The Norton Network Launches the Virginia Norton Wine Tour

October is Virginia Wine Month and that coincides with the first-ever Virginia Norton Wine Tour that commences the weekend of October 18 and continues through November 10.  The Norton Network, a collective of Virginia Norton growers, wine producers, and advocates, formulated the tour in order to to highlight the "exceptional qualities of this historically significant native grape across 22 Virginia wineries and vineyards that either grow Norton or feature it prominently in their wines.  Each weekend, participating wineries within a select radius will host events and offer promotions to showcase the diverse expressions of Norton wine — from fruity rosés to bold reds". 

At the BevFluence Baltimore Speakeasy we had a glimpse of the Norton Wine Tour by sampling an array of Norton wines from Horton Vineyards, Chateau MerrillAnne, and Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard.  This started as a general presentation and tasting to media participants and carried over to a dinner featuring a library tasting showing the age-ability of the Norton grape.  At this dinner of industry professionals we opened the Horton Vineyards 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2010 Norton wines and interestingly all were agreeable with the 1995 and 2010 showing the best integration of acids and velvety chocolate and black fruit. 

Besides its age worthiness, the Speakeasy participants also learned about the grape's history and versatility (see below for short history).  Chateau MerrillAnne believes there is great potential in Norton/Vinifera blends as evident through their 2021 Marquis Rouge. There's great texture, a full mouthfeel, and length to this 50% Norton, 25% Petite Verdot and 25% Tannat blend. We also received a mini-vertical from Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyard of their 2020 Extended Barrel Aged Norton and 2021 Norton (not exactly a vertical - but close).  Not unexpected, the 2020 is tamer (although still acidic) with more rounded fruit and tannins whereas the acidity in the 2021 is more prevalent. Horton Vineyards provided more versatility in the Courage Port (Multiple vintages of Norton Port blended together with a dash of Tannat.).  And being a novice cocktail operative at the Bartender Lab, I took the Courage and added a dash of Bourbon with a pinch of Caramel flavoring. It worked nicely.  Hope to see you on the Norton Wine Tour.

Missouri Wine: Norton - Missouri's Official State Grape

The Norton grape has been the backbone of the Missouri wine industry through the industry's rise in the second half of the 19th century and the modern era. It was a Norton wine that was declared the "Best Red of All Nations" at an 1873 International competition in Vienna, Austria - a feat repeated in several other subsequent world fairs. At the same time nurseries, such as Bush & Son & Meissner near St. Louis, were propagating the grape throughout the Midwest and most likely France too. These Missouri nurseries are credited with saving Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century after the phylloxera crisis by supplying disease-resistant rootstock. A major reason for its popularity is that Norton vines are very hardy and vigorous, resistant to numerous vine diseases and other growing problems such as downy mildew, powdery mildew, and bunch rot.

Post-prohibition, When Jim and Betty Held purchased the old Stone Hill Winery in 1965 - a winery that was once the second largest winery in the U.S. - they made Norton the lynchpin of their operation. Today it is the pride of their winery, as well as many other Missouri wineries, as Norton wine has become the most popular varietal wine in the Show Me State. It's easy to see why the Missouri Wine and Grape Board designated Norton Missouri's signature grape.

During our three day tour of the Kansas City area Missouri wineries, our group tasted several Norton wines representing various styles and geographic regions. In some instances, the wine was labeled Cynthiana which DNA suggests is the same grape but perhaps a distinct clone. The most widely produced styles are the big and bold reds that provide concentrated blackberry and dark cherry flavors and subtle spices, with the best versions taming the highly acidic and astringent character of the grape. Although Norton wines are low in tannins, the high acids encourage cellaring where older Nortons acquire a rounder profile with notes of chocolate and vanilla. Here are some of the group's favorite Norton wines.

Maureen Blum - MoWino
The St. James Winery Winemaker Series Norton 42 spoke to me at first swirl, sniff and impactful sip! As with many Norton wines, the dusty terroir flowed along in the long finish but it was the ripples of bright dark fruits that created a silky elegant sip to savor. Holding its own, the wine pairs beautifully with rich deep chocolate cake.

Katie Van Luchene - author of Insiders' Guide® to Kansas City and self-professed KC’s head cheerleader
During a tour of Stonehaus Farms Winery in — yes, Lee’s Summit, MO — owner and winemaker Brett Euritt described how he makes his port from estate-grown Cynthiana (also known as Norton, the state grape of Missouri), which is finished with California brandy and aged in charred bourbon barrels. The grapes provide notes of cherries and dark chocolate; the last step adds a smokey finish. I was impressed enough during the tasting to purchase a bottle (the $23 price was impressive as well). I’ll invite friends over for Port on the Deck where I’ll serve dark-chocolate truffles from Kansas City’s Panache Chocolatiers and Jerry will offer cigars from his humidor.

Sarah R. Jaquay -  wine and craft beer contributor to TheWineBuzz
Some of my favorites were Vox Vineyards 2014 and Cross J 2013--produced by Stone Hill Winery in Hermann. I purchased Cross J at the Merc and sampled it back home. The Cross J has aromas of chocolate and dark berries followed by robust fruit flavors with a dry finish. The oak comes through from beginning to end and it paired beautifully with grilled lamb chops.

Todd Godbout - WineCompass and theCompass Craft Beverage Finder
I agree with all of my fellow participant's recommendations and actually returned home with a bottle of the St. James Winery Winemaker Series Norton 42 and Stonehaus Farms Winery Cynthiana Port. My shipment home also included the Adam Puchta Winery 2016 Estate Norton grown in the historic homeland of Missouri wine, Hermann. This is a big boy, full of dark fruit and still abundant acids. I plan on allowing it to rest a couple years to tame the acids and anticipate a well-rounded wine with solid fruit and subtle spices and chocolate.

See other posts of the trips at Missouri Wine.

Missouri Wine: Reviving American Heritage Grapes at Vox Vineyards

Albania, America, Brilliant, Carman, Cloeta, Delicatessen, Favorite, Lenoir, Lomanto, Marguerite, Muench, Wetumka

These are winegrapes that were once grown in Missouri and middle America prior to Prohibition. They are just a handful among the many grapes developed in the rigorous breeding programs of viticulture pioneers Thomas Volney Munson, Hermann Jaeger, George Husmann, and Isador Bush. Each of these gentlemen received commendations from the French for rescuing that wine industry as mentioned in The Basics and between them developed hundreds of new wine grapes and rootstocks. The Show Me State is a prime grape breeding region as several diverse climates merge (eastern woodlands, western plains, Ozark Highlands, and the Mississippi Delta). Across the globe, there are about 79 different species of grapes in the genus Vitis (grapevines); but 27 of those are native to middle America. Thus Missouri has historically hosted many of these species: labrusca, aestivalis, riparia, rupestris, cordifolia, among others; and in fact, it was vines and rootstock from the riparia and rupestris species which were eventually grafted to French vines.

Post-prohibition, many of these vines have been lost, but there are groups of individuals who are dedicated to maintaining the legacy of the early grape pioneers. Jerry Eisterhold became one of these converts after reading Thomas Volney Munson's, Foundations of American Grape Culture in 1978. Inspired by Munson, in 1996 Eisterhold did what any reasonable person would do, he chartered a plane to scout topography and being a soil scientist by training (Agronomy at the University of Missouri and the third-best soil judge in the Big Eight) discovered a site in the Missouri River Bluffs. He also "reached out to Grayson College, a small university near Munson’s original vineyard in Denison, Texas. With their help, Jerry acquired cuttings from over sixty of the native varieties Munson had been developing for wine production". In 1996 this property was planted with two acres of vines in which Eisterhold just extended to six acres and judiciously, consulted with viticulturist Lucie Morton while planting specific rows.

