouring next to me, representing Louis/ Dressner and it stands as the best instore tasting I’ve ever poured. I fed off her energy and gave it everything I had in order to keep up. Since then, Lee has done it all, from running one of the most progressive and industry moving wine programs, to wine fair organizing, and now she’s completing the wine pro trinity by stepping into production. Through @winesbythehand, we couldn’t be more proud to work with Lee and these wines, which like everything she’s done makes you reconsider the status quo.

The wines are made at @commonwealthcrush an incubator program, collaborative space, and custom crush facility in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. More than that, it is a wine label showcasing the diversity and potential of Virgina as a growing region. The project was cofounded by brothers, farmers, and Virgina natives Tim and Ben Jordan along with friend Pat Eagan. Long time champion of Virginia wine. Lee joined the team and has had a heavy hand in lending her tastes and insights acquired through a 20+ year career to Common Wealth Crush’s inaugural vintage. ” — Zev

A By The Hand selection

CUVÉES

Readymade

Grape: 66% Muscadine, 21% Petit Manseng, 7% Chardonel, 5% Fer Servadou, 1% Chardonnay
Vineyard: Muscadine from Pittsylvania County, Petit Manseng from around Batesville, Chardonel and Fer Servadou from Loudon County.
Winemaking: A mixture of direct press juice and crushed Muscadine berries, spontaneously fermented in open bins, pressed just before dry, finished fermenting in stainless steel tank.
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: minimal

Let’s Be Friends

Grape: 72% Merlot, 13% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Vidal Blanc, 4% Petit Manseng, 2% Grüner Veltliner, 2% Chambourcin, 1% Pinot Blanc, 1% Pinot Gris
Vineyard: Multiple vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley, from Natural Bridge to Woodstock. a mix of limestone, sandstone, and shale soils. 
Winemaking: Whole cluster Merlot, partial carbonic. The rest of the grapes added at the end of the Merlot’s primary fermentation. Malolactic in barrel, aged in tank until bottling in May 2023. 
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 35ppm

The Ballad of Chardonel & Vinifera

Grape: 95% Chardonel, 5% Petit Manseng
Vineyard: Chardonel from Terry & Dave Bruce near Harrisonburg. Frederick loam soils with limestone and sandstone
Winemaking: Petit Manseng and 20% of Chardonal macerated on the skins throughout fermentation. fermented with 80% direct press Chardonel in tank, moved to old french oak for malolactic fermentation. 
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none

Love Echo Sparkling Red

A project from our very own Jahde Marley as part of Common Wealth Crush’s Incubator Program.

Grape: 60% Niagara, 40% Concord
Vineyard: Sustainable farming (since committing to using their fruit, the Concord vineyard has stopped spraying)
Winemaking: Petillant-naturel
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none

Mise

Grape: 84% Petit Manseng, 8% Chardonel, 8% Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard: Petit Manseng from Batesville, Hayesville clay loam soils. Chardonel from Terry & Dave Bruce near Harrisonburg, Frederick loam soils with limestone and sandstone. Sauvignon Blanc from Verona, Frederick loam soils with limestone and sandstone. 
Winemaking: Petit Manseng destemmed, berries left whole, three weeks of maceration, punch downs once a day, full malo in older Burgundian barrels. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonel direct press (20% whole berry inclusion on the Chardonel) then blended with Petit Manseng. aged four months in fiberglass, bottled June 2023. 
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none

Family Meal

Grape: 23% Merlot, 21% Grüner Veltliner, 16% Vidal Blanc, 12% Petit Manseng, 7% Pinot Gris, 7% Chambourcin, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Pinot Blanc, 2% Traminette
Vineyard: Multiple vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley, from Natural Bridge to Woodstock. A mix of limestone, sandstone, and shale soils.  
Winemaking: Two different co-ferments, mixture of direct press and de-stemmed berries, blended for malo in neutral barrels. Rested two months in fiberglass tanks, bottled in March 2023. 
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 35 ppm