Upper Shirley Vineyards

What Upper Shirley Vineyards does

Upper Shirley Vineyards is a privately held, single-estate winery located at 600 Shirley Plantation Road in Charles City, Virginia, adjacent to historic Shirley Plantation. Founded by Suzy Dameron, who contributed her own horse pastures to establish the vineyard, the winery produces an estate-grown portfolio including Viognier, Rosé, Sparkling Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Divertido, the flagship Zachariah red blend (58% Petite Verdot, 25% Tannat, 17% Merlot), Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Merlot. Winemaking is led by Michael Shaps, who has produced wine in Virginia since 1995 and won the 2004 Virginia Governor's Cup, with formal French training from Lycée Viticole de Beaune; wine operations and outside sales are managed by Wine Director Tayloe M.B. Dameron, a WSET Level 4 Diploma student.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model, generating revenue from on-site tasting room sales ($6-$50 per bottle), the Zachariah Society wine club with Silver ($149/year) and Gold ($249/year) tiers, private tastings at $46 per person featuring 10 Reserve and Library wines, and event hosting for weddings, corporate functions, and seasonal special events including wine dinners, brunches, and concerts. The estate is open Thursday through Sunday, 11am-5pm. Marketing and distribution rely on the company website, OpenTable reservations, Eventbrite ticketing, and ToastTab-based gift cards, with no wholesale or third-party distribution channels identified.

The winery has built sustained regional recognition through Virginia Governor's Cup participation from 2016 through 2026, including multiple Gold medals and a 2014 Zachariah placement in the Governor's Case Top 12. The company maintains a strategic partnership with Michael Shaps's Maison Shaps Winery in Meursault, France, providing international winemaking expertise. Upper Shirley Vineyards is privately held with no disclosed institutional ownership, funding rounds, or revenue figures.

Name

Upper Shirley Vineyards

Legal name

Upper Shirley Vineyards

Website

https://uppershirley.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upper Shirley Vineyards is a privately held Virginia estate winery producing estate-grown wines through a direct-to-consumer model. Founded by Suzy Dameron and led by winemaker Michael Shaps, it serves wine enthusiasts, wedding clients, and event attendees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Winery and Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Estate winery
• Wine production
• Wine club
• Wedding venue
• Private tastings

Headquarters

HQ city

Charles City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through the tasting room, including glass pours, bottles, and cases. Wine prices range from $6-50 per bottle depending on varietal and vintage.
2. Wine Club Memberships: Annual wine club memberships (Zachariah Society) with Silver ($149/year) and Gold ($249/year) tiers providing pre-selected bottles, discounts on purchases, and first access to events.
3. Private Events and Weddings: Revenue from hosting weddings, corporate events, private tastings, and special events including brunches and themed dinners.
4. Private Tastings: Reserved private tasting experiences at $46 per person featuring 10 exclusive Reserve and Library wines with a Charcuterie Board.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Upper Shirley Vineyards is an estate winery in Charles City, Virginia, that produces handcrafted wines from estate-grown grapes including Viognier, Rosé, Sparkling Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Divertido, the flagship Zachariah blend, Petit Verdot, Tannat, #1 Red, and Merlot. Beyond wine production, the vineyard operates an on-site tasting room, hosts private and corporate events including weddings, runs the Zachariah Society wine club membership program with Silver and Gold tiers, and offers curated private tasting experiences.

Product overview

Upper Shirley Vineyards is a single-estate winery offering a portfolio of handcrafted wines produced from estate-grown grapes. The product portfolio centers on the estate's award-winning wines (Viognier, Rosé, Sparkling Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Divertido, Zachariah, Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Merlot varieties) supplemented by experiential services including private tastings, the Zachariah Society wine club membership program, and venue rental for weddings and private events. The winery also hosts seasonal special events including themed wine dinners, concerts, and holiday brunches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Zachariah Society: Wine club membership program with Silver and Gold tiers offering pre-selected bottles of wine, discounts, and first access to events.