For practically twenty years Vox Vineyards acted as an experimental vineyard narrowing down to 40 grape varieties which Eisterhold would like to widdle down to 12-20. Since he wasn't producing wine, Jerry could experiment freely without the market influencing his decisions. But in 2012 that changed and Vox Vineyards released its first vintage under the TerraVox label -- the Latin "terra", meaning "earth" or ground", and the Latin "vox", meaning "voice or "speech". The goal: "...to let the land speak for itself through our wine, and for our wine to be a Voice of the Land".

Vox was our very first stop along the Missouri Wine tour and our group received a similar epiphany regarding these heritage grapes. After introductions and a winery-vineyard tour, Eisterhold presented a slideshow on the importance of these American Heritage Grapes and the pioneers: Munson, Jaeger, Husmann, Bush, Muench, and Rommel - the latter two Munson named grapes after. Muench was a grower in Augusta and Rommel brought the first Norton into Missouri. After the slideshow, we were intrigued; how do these wines taste? Here are my notes from the three heritage grapes plus four styles of Norton.

2018 Albania ($32)
This is a Lincecumii-Aestivalis-Bourquiniana hybrid created by Munson in 1896 and is a cross of Ten Dollar Prize x Norton x Herbemont. It is late ripening with thin, but tough, skins used for late harvest and white wines. Eisterhold considers it the most sophisticated of the Munson whites. The nose is citrus and tropical, with a tart citrus core, and medium acidity. This is a most pleasant and easy drinking wine.

2018 Wetumka ($27)
This is a Labrusca-Vinifera-Bourquiniana-Aestivalis hybrid bred by Munson in 1893 by crossing Elvira x Herbemont x Gold Coin. This is another late ripening tough-skinned grape that retains a hint of its labrusca parentage. The strong aroma bounces between floral and elderberries and the core is tart with almost a funky pear cider component. But there's also a hint of Niagara or another strong grapey flavor and with all the combinations produces an interesting wine. I brought a bottle home to let it test the senses.

NV Wetumka RePort ($42 375ml)
This is the Wetumka fortified with local neutral grape spirits to 17.6%. It is delicious. I'm kicking myself for not purchasing a bottle. The strong floral aroma is present immediately and then the wine leads to a creamy interior and finishes with noticeable acids to balance the sugar and alcohol.

2018 Lenoir ($39)
Commonly known as Black Spanish in Texas, this grape is a Bourquiniana variety that was a natural hybridization between an aestivalis species of grape with an unknown vinifera pollen donor. Modern DNA analysis points to a Jacquez cultivar such as Madeira Jacquez. It is most popular in Texas because of its resistance to Pierce's disease and produces a full-bodied red wine. The TerraVox Lenoir is medium bodied with a woodsy profile and intense acids.

2018 Sunny Slope Rosé ($27)
The wine is made from Missouri's state grape Norton (aestivalis) and is quite tasty with a strawberry creamy core. The downside is a relatively flatter finish.

2018 Norton Saignée Rosé ($32)
This version of rosé has a little less fruit character than the preceding wine, but more lifting acids providing a refreshing finish. If TerraVox could somehow blend the fruit and texture of the Sunny Slope with the finish of the Saignée.....

2014 Norton ($35)
The winery had provided some bottle aging relief so this Norton does not shock the palate with a massive dose of acidity. It is still fresh with a friendlier cherry profile, not jammy, and with medium tannins. A solid Missouri Norton.

2016 Norton RePort ($40 375ml)
Once again, this wine has the acids to complement the sugar and alcohol providing a very fluid experience with really no sense of alcohol heat. Plus it's tasty revealing dried figs and plums. A dangerous wine at 19% abv.

2018 America Pet Nat ($42)
We actually didn't sample this wine but I purchased anyway and will provide an update on the tasting notes. But what patriot could ignore *M*R*C*?  According to Eisterhold, "We planted America, a red grape from Munson’s list, in our vineyard and we were surprised at how light in color last year’s crop was. The flavor was strangely beefy, similar to how steak tartare tastes. Our winemaker, Whitney Ryan, had the idea to lean into the funky taste, color and unpredictable nature of the grape and use it to make a pét-nat, a method of producing sparkling wine by bottling the wine during primary fermentation, capturing the carbon dioxide that’s naturally released".

Missouri Wine: The Basics

Source: Missouri Wine and Grape Board

In the 1870s, 6 million acres of French vineyards were destroyed by a mysterious plague. Desperate, the French government invited Missouri's first entomologist Charles V. Riley to diagnose the situation. He determined that the vines were suffering by an infestation of phylloxera, most likely introduced by imported American vines. Riley also suggested the idea of grafting vinifera vines to native American rootskocks were immune to the louse and introduced French authorities to growes such as George Husmann, Hermann Jaeger, and Isador Bush. Subsequently, millions of cuttings of Missouri rootstock saved the French wine industry from disaster. (1)

Source: Missouri Wine and Grape Board

At the time seeking out a Missouri specialist was a logical choice as the state was one of the largest producers in the country.  Early in American history, European immigrants brought their wine-making skills with them as they settled west of the Mississippi River. In 1699 French immigrants founded Ste. Genevieve, situated on the Mississippi River. German immigrants settled along the Missouri River and in 1837 founding Hermann (Missouri's Rhine Village) whereas Italian immigrants settled slightly south near St. James. These three areas became focal points of early Missouri wine production.  Wines from Stone Hill Winery, which the German immigrant Michael Poeschel began building in 1847, won eight gold medals at world fairs between 1873 and 1904. And by the turn of the century, Missouri was the second largest producer just behind California. Then came Prohibition and the end of the Missouri wine industry.

Source: Missouri Wine and Grape Board

In modern times the Missouri wine industry has rebounded thanks to the work of individual proprietors and the Missouri Wine and Grape Board.  According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), in 2017, Missouri produced 1.2 million gallons of bottled wine making it the 18th most prolific producer in the U.S. This production derives from over 130 wineries with even more grape growers (425) resulting in 1,700 acres under vine. The economic impact is substantial, providing $3.2 billion to the local economy. Geographically, Missouri contains five American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) Augusta, Hermann, Ozark Highlands, the Ozark Mountain AVA which resides jointly in the Ozark Highlands and the Hermann AVA, and the Loess Hills AVA shared with Iowa.

Source: Missouri Wine and Grape Board

The Show Me State is a difficult climate to grow wines with micro-climates near rivers best able to moderate harsh winter conditions.  Vinifera grapes are very rare with a majority of the grapes hardier French hybrids, native labrusca, and Vitis aestivalis -- the signature Norton grape. It was this Norton grape that most likely was awarded the world fair medals and quite possibly the culprit in introducing phylloxera to Europe. The grape was first discovered in Richmond in 1823 by Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton and is thought to be a result of random pollination between Pinot Meunier and a now extinct hybrid known as Bland. The grape became a staple at nurseries where European immigrants procured vines on their journey west. See below for descriptions of the most planted Missouri wine grapes.

In Missouri, most of the wineries are located in the east, particularly around the towns mentioned above: Hermann, St. James, and Ste. Genevieve. However, there are wineries sprinkled throughout the state with several located in the northwest around Kansas City. These wineries encompass two wine trails, the Northwest Missouri Wine Trail and the Kansas City Wine Trail. Next week I will be visiting a half dozen of these wineries as well as sampling wines from several others during a trip sponsored by Visit Kansas City and the Missouri Wine and Grape Board. Follow #mowine on all social media platforms and Missouri Wine for subsequent posts on the trip. Cheers.

Wine Grapes

Catawba
Catawba is an American Vitis labruscana grape that was discovered near the Catawba River in North Carolina. It is a pinkish blue grape that is processed as a white wine grape. The 180-day growing season in southern Missouri allows Catawba to ripen fully and avoid the high acid levels encountered in other eastern grape growing areas. It is one of the "foxiest" of labrusca grapes and is usually used to make sweet or sparkling wine.

