Tried My First Bottle of Norton Grape Wine

[robie]

This past weekend my friend came back from Iowa, where he goes each year to help his friend pick grapes from his 7 acre vineyard. His friend makes and sells wine from the vineyard.

Last year he brought back a bottle of wine, I don't recall the variety, that was just semi OK. It had a strong vegetative taste, for which I didn't care much.

This time he brought back a bottle of dry wine from Norton grapes. It was the first and only time I have tried a Norton.

I was more than pleasantly surprised! In my opinion, it was really a nice wine. It was smooth, with a long, soft and very pleasant finish; no vegetative or herbaceous taste at all. It was a wine I could drink often.

Like any other wine, all Nortons don't taste the same, of course, but this one was really nice. If you haven't tried a Norton, give one a taste.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Yeah - Norton grapes make a fantastic dry full bodied red wine. When I get my destemmer - I will be making some norton's. Already have access to them.

 

[robie]

Yeah - Norton grapes make a fantastic dry full bodied red wine. When I get my destemmer - I will be making some norton's. Already have access to them.

I liked the one I tried well enough that if I could get hold of some Nortons, I'd sure make it!

 

[Rocky]

Robie, was the bottle from last year Norton also? Seems like it would be. To what do you attribute the difference?

 

[deboard]

I've had good Nortons, very good Nortons and bad Nortons.

I'm growing some, although I won't have a chance for a good crop until next year (I hope).

 

[robie]

Robie, was the bottle from last year Norton also? Seems like it would be. To what do you attribute the difference?

Actually, the first bottle of wine I tried from that vineyard last year was not a Norton wine. I can't remember what it was, just not a Norton. He grows 4 different grapes. It was a 2009, though. I surely did not like it!

The one I tried last weekend definitely was a 2010 Norton. Very nice drinking wine.

 

[LanMan]

I have a friend who has norton grapes and makes wine with them. It was not completly dry and reminded me of a lambrusco that my mom drinks. Very tasty.

 

[Randoneur]

Norton is a wine that can really shine if it is make well, but if not treated well it can be very acidic. My Norton wine is often the first one I run out of. Most of the time it is much better than the Cabernet.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

Norton (aka cynthiana) can be good, but for the climate, I think chambourcin wine is better.

 

[robie]

Norton (aka cynthiana) can be good, but for the climate, I think chambourcin wine is better.

Which climate? Missouri, Iowa, or both?

Which of the two are more cold tolerant?

 

[winemaker_3352]

They both grow in Missouri. Norton is the most prominent Missouri-grown variety.

They both do well here. Although i favor the Norton.

The Norton has good cold hardiness.