Focusing on the world of wines, beer, and spirits that we experience through our travels at WineCompass.com and theCompass Craft Beverage Finder.
Pages
▼
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Hinnant Family Vineyard 's 2004 Norton
We realized this week that we have an extraordinary inventory of Norton wines and decided it was time to start drinking some. We have been told that Norton wines age particularly well in the bottle so once in a while we will pull a random bottle and evaluate it. This week we drew the Hinnant Family Vineyard's 2004 Norton. This North Carolina winery is primarily known for its muscadine vineyard, but they branched out to Norton earlier in the decade. The 2004 vintage still retains the characteristically dark, dark crimson color and a grapey nose. But that's where any similarity ends. The grapey flavor has disappeared and is replaced with a blackberry\dark cherry flavor and an interesting spicy finish. The finish is long with the spicy flavor retained on the tongue. It reminds us more of a Syrah than a Norton. The thesis has its first confirmation: the Hinnant Family Vineyard's 2004 Norton ages well in the bottle.
Well, they may sell good wine, but I would not trust them to book a major event. We contracted for a June 20th wedding on January 10th 2009. Got a contract, gave a $1250 deposit, entered into the schedule, was assured a pleasant event. Great!
ReplyDeleteTwo months later my wife was at a Smithfield NC bakery discussing wedding cakes with the owner. The owner mentions that she has another order for a cake at Hinnant on the same day and its under a different name. Turns out Hinnant booked two weddings on the same day! We ended up reavealing that to them!
Hinnant admitted their error but declared the other parties wedding valid as theirs was booked prior to ours so we were left out in the cold. They did offer up some other venue's, but, my daughter chose this place for her "Special Day". Those plans were crushed.
Now we are left scrambling for a "last resort" venue with only three months to go for a June wedding. Do you know how difficult it is to book in June?
If I had cancelled for any reason, I would have lost $1250, they get to walk away.