Chambourcin
This is a French-American hybrid grape that is flexible in that it can produce full-bodied dry red wines, medium bodied off-dry wines, structured rosé wines, and even sweeter wines. In general, the wines are characterized by juicy cherries, earthiness, and soft tannins.

Chardonel
This hybrid grape is a cross between Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc developed in 1996 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva, New York. Like both its parents it can be fermented in oak or stainless steel barrels, and the grapes produce a dry and full-bodied wine.

Norton
Genetically the same, this wine may be bottled as either Norton or Cynthiana. Norton/Cynthiana is an American grape, Vitis aestivalis, which was found in 1835 near Richmond, Virginia. The clusters are small to medium-sized with small blue-black berries, hardy, and extremely vigorous. It is one of the most disease resistant grape varieties, with some resistance even to black rot. Generally, Norton is made into medium-full bodied dry red wines with plenty of aging ability because of its high acid content.

Seyval Blanc
This is a French-American hybrid grape that makes a good all-purpose neutral, crisp, white wine that is light to medium in body. Barrel fermented Seyval Blanc wines take on an oak complexity indicative of Chardonel.

Traminette
This wine is known for its floral character and is made in a range from dry to semi-dry or even semi-sweet. It was developed in 1996 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York and is a cross between Joannes Seyve 23.416 and Gewürztraminer. Export floral aromas, citrus, tangy acidity and a touch of spice.

Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc is a French-American hybrid grape that is generally made from dry to semi-dry to sweet. The wines are generally clean with floral notes, citrus and apple flavors, and juicy acidity. It is also known for dessert style and late harvest wines.

Vignoles
This is another French-American hybrid and versatile grape as it produces wines ranging from dry to sweet, late harvest dessert wines. Vignoles provides an abundant floral aroma and pineapple and apricot flavors. The vines have good cold hardiness and a later bud opening period than most wine grape cultivars, thus making it less susceptible to late frost damage. Thus a popular wine for both the consumer and producer.

(1) The History of Missouri Wine

The 2013 World Series of Wine, Craft Beer, & Craft Distillers

Besides being two great baseball cities, St. Louis and Boston are also great craft beer, wine, and craft spritis cities.  Budweiser and Sam Adams are easily recognizable; but there are several new rising stars in these competitors. Starting with wine, St. Louis is the base camp for journeys into Missouri Wine Country - particularly west into the Hermann and Augusta AVAs and south along the Mississippi River. The Norton grape rules here and Missourians recognize its virtues along with Vignoles, Chardonnel, Chambourcin, and other hybrid grapes.  There are fewer local wineries surrounding Boston, but you just got to find them - usually south through the Coastal Wine Trail. One surprising good find is Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery. In Massachusetts the trail also includes Coastal Vineyards, Running Brook Vineyards, Travessia Winery, and Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod.

As for spirits, both cities are deeply involved in the craft distillers market. In Cardinal country, Square One Distillery, Still 630 and a little west, Pinckney Bend Distillery are producing various whiskeys, vodka, gin, and even rum for the local market. In Red Sox territory, Bully Boy Distillery and Nashoba Valley Distillery are distilling on Boston proper while Turkey Shore Distilleries and Ryan and Wood Distilleries are operating slightly north.  Rum is a bigger player in New England, more reflective of the colonial experience; but there is also plenty of locally produced whiskey, vodka, gin, and brandy.

Finally, St. Louis and Boston are quite obviously associated with beer.  Obviously there's Anheuser-Busch; but Cardinal fans drink plenty of local craft beer with over a dozen operating in the region. My personal favorite is Schlafly Bottleworks and their canned line of Session beers.  Boston and beer are practically synonymous and as the documentary How Beer Saved the World suggests, the Revolutionary War was argued over a few pints.  And the contemporary east coast craft beer revival originated in Red Sox land with the Boston Beer Company, Harpoon Brewery, & Ipswich Ale Brewery. There's plenty more craft brewers who have followed in their footsteps Trillium Brewing, John Harvards Brew House, Cambridge Brewing Company, Somerville Brewing Company, and others.

And as always information concerning these establishments are listed at WineCompass and theCompass mobile app.

The United Grapes of America - Kansas - Davenport Winery Matrot Norton

When regularly traveling to Overland Park, Kansas - many years ago, I settled Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery and Davenport Winery at least once a month. Holy-Field was easiest to reach, situated not far from Interstates 70 and 435 and on course to the airport. Davenport, on the other hand, required a special trip to Lawrence, about 30 miles away. Fortunately, owner Greg Sipes accommodated my schedule by hosting regular business hours until 7PM on Wednesdays - lucky me. Like their neighbors in Missouri, Kansas wine consumers enjoy a good Norton and a couple Kansas wineries such as Davenport comply. Sipes has produced several styles of Norton, with one being the Matrot Norton, named after the Matrot Castle, a Topeka landmark since 1883 and a clandestine Prohibition hangout. Davenport Winery now operates a satellite tasting facility from the castle.
into a routine where I would visit both

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Returning to the Matrot Norton, it was made from Kansas grown grapes and aged in used whiskey casks.  I purchased this non-vintage wine in 2006, so it has had six and a half years to mature in bottle. My Missouri friends tell me that you should never open a Norton before three years in the bottle, so this wine should be primed.  The nose starts with an interesting combination of grape (almost concord-ish) and leather, followed by creamy vanilla cherry on the palette. The grapiness completely subsides resembling more of a Cabernet Franc profile particularly with the spicy, green peppery finish. And no trace of the whiskey. Not bad at all and at, I believe $15, easy on the wallet. Also pairs well with leftover Valentine's Day chocolate.

The United Grapes of America - Missouri - Stone Hill Winery Norton Port

Missouri=Norton. That's basically what you need to know about the ^® (thanks Chrysalis Vineyards) to a new level of quality and consumer acceptance.   In order to learn more about the native Virginia grape, we recommend Todd Kliman 's The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine.  And it was Kliman who recommended the Norton wines from Stone Hill Winery in the The United Grapes of America. And why not. The winery is listed in  Paul Lukacs book, The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages because of their ability to produce quality Norton wines each and every year. Before prohibition, it was the second largest winery in the United States and was "winning gold medals in eight world's fairs, including Vienna in 1873 and Philadelphia in 1876". All that fell apart after prohibition until Jim and Betty Held purchased the property in the mid 1960s. They restored the winery, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and resumed producing quality wine recognized by Lukacs and seven Missouri Governor's Cups since 1994. As detailed in Kliman's book, cuttings from Stone Hill were used by Dennis Horton at Horton Vineyards to revive the Norton grape in its native Virginia.
Missouri wine industry. Yes, there's Vignole, Chardonel, Chambourcin, & St. Vincent; but Missouri wineries have raised the Real American Grape!

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Norton is so popular in The Show Me State that we attended a National Norton Festival in St. Louis which showcased the versatility of the grape. It can be vinified into a full bodied  tannic wine or as a fruit forward summer wine served slightly chilled. Or it can be fortified into a Port style wine like the Stone Hill Winery 2002 Port. I purchased a couple bottles of this wine years ago in Kansas City, in a forgotten time when wine was allowed on-board planes. At the time it had just received some love from Wine Enthusiast magazine who had selected it as the best American Port. And two previous vintages had been awarded the  Missouri Governor’s Cup.

We learned in at the National Norton Festival that Norton wines should mature in the bottle for at least three years after bottling. Most Missouri wineries join Stone Hill in cellaring the wine for you for a couple years before releasing. The same holds for their Port. Along with their vinification methods, the wine does not possess any of the highly acidic and grapey characteristics of young Norton.  The flavor is rich with a blackberry profile and a hint of nuttiness & spiciness that is usually associated with Old Aged Tawny Port. Yes this wine isn't Portugal - but it is a very good American and Missourian port styled wine. 

Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud

Civil War & Wine at The Winery at Bull Run

Last week I visited northern Virginia's newest winery, The Winery at Bull Run, located adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. And this proximity to the park is what would draw history buffs as well as wine lovers to Centreville. The winery is located on the former Hillwood estate with ruins of the former mansion used as a patio. Parts of the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) were near the Hillwood estate - most notably at the Stone Bridge - also adjacent to the winery and the southern part of the Park. With that in mind, proprietor Jon Hickox exhibits Civil War relics within the winery - some collected from the property and others donated by collectors. He also placed markers throughout the property describing the mansion and what the battlefield looked like from that location. The museum and markers are reason enough to visit this infant winery.

As for the wines, their portfolio is produced using the Pearmund empire where the wines are made at either Pearmund Cellars, the Winery at La Grange, or Vint Hill Craft Winery. They are growing small amounts of Norton on the estate and source fruit from vineyards across Virginia. To their credit, the tasting sheets include the  vineyard information. (I wish more wineries would follow this example.) For reds they offer a Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Meritage, and Norton; for whites, a Chardonnay, Viognier, a merlot based Rosé, and the "Delaney" - a blend of 40% Traminette, 30% Vidal Blanc, 20% Viognier, & 10% Riesling. Plus the "Fort", a Chambourcin port-styled dessert wine. For my tastes, the wines were okay. The chardonnay was typical Pearmund - more on the oaky side; the Viognier, oddly off-dry. The Delaney blend was spot on for those grapes as was the Norton, not over-acidic and jammy.  These wines are pricey - you pay for the Pearmund winemakers and location: high 20s to $32 for the reds; $24-$27 for the whites; and $38 for the Fort. For me too expensive for everyday consumption but worth a bottle when soaking up the Civil War history.

What's in the Barrel at Paradise Springs Winery?

During our Wednesday night #winechat featuring Viognier, we tasted and tweeted at Paradise Springs Winery. After the discussion, Kirk Wiles invited us to sample their 2011 vintage aging in barrel. Now, 2011 will be a challenging year - across the United States - even Mediterranean Napa Valley was affected by late season rain. In Virginia, the summer started off hot - with many grapes beginning to ripen on schedule. Then, in September, the weather cooled and the late season rains arrived. The grapes stopped maturing. Even worse, the grapes for one of the wines we tasted during #winechat, the 2011 Keswick Vineyards Les Vents d'Anges, were harvested the day after a hail storm. Can you image the condition of that fruit? Stephen Barnard performed admirably with that wine, and other winemakers will have work just as hard for their 2011 vintage.

At Paradise Springs, winemaker Rob Cox and assistant winemaker Michael Chang, are paying close attention to the wines in the tank and in the barrel. This evening we tasted Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tannat, and Norton - all aging in different cooperages. For instance, they are aging Chardonnay in neutral and medium oak and will blend the components together before bottling. Most of the red wines are being aging in a reductive manner - where the wine may not be racked until bottling. The Cabernet Franc displayed this reductive character immediately, but once past the nose, the cherry fruit presents itself nicely. And the reduction will dissipate when racking at bottling. We also saw how the winery is the only Virginia winery to utilize a Chinese barrel. Yes, Chinese, from the Mongolicus forest. I believe it was the Malbec - and so far - so good. Yet, the biggest surprise was their Norton. Sourced from Chrysalis Vineyards, these grapes shrugged off the volatile weather as if laughing at the viniferia outsiders. Heat, humidity, cold, rain - so what. In barrel less than a couple months, the wine is already deep garnet in color with bright fruit flavors with none of the astringent acidity associated with new or poorly made Norton. This wine could be bottled today - it is that good now. And this wine, and how the grape responded to the 2011 season, justifies Jennifer McCloud's passion for Norton.

WBC11 Preview: The Wine Grapes of Virginia

We recently saw a Twitter tweet from the Rhone Rangers regarding the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 (#VAWine producers at #WBC11 - We will be present, love to meet with any interested in becoming a @RhoneRangers). The Rhone Rangers is "America's leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines". Now, its widely known - or becoming widely known - that Virginia's new signature grape is the Rhone varietal Viognier. And please check out the interesting commentary regarding that decision at DrinkWhatYouLike: Viognier – Virginia’s Signature Grape?. But what about other Rhone varietals. Syrah is relatively popular with about 20 wineries crafting that varietal. And several are quite good: Delaplane Cellars, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, and Fox Meadow Winery among others. Viognier and Syrah are basically it for Rhone grapes, although Horton Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards do craft wines using Roussanne.

Yet, even with Viognier being Virginia's signature grape, Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals are still the most popular. In fact, Meritage and Chardonnay wines have won the last few Governors Cup and at one point in recent history some observers where predicting that Cabernet Franc may become the Commonwealth's signature grape. Here's an interesting post and commentary at MyVineSpot: Making a case for Chardonnay and Merlot. Yet the future for red wine in Virginia may be the Bordeaux blending grapes: Petit Verdot and Malbec. Crafted as single varietals, these are full bodied, tannic wines. And let's not forget grapes from South West France, where Tannat and Petit Menseng wines do quite well in Virginia. Interestingly, the later was first introduced into the United States by Alan Kinne, of Chrysalis Vineyards.

Speaking of Chrysalis Vineyards, the vineyard holds the world's largest planting of Virginia's native grape: Norton. Many winemakers choose to avoid Norton, considering it less than a noble grape, but Jennifer McCloud thinks otherwise and is the grape's most vocal proponent. Please check out this VirginiaWineTV episode featuring McCloud in Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud.

Finally, there's the hybrids, which remain quite popular and are the wine grapes that grow best in many mountainous and arid regions of the state. Vidal Blanc is the most popular and is used primarily as a dessert wine. Next popular is Chambourcin which has the versatility to be crafted into a range of styles from dry to sweet. Our friends at Corcoran Vineyards have now aged their Chambourcin in used bourbon barrels to create a port styled wine that tastes pure Virginia - as in Virginia Gentlemen.

For more information on a compendium of wine grapes used in Virginia please visit our post at The Wine Grapes of Virginia. See you at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 in Charlottesville Virginia.

Virginia Wine TV - Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud

To celebrate this year's DrinkLocalWine.com conference - scheduled for St. Louis, Missouri April 2nd-3rd - ourselves, Virginia Wine TV, and My Vine Spot organized a couple sessions tasting Kansas and Missouri Norton wines along with Jennifer McCloud from Chrysalis Vineyards. The first session was a filming of a Virginia Wine TV episode released today showing McCloud and Ms. Ballard discussing the history of the grape as well as its migration west and then its return to Virginia via Dennis Horton. During the episode they sampled wines from several highly regarded wineries in the Midwest. You have to watch the video to see their thoughts.

A week later Dezel and I organized a bloggers tasting of Norton wines at Chrysalis Vineyards with Jennifer McCloud leading the tasting once again. Along with several that I had accumulated while traveling to Kansas City, McCloud pulled a couple from her cellar as well as several older Chrysalis wines. The result of the tasting shows that, handled with care and aged, Norton wines are very drinkable and can exhibit the same complexity as wines made from viniferia grapes. We also found that the wines needed to be decanted before tasting as many had some reductive characteristics - but after several violent shakes of the glass - the aromas and flavors were properly released. Each of us had our favorites, and with McCloud's dedication to the grape there was no surprise that her wines were very good - whether the high end Locksley Reserve, the Estate Bottled Norton, or the fruity Sarah's Patio Red. The Westphalia Vineyards Norton was my favorite from the Midwest - this was a full bodied where the acids had been tamed and the wine mellowed to a smooth and very drinkable wine. And as expected the Stone Hill Winery Norton was quite nice. In neighboring Kansas, the grape is often referred to as Cynthiana and Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery releases a version that stands up to both time and being opened for over a week. The flavor profile from this wine most closely resembles those from Chrysalis - bigger than many of the Missouri wines but tame in its acidity.