Products and services

• Estate Wines Handcrafted wines produced from estate-grown grapes including Viognier, Rosé, Sparkling Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, Divertido, the flagship Zachariah blend (58% Petite Verdot, 25% Tannat, 17% Merlot), Petit Verdot, Tannat, #1 Red, and Merlot. Sold by the glass, bottle, and case at the on-site tasting room.
• The Zachariah Society Wine Club Annual wine club membership program with Silver ($149/year, six pre-selected bottles plus 10% discount on glasses/bottles and 15% on cases) and Gold ($249/year, six pre-selected bottles plus six bottles of choice, 15% discount on glasses/bottles, 20% on cases) tiers providing first access to events and member pricing.
• Private Tasting Experience Private tasting experience featuring 10 exclusive Reserve and Library wines with a Charcuterie Board for groups of four or more at $46 per person plus tax and 20% service fee; reservation required at least 14 days in advance; 45-60 minute duration.
• Vineyard Porch Reservations Reserved event space on the southern end of the vineyard's front porch accommodating up to 50 guests with vineyard-inspired snacks, estate wines, and vineyard views. Available Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm.
• Weddings and Private Events Wedding ceremonies, receptions, corporate events, and private celebrations held at the vineyard estate with customizable venues and catering options for couples and event planners.
• Special Events Seasonal events including Sundays Uncorked, wine dinners (e.g., An Evening in France, Valentine's Four-Course Dinner), concerts (All Out 80s Concert, Rockin' Under the Stars), and brunches (Easter, Mother's Day, Santa Brunch).

Quantifiable outcome

• 2018 Zachariah: Gold, 2018 Blanc de Blancs: 91 Points James Suckling Gold, 2020 Viognier: 90 Points James Suckling
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Maison Shaps WineryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Shaps is a partner in Maison Shaps Winery in Meursault, France. This international connection brings French winemaking expertise and perspective to Upper Shirley Vineyards operations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards: Virginia estate winery operating a tasting room, wine club, and a high-volume wedding and private event business with a similar farm-to-table hospitality focus. Directly comparable DTC model, event-driven GTM, and Virginia positioning.
• King Family Vineyards: Crozet, Virginia estate winery with a comparable mix of estate-grown wines, tasting room, wine club, polo-event programming, and a strong wedding venue business. Highly comparable operating model and customer segments.
• Barboursville Vineyards: One of Virginia's flagship estate wineries, producing estate-grown wines, operating a tasting room and restaurant, and hosting events. Directly comparable as a long-established Virginia estate winery with a hospitality-driven DTC model.
• Early Mountain Vineyards: Virginia estate winery with a tasting room, wine club, weddings, and private events, known for premium positioning and award-winning wines. Closely comparable on DTC mix, event programming, and Virginia premium positioning.
• Veritas Vineyard & Winery: Virginia estate winery producing estate-grown wines with an active wine club, tasting room, and event venue. Comparable on estate positioning, DTC revenue mix, and Virginia event-driven model.
• Trump Winery: Large Virginia estate winery with tasting room, wine club, weddings, and event programming at significantly higher production scale. Comparable on estate-grown positioning, DTC channels, and event-driven GTM.
• RdV Vineyards: Boutique Virginia cult winery producing premium estate-grown wines with allocation-only release model. Comparable on estate-grown premium positioning and Virginia terroir focus, though with a more allocation-driven model than Upper Shirley's DTC-tilted mix.
• Pollak Vineyards: Virginia estate winery with a tasting room, wine club, and event programming. Directly comparable on estate-grown positioning, DTC channel mix, and Virginia regional competition.
• Chateau Morrisette: Virginia estate winery operating a tasting room, restaurant, wine shop, and event programming in the Blue Ridge. Comparable on estate-grown Virginia positioning and event-driven DTC model.
• Blenheim Vineyards: Virginia estate winery with tasting room and wine club operations. Comparable on estate-grown Virginia positioning and DTC focus, with a strong event and tourism angle.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uppershirleyvin
• Facebookfacebook.com/uppershirley
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upper-shirley-vineyards-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upper Shirley Vineyards