Winemaking at Shaw Vineyard can be explained by looking at the machine shown in this picture. It looks like a crusher-destemmer, but this special model has no crusher. The destemmer function allows for any speed, another special feature, ensuring that grapes are detached from their stems with the gentlest possible touch.

Steve Shaw ordered these special features on this machine to reflect his winemaking philosophy. Red wines in a cool climate need special attention since their subtle flavors must be drawn out carefully to enhance quality. Red wines at Shaw are made from whole berries, crushed not by a clumsy machine but by their own weight. All remaining berries are pressed at a very low 1 bar of pressure. All grapes are moved by hand and conveyer, not through pumps.

The particular yeast strains used in primary fermentation are chosen for their unique properties in enhancing the flavors of the grapes as they are converted into wine.

Extended barrel aging is a hallmark of Shaw Vineyard for all of its reds and some varieties of whites, such as chardonnay. Most red varieties are aged for a minimum of 18 months; some will remain in barrels for three years. Winemaker Steve Shaw believes that this patience can be rewarded with flavorful cool-climate reds that showcase their subtle flavors with balance and elegance.