During this tasting, Hump Astorga, Director of Culinary Operations at Chrysalis, showed how Norton is also a very food friendly wine. We set aside our favorites and paired them with two
of his creations: Bouches with Thyme-scented Goat Cheese and Applewood Smoked Bacon and Garlic Crostini, Locksley Estate Venison Pate and Norton-laced Cranberry Chutney. He explained how to pair wine and food and the idea to balance the acidity in the wine with the flavor and acidity in the food. Obviously us mortals don't have the culinary skills to craft these items, but the idea is the same: wine is meant to be to enjoyed with food - Norton included.

Take a peak at the DrinkLocalWine.com website and think about heading to St. Louis this weekend. You will earn why Norton is truly the "Great American" grape - the only indigenous grape variety that can be vinified into a full bodied comparable to the noble European grapes.

Thanks to Jennifer McCloud for hosting these events; Hump Astorga; and all the participants; included Michael, Dezel of My Vine Spot, Chris Parker from New Horizon Wines, Raelinn from Wine Ophelia, and Alleigh from A Glass After Work.

Wines we tasted from:

• Chrysalis Vineyards
• Adam Puchta Winery
• Stone Hill Winery
• St. James Winery
• Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
• Stonehaus Farms Winery
• Les Bourgeois Vineyards
• Davenport Winery
• Kugler's Vineyard
• Westphalia Vineyards

Norton virtual tasting for DLW 2011: Missouri

With the assistance of Dezel from My Vine Spot and Jenny McCloud, proprietor of Chrysalis Vineyards, we will be hosting a virtual tasting of various Midwestern Norton wines on Wednesday March 23rd in anticipation for DLW 2011: Missouri. Even though Chrysalis possesses the world's largest planting of Norton grapes in their Virginia estates, Norton is most popular in the Midwest and Plains states with the largest plantings in Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. Norton is best served aged, so we will be opening 8-10 year old wines from Chrysalis as well as the wineries listed below. We encourage everyone to open a bottle of Midwestern wine on the 23rd, whether Norton\Cynthania or St. Vincent, Chardonel, Vignoles; or any other grape variety. Just use the #DLWMO hash tag to share your thoughts. Cheers.

Kansas
Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
Davenport Winery
Kugler's Vineyard

Missouri
Stone Hill Winery
Stonehaus Farms Winery
Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Adam Puchta Winery
Bethlehem Valley Vineyards
Röbller Vineyard Winery
St. James Winery

Third annual DrinkLocalWine.com Conference - St. Louis

"We don't need no stinkin' vinifera: The grapes of Missouri" - now that's a seminar I'd like to witness. And you can too by attending the Third annual DrinkLocalWine.com Conference, held at the Doubletree Westport - St. Louis on April 2nd-3rd. Yes, there are a few vinifera wines crafted in the midwest, but local wine drinkers imbibe in plenty of Norton\Cynthania, St. Vincent, Chardonel, Vignoles, and several other labrusca and hybrids. Having traveled to the area for the better part of a year, the wines are very good. Tickets to the conference start at a very reasonable $35 per session, with discounts for multiple sessions. Don't miss Doug Frost moderating the Grapes of Missouri session - he will make it entertaining; and plus there's the standard twitter taste-off and winery tours. Cheers.

From the The Norton Wine Travelers: Southwest Missouri Norton Wines

Another guest post from our friends, The Norton Wine Travelers.

Missouri is known for its many established wineries west of St. Louis along river ways, old railway lines, the Katy bike path, historical towns, and even Interstates, but now explorations to vineyards in other geographical areas are slowly becoming part of that "show me" more state attitude when it comes to wines.

Southwest Missouri Norton Wines

Discovering Norton wines in Southwest Missouri is quite a driving adventure from rural farm settings near the Kansas-Missouri border, getting lost in the maze of Branson tourist traffic, traveling down long gravel roads, visiting a university fruit experimental station, figuring out winery traffic flow along Interstate byways and finding lovely home vineyards.

Branson Ridge Winery took a bit of planning to locate in downtown Branson, MO's river front walking mall. It was quickly apparent that this boutique deli-winery was only a store front, make believe winery endeavor. The plastic sippy cups reflected what could be found here in wines. Though we thought we were getting hard sour tastes with no aromas, it was hard assessing a Norton wine under these circumstances. The young hosting waitresses were obviously not interested in their customers, so we left for a "Broadway" show, eating elsewhere and purchasing the next day a case of Missouri wines from the other two more reputable Branson, MO resources.

The Branson, MO Stone Hill Winery is an outlet store of sorts. Some wines that I asked for here were reportedly only available from the Hermann, MO winery. What a bummer. The Branson location is perfect for a store interested in selling wine related clothes, napkins, candles, place-mats, coasters, glasses, cards, dishes, magnets, oven mitts, aprons, soaps, T-shirts, party foods, and yes, ~ most of Stone Hill Wines offerings. A nice touch was the closed door tasting room so that one would not be distracted with the dog and pony show on the main floor. I appreciated the well trained knowledgeable Vietnam Vet who served us. Nothing was rushed as he attended to several parties at one time. Available for tasting were 25 different wines. An especially nice Dry Vignoles was served, a reasonably priced solid Chambourcin, and a good, but unexciting Norton (Gold Medal, Pacific Rim International winner, - must reflect on how little I know about wines). Sorry, I forgot to scribble down the year of this wine. Most disappointing was that the Governor?s Gold Medal '07 and '08 Cross J Vineyard Nortons were not available at this store and only available in Hermann, MO. We were only able to buy the 2006 Cross J Vineyard Norton in the blind (no opportunity to taste). This was a sad situation for those who truly wish to follow the Norton wine trail. Most wines were reasonably priced mixed in with reserve type examples whose quality and aging deemed higher tags.

Two years ago we had a hard time rationalizing purchases at Mt. Pleasant Winery in Augusta, MO. Their Estate Norton was overpriced compared to quality Norton wines which could be found in nearby wineries. We settled on a case of "Ten Bucks" (bucks as in deer) sparkling wine as Christmas gifts and a couple expensive, yet good Tawny Ports. This year we were confronted in Branson, MO with Mt. Pleasant Winery's 2006 Estate Norton wine, and in spite of the high end price, it was hard to turn down after tasting this complex wine which had been aged in Missouri white oak for two years. The Branson, MO store is a beautiful new facility with a strikingly high center ceiling. Close to the Stone Hill Winery store, but a bit of a trick to find across the street, down the hill and around a curve. The effort to find this store front is worth the effort. On a further Norton note, be aware that we found a grocery shelf Mt. Pleasant Winery Norton for only $9.00. We couldn't turn this down, but please you don't make the same mistake. How could Mt. Pleasant Winery put their name on something this bad? After only a small sample glass, we instinctively poured the remaining contents of the bottle down the drain.

We searched out Le Cave Vineyards and made quite an effort to find this winery which supposedly sported a $50 Norton that one could not taste before purchase. Well fear not about the cost of the Norton, for it seems that this vineyard may now be closed. We found a closed winery service area and grapes drying in the sun on the trellised rows. Bummer that we had to discover the hard way, but it was more or less on our extended travel route. It never hurts to call in advance in remotely located vineyards, but in this case we just enjoyed the ride through the Missouri countryside.

Keltoi Vineyard is situated in SW Missouri near the Kansas border. It's always fun to be greeted by a friendly dog that either wants to mark your tires or escort you to the winery. Lots of interesting named labels; as, Irish Raindrops, Moon Drops, Biddy Early, Autumn Memories, and Nine Ladies, but it will take Erv Langan, Keltoi's owner and vintner, to explain the label's names and give you hints of the wines' makeup. Lots of serious experimentation here in a climate that pushes the limits of many of the estate grown Vidal, Seyval, Chardonnay, Chardonel, Norton, Baco Noir, Marechal Foch, Villard Noir and St. Vincent grapes. I found Keltoi's Norton still a bit immature and lacking the character of Norton that I'm use to, but as the vines age I think we will be finding appealing Norton wines coming someday from this part of the state. Already Keltoi is serving up a most robust 100% St. Vincent wine. This wine is not for everyone (including my wife who preferred the Irish Raindrops Vidal-Chardonnay blend), but I found most fascinating and worthy of purchase.

7C's Winery is taking on quite an undertaking in establishing a new rural presence, producing wines within the first couple years of operation, and now planting 3,400 vines on five nearby acres. In such a short time of opening, Dwight and Jean Crevelt are producing a remarkable collection of wines. They gladly admit that today they are bringing in grapes from the Columbia and Augusta, MO areas, but that will change in just a few years. Their Branding Iron White (Chardonel-Vidal blend) had unique fruity overtones and their Norton wine was worthy of picking up and packing away for a few more years to see what develops. And while you are here, try the best of what can be conjured up in Meads. You will be surprised with 7C's Winery new offerings. There was a free tasting for up to six wines per person or a $5 charge to taste all the wines and keeping their 7c's wine glass. We enjoyed their hospitality.

OOVVDA Wines has now been open for five years, but Jim Overboe, the vintner, admits that this long time hobby is a venture gone wild. Here you will find only a few select grape wines accompanied by some remarkable fruit wines. What a collection of Apple, Black Raspberry, Blackberry, and Red Raspberry wines (Red Plum not available when we were there). Maybe the best dry Blackberry wine we have ever tasted. An interesting dry Reliance grape table wine and a long tasting, pretty light yellow Traminette was introduced to us. Under the heading of dry reds was a sampling of Chambourcin and three Norton wines, an un-oaked '08, a light oaked '09, and a heavy oaked Norton Reserve. I did not find OOVVDA's Norton wines distinctive, but the '09 did intrigue me with its passing clove taste (something no one else seemed to pick up on).

Located east of Seymour, MO on Hwy 60 is Whispering Oaks Vineyard and Winery. This winery has benefited from vines that are at least 13 years old and situated on the second highest ridge (1600?) in Missouri. The elevation presents a continuous flow of air that prevents freezes in early spring that can be found at lower vineyard elevations. Some bright floral Vidal Blancs and Vignoles can be found here. Though we were very disappointed with WOVW's '05 burnt caramel colored Norton, I was again taken back with what Missouri does with St. Vincent grapes. Both their '05 St. Vincent and St. Vincent Blush (Whispering Oaks Rose) were distinctive and worthy of purchase consideration.

Mountain Grove Cellars was a first for us buying wines and fruits at a university experimental station. Since tastings are not the norm on campus, this means you buy everything in the blind, to include wines and fruits. Unfortunately they had experienced a Norton grape failure and this wine was not available, but we were able to pick up not only their highly recommended Chambourcin, but Paw Paws, Asiatic pears, and straight out of the field Chambourcin grapes to eat. My roommate described the Chambourcin as "hints of raspberry, little green on the front of the tongue, smooth finish, long linger with pepper." You think she liked it?! Haven't opened the Chambourcin port yet, but the available soft custard like Paw Paws were fantastic!

Traver Home Winery was a fun, out of the way, small family vineyard which can be found down a long country road in the woods all to itself. An interesting combination of wines made from local and imported grapes. The owner, Jim Traver, knows his patrons' interests which generally trend to sweeter offerings, but he does dabble in a few drier, as he stated, "real wines". We left with a NY state grape Riesling and a slightly different 4 blend Norton (2 vineyards / 2 separate grape years).

What a difference two years can make in a vineyard visitation. Let me admit that we were far from pleased with the offerings of Meramec Vineyards and Bistro two years ago being served thimble sized tastings in paper sippy cups. We walked out because of the young teenage-like hostess- attitude and being unable to properly taste the wines in the tiny cups. Two years later we were greeted by a knowledgeable host who had a handle on what she was doing and what she was serving. Meramec Vineyards offer several interesting wines, but they freely admit that they only grow Norton, Seyval, Vignoles, Concord, Catawba, and unique to them, the Stark Star grape. Nice Seyval white wines, a flat Chambourcin wine and an interesting contrast tasting of not only their award winning '05 Norton and '06 Norton, but also a tasting difference in INAO-like glasses and the new Riedel Norton wine stemware. Wow, the Riedel Norton goblet made for a change in Norton wine aromas and tastes. Meramec got us with some unanticipated purchases with the use of this stemware. Marketing, isn't it a strange science? I will note that out of the first 16 vineyards encountered on this trip, only Meramec had a tip jar prominently placed on the counter. Though sometimes found in Eastern vineyards, we've seldom encountered such in the mid-west. Hope this is not a trend to be endured in the near future. Over the years we have found special hosts pouring out winery samples that we have tipped with either money, a special bottle of wine we brought along, or even wine books, but we find it a bit crass to display such on serving counters unless the host is performing other duties at the same time; as, serving food or preparing picnic wine ice buckets.

Let me interject thoughts on Westphalia Vineyards wines brought to us as gifts from a blogger who I met online and delivered us requested wines as we traveled through St. James, MO. Westphalia Vineyards are generally not open at their family home vineyards, but do make tastings available from 5:00-8:30pm on Friday/Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am - 6:30pm in the downtown Westphalia Inn. Our new found friend brought us a 2007 Norton Reserve and a Norton-Cabernet Franc "Prodigal Son" wine blend. After tasting only that one WV Norton wine, I immediately called Westphalia to make a case order of wines from them. Does that suggest my enthusiasm for their Norton wine? This was as close to a drink now or hold Norton as I have ever had (Virginia's Castle Gruen Vineyards Norton would be a comparable wine in this category). Aged in Missouri oak for six months, this Norton wine has all the right aromas and taste attributes one would wish for in a Missouri Norton wine. A few exceptional 2006 Norton wines are still available and be aware that there were only 100 cases of the 2007 Norton produced because of extensive regional late frosts. As for the WV "Prodigal Son", let me circulate my brother-in-law's reaction to this wine: The wine presents a dark, reddish-brown color which is expected from a Norton but there is also a bright ruby halo around the outer edge, altogether pleasing. On the nose, the wine bombards you with woods' earth and dried apricots with herbal and citric overtones. In the mouth, there is an immediate burst of flavor, not just with the first but with each sip through at least two glasses (I stopped there). The wine is fruit forward but the fruit is luscious and ripe and complex almost like a late harvest wine. The finish is slow and lingering. This wine would pair happily with home baked bread and ripe Camembert or Stilton following a meal, a bit like a Port. Most of the Nortons I have tasted are such huge wines they overpower food so I am especially interested in how Norton blends with other grapes. "Prodigal Son" is a blend of Norton and Cabernet Franc and it is lovely.? You get the picture and understand our enthusiasm. I did also order Westphalia?s Cabernet Franc. An interesting lighter Cab Franc which is relatively new to WV. Lots of berry on the nose and wild cherry tastes. If you cannot make it to the Westphalia Inn, see if these wines can be shipped to your state.

While visiting Peaceful Bend Vineyard we got a twofer; first an introduction to well made Missouri wines and second having the opportunity to meet owner and vintner, Clyde Gill. Peaceful Bend Vineyard reflects what is going well in Missouri's wine industry, good wines and learning opportunities while visiting a vineyard first hand. This site had been the location of a former successful vineyard which had unfortunately turned hands unsuccessfully over the years and now is being resurrected by Clyde and his wife. Starting anew, original old grape vines are being ripped out now for replacement with select varietals. To make ends meet at this time, two-thirds of all PBV wines are being packaged under other labels, but unlike other vineyards catering to the public's demand of sweet wine, Peaceful Bend Vineyard is successfully producing seven out of their twelve offerings as dry wines. Well described in their wine listings are top food pairings with each wine. After tasting each wine, we could easily envision the culinary suggestions as not only reasonable, but imaginative. Their Courtois (Cayuga with a splash of Chardonnay) was pleasantly dry. We were introduced here to Cornell University's Noiret wine with PBV's '07 Forche Renault. Dry with a suggested pairing of pasta with marinara or portabella mushrooms. Keeping with the label tradition of naming PBV's wines with surrounding rivers, we encountered their Meramec wine, a wonderful barrel aged Chambourcin-Norton blend which was appropriately described as ?aromas of pepper and dried fruit flavors.? I really don?t know if I've ever tasted a better Chambourcin blend. Though we enjoyed and picked up other wines here, the last mention I'll give is to Peaceful Bend Vineyard's homerun, three year aged Norton wine. Again borrowing from their wine list description, "the tannin level is round and smooth " delicious!? Sorry, I can not describe it any better. Drink now or age a few more years (I bet that you'll not have the constitution for putting this Norton away for long). One more note, if you ask Clyde, he'll bring out his smooth Cabernet Sauvignon.

Though Claverach Farm and Vineyard is listed on several web sites and one Missouri state wine publication, the vineyard is not open to the public. Claverach's wines are only available at some local restaurants and liquor stores. I understand that Claverach did not produce a Norton wine this year, but did have a Chambourcin available. We were able to secure a CFV Chambourcin and found it to have no aromas and only initial fruit flavors which quickly dissipated in the mouth. Brochures proclaim Claverach Farm and Vineyard as an agricultural green endeavor, but a little more to the story is needed to justify purchasing the wine if visitors are not allowed at their vineyard setting.

Though we visited several Southwestern Missouri Norton producing vineyards, realize some were producing wines from very young vines, some bringing in grapes from more established state vineyards, and only a few had established vines. All were interesting and developing wines with their own local character, but if Norton wine standouts from this region needed to be selected at this time, that would be Peaceful Bend Vineyards and Westphalia Vineyards. Personally, I'm looking forward to returning to SW Missouri in the years to come to taste what will be available as these vineyards mature.

Southeast Missouri Norton Wines

A few years back we traveled in Southeast Missouri and visited Norton wine producing St. Genevieve, Cave (Strussione), Crown, and River Ridge Vineyards. Luckily, we needed to travel once again through this vicinity to get home. Because we had been so pleased with our first findings here, we decided to try expanding our Norton wine search in this area. It should be noted that on our first trip we were torn between the Norton tastes to be found in this location compared to what we had been earlier exposed to in the Augusta-Defiance, Missouri area. With more in depth vineyard searches, we hoped to come to some area taste conclusions.

First stop heading South near Ste. Genevieve was Chaumette Vineyards who chalked up three 2010 Missouri Governor's Cup gold medals (2009 Spring Rose, Dry Chardonel and Chambourcin). First suggestion, try visiting during the weekday since weekends will have you groping for parking space (unless you want to compete with the long line of limousines and tour buses in the field). It was fun viewing the cakes and set up for a wedding while we ventured into this vineyard. There was a picturesque "chapel of all faiths" located within a short walking distance from the tasting room (another reason for the parking impasse). Maybe the cars were here also for the good smells coming from the restaurant. Back to the winery and trying to taste Chaumette's offerings. After wiggling through the crowd at the tasting bar, we arrived ready to do our thing. Oh, we didn't realize we had to go back to the cash register at the door and get our $5 tasting tokens for a six wine limit (this fee did not include the glass or applied to wine purchases). My wife held my spot where tip jars were placed every few feet. We tried the award winning 2009 Dry Chardonel first which had nice fruity aromas, but an uncomfortable edge to the wine that neither of us appreciated. We enjoyed more the unrewarded 2009 Reserve Chardonel (naturally, it cost $2 more). Mellow fruit tastes which made for a smoother Chardonel to remember. There was yet another "Spontaneous" Chardonel which we both felt was just plain "wild". On to Chaumette's red Governor?s Cup Winner, their 2009 Chambourcin. No strong aromas, but an initial grapey taste which plays out quickly into a subtle, ever so slight peppery winner. Too subtle for me, but my wife who has a better feel for delicate wine tastes made sure that we came away with several of these bottles. I'm sure she has a meal already planned for this purchase. Though the 2007 Norton was clearly listed on the tasting sheet, unsuspecting patrons would not have picked up readily that a non-vintage reserve was being poured. Seemingly the 2007 was in limited supply and only available for club members. Bummer. The Norton we tasted came from fairly mature vines being 15-to-18 years old with a nice hint of cherry, but sour on the back of the tongue with a quick decay. We did venture into Chaumette's semi-dry offerings with their Traminette and Mosaic. The Traminette was a light yellow, drink alone delicate white wine. If you are a Pinot Grigio fan, you'll enjoy what Chaumette has done with this contrasting wine. As for the four grape (of which my wife was sure included Norton) Mosaic, there was nothing "semi" about this wine since it was an ever so sweet punch. Chaumette Vineyards is located in beautiful rolling hills and offers over night stays in their nearby chalets. The vines along the entrance were clearly marked with the grown varietals names which added to the enjoyment of viewing the grape vineyard.

At Charleville Vineyard, be prepared to drive down a fairly long and narrow gravel road before arriving at this comfortable rustic setting which included a two room B&B. Today, wines were being sampled and served outside while inside had those preferring to taste Charleville's brews. Though most vines are now fifteen years old, the tasting room did not open to the public until 2003. It was fun trying two 2008 Chardonels, same grape, same year, but one fermented in stainless and the other being barrel fermented. My wife preferred the stainless seemingly dryer Chauvin Chardonel and I the oaked version with ever so slightly softer fruity aromas. Offered was their Francois, a dry two year barrel aged 60% Chambourcin and 40% Norton red. A little sour for us, but with a bit of aging in the bottle a new taste may arrive in the near future. We did enjoy tasting Charleville's Chambourcin since their grapes were grown in close proximity to the subtle Chambourcin of Chaumette Vineyards. My wife preferred the restrained Chaumette Chambourcin which could be enjoyed on its own, I the bolder Charleville Vineyard Chambourcin which could hold up well with a meal. Another nice comparison tasting was their 2006 and 2008 Norton. We purposely started with the younger 2008 Norton which had typical Norton aromas and light cherry tastes, but obviously needed to be softened with a bit of aging. Onto the 2006 Norton which most appreciably had mellowed, but lacked finesse. Glad we found 2005 Charleville Nortons in a St. Louis Liquor Store for yet another comparison down the road.

St. Francois Winery took a bit of out-of-the-way driving to find in Park Hills, MO, but was situated in a lovely, well manicured setting. This was a small operation with a pleasant winery tasting bar area and outdoor seating for limited size groups. Though there was a $4 per person tasting charge, my wife and I both paid only a total of $2 since we did not wish to keep the tasting glasses. The tart with little fruit flavors Chardonel came from vines planted in 1993. This was one of the first years that this vine was available from Cornell University. Here we learned the interesting story why the Traminette (Gewürztraminer x Riesling) grape could not be patented by Cornell as its hybridizing came via Illinois. This wine had a pleasant sweetness. St. Francois Winery had an exceptional dry treatment for their Chambourcin which I found interesting, but not typical to what I've gown accustom to enjoying. The "Cynthiana" Norton wine seemingly was a non-vintage year production which was enhanced with only a 5% blending of Chambourcin wine. To both of us this selection had a degree of musky aromas with earthy tastes. Also available were a few semi-dry and sweet wines which balanced out the offerings for visitors. If you plan on taking wine notes, be sure to bring your own pen and paper since such will not be offered to you or available upon asking..

Twin Oaks Vineyards is a family operation with parent owners and sons working as vintner and manager. The tasting room sets over a gentle view of several acres of well labeled grape vines and pond. If coming in on a weekend, be prepared to enjoy the setting with a host of other visitors. Crowded, yes, but in an appreciative environment. A nice balance of dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet and specialty wines are offered. If crowded, you will be limited in trying to ask tasting questions since only two friendly men will be holding down fort for tastings, sales, and managing the vineyard events (in our case live music and people getting ice buckets with wine for sitting on the patio). The dry whites were nice, but to us not their strength. Here, like in surrounding vineyards, we found tastes of near equally blended Chambourcin and Norton grapes. Twin Oaks' Shady Oak blend did not bring out the unique characteristics of each grape. The '07 Norton, from 10 year old vines, seemed typical for Norton wines from Southeast Missouri, showing faint aromas and not as bold taste as can be found in the Augusta-Defiance areas of Missouri just west of St. Louis. Though a bit green in taste, which I don't think will be helped with extended aging, this Norton was delightful tonight with marinated Italian seasoned, over-the-fire Prime T-bone steaks. Be aware that not offered in their tasting is an available 2006 Hutson Reserve Norton wine which we have not opened at this time. Likewise, TOV's Chambourcin was clearly produced as a nice table wine which will have appeal to many, but again not bold or distinctive. Interestingly they not only present a dry Traminette, but have available a sweet Traminette which would have picnic appeal. When it came to TOV's specialty wines they not only had a 'Lite' Hutson Reserve port, but a Royal Ruby which my wife snatched up quickly. It was fun to see what could be again produced with a combination of Norton and Chambourcin grapes making an appealing port. This is a vineyard where we found a nice setting, interesting wines and great hospitality.

Vance Vineyards and Winery is a tasting room and formal restaurant. This is a beautiful, relatively new, facility with tight traffic circle at the front entrance (larger vehicles be forewarned). Nice plantings of Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay magnolia) in front with six unnamed deciduous magnolias at the end of the public parking area. The setting is accentuated with surrounding vineyard plantings and a silo belfry across a large pond which charmingly rings on the quarter hour. Tasting room hours are variable during different seasons, so double check hours if traveling from afar. The 13 acres of Norton, Catawba, Chardonnay, Chardonel, Vignoles, Traminette, Chambourcin and Riesling vines are only five years old, so realize these young wines are not indicative of what maybe available from their seasoned winemaker in the years to come. We tried their Dry Chardonel which was clear with clean straight forward taste. The Barrel Select Chardonel which had been aged with oak for 12 months seemed to be a bit more creamy and exhibiting riper fruit flavors. A nice first attempt. Having no other dry white wines, we shifted over to their dry reds. The VVW's Chambourcin was mild and the tastes did not linger in the mouth. Their 2007 Norton was heavily oaked, but came across (in the hostess? words) as "calm". Strangely, this Norton had a very distinctive clove aroma that did not carry well over into the tasting. Remember, these were first attempts from very young vines. Not bad, but we felt they were produced to "not offend" and therefore these wines were not indicative of the grapes true characters. Maybe this was an intentional "best to be safe than sorry" approach to the first vintage productions. Offered was a Mollie wine (named after the owner's dog) which was a Norton blend with a "secret" white wine that was not to be revealed to the public. Bottom line it was non-descript and sweet. We were glad we made the effort to find Vance Vineyards and Winery, but we were turned off a bit by the free tasting sips that were poured in such small dribbles that it was hard to really tell what we were experiencing.

Isn't it strange how on many trips, literally, the last stop is the one that blows you over? And this was almost not the case while trying to find Durso Hills Vineyards in the teeny town of Marqand, MO. After reading a "For Sale" sign on the vineyard store property with closed doors, we slowly bemoaned the findings with an unhurried drive around the town's square. When 180 degrees opposite the winery store front, a lady darted out, turning on an "Open" sign and placed a Durso Hills Vineyards placard on the sidewalk. Around we turned once more with sheepish grins. As we met Donna and Steve Lening our grins turned to smiles which eventually turned to giggles realizing that this tasting must have been providentially arranged since we found hosts that were a bit late from church who loves Norton wines as much as we do. To understand the misunderstanding, the winery literally had been sold, but was going to move down the street a bit (and being as small as Marquand is, a move down the street a bit can only mean feet, not much more) and the new owners wished to retain the Durso's good name (owners, Ron and Kay Durso). So what you get today (late 2010) will be the last of the original Durso holdings though new vintages will still use the original 10 year old vine plantings and possibly grapes from other sites. Oh, what a line up of wines were generously presented to us in an unhurried manner. Right out of the gates we were amazed with Durso?s dry white 2008 Vivant wine. Vivant is a grape hybridized in Canada, but actually does best in more Southern climates. This was not only dry, but fruity with enough zing to pair well with stronger tasting white meats, as chicken. Our host thought the green apple overtones would be a bit strong for fish. They have an expectant top of the line 2009 Vivant coming up soon, but was not quite ready for bottling when we arrived (dern). Next was a knock down winner in their semi-sweet (but not too sweet) Chardonel which had a dash of Vivant blended in. Maybe one of the best Chardonel wines we?ve tasted in a long time. Again, it's up to you how dry you like your Chardonel wine. Next we were in for a real tower tasting treat, four Norton wines! A 2003 Silver Medal winner, a 2004 Gold Medal winner, a 2005 two year barrel-aged oaked Norton, and another 2006 two year barreled age medal winner. Four completely different tastes. Steve preferred the 2003 oak chipped, young green , but not sour Norton vintage which was not going to change its character with age. The 2004 Estate Bottled Norton was noticeably softer. Then came my wife's favorite, the real mellow two year oaked 2005 Norton, followed by my favorite, the 2006 Norton with an ever so slight tannin tartness and light peppery finish which I feel will mellow out correctly in just a few more years of bottle maturing. We left with ample examples of the 2004 and 2006 Norton wines. As if this were not enough, we were induced into trying their 2008 Durso Red 70% Norton 30% Chambourcin blend. Sweeter and maybe just perfect for Thai food. This will make for a nice gift to friends with sweeter tastes than ours. The days are counting down, so do yourself a favor and skip down to Marquand, MO to find the best of Missouri?s southeast offerings in Durso Hills Winery.

We have now traveled to ten of the eleven Norton vineyards to be found in SE Missouri, missing only the recently found Thousand Oaks Vineyard in Patton, MO where it is advertised. Expect to be treated as friends, not customers. That's as good a reason as any to return to this area in the years to come.

Now back to the original question in the opening paragraph, - what's the difference in wine tastes here as compared to mid-state Missouri. My wife questioned if wines in southeast Missouri were produced with "safer" tastes to make an appeal of getting travelers to try these newer wineries? After experiencing ten Norton vineyards, I would suggest the difference lies in the soils and slight prevailing differences in weather. To my taste, there were earthy tones inherent in all Southeast Missouri Norton wines, except for what was found at Durso Hills Winery. Some wineries camouflaged this better than others with use of oaks or selected blends. Bottom line is that the wineries in SE Missouri are coming in onto their own quickly. The changes in offerings are accelerating with each passing year and soon SE Missouri Norton wines will easily compete with more established Missouri vineyards.

Southeast Missouri Norton Wine Producers:

• Cave Vineyards - 21084 Cave Road, Ste. Genevieve, MO
• Charleville Vineyards - 16937 Boyd Road, Ste. Genevieve, MO
• Chaumette Vineyards - 24345 State Route WW, Ste. Genevieve, MO
• Crown Valley Vineyards - 23589 Street Rt. WW, Ste. Genevieve, MO
• Durso Hills Winery - 110 N Harding Street, Marquand, MO
• River Ridge Vineyard - 850 County Road 321, Commerce, MO
• Saint Genevieve Winery - 245 Merchant Street, Ste. Genevieve, MO
• St. Francois Winery - 1669 Pine Ridge Trail, Park Hills, MO
• Thousand Oaks Winery - Hwy 151 South, Patton, MO
• Twin Oaks Vineyards - 6470 Hwy F, Farmington, MO
• Vance Vineyards - 1522 Madison 212, Fredericktown, MO