Grape to blend with Norton?

[deboard]

I love Norton as it is, but it is definitely needs long term aging. So I had the thought that maybe a blend with another grape would yield a good wine that could be drank a little earlier.

The first grape that came to mind was grenache - low acid, low tannins, seems like a good fit to balance out the high acid, high tannin norton.

It would be nice to blend something hybrid like a corot noir, or noiret, just because they can be grown here more easily, but I don't know much about the profile of these.

Any other suggestions that come to mind?

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

You can play around and see what YOU like.

 

[deboard]

You can play around and see what YOU like.

Certainly true, and that's what I'll probably do in the end for myself. But there are plenty of people on here who know a lot about grapes, and I'd love to hear other opinions as well.

 

[JohnT]

My guess is that you would want a wine with rather low tannins and light color. Perhaps a pinot noir?

 

[terroirdejeroir]

I love Norton as it is, but it is definitely needs long term aging. So I had the thought that maybe a blend with another grape would yield a good wine that could be drank a little earlier.

The first grape that came to mind was grenache - low acid, low tannins, seems like a good fit to balance out the high acid, high tannin norton.

It would be nice to blend something hybrid like a corot noir, or noiret, just because they can be grown here more easily, but I don't know much about the profile of these.

Any other suggestions that come to mind?

I recently tasted a Chambourcin/Norton blend from a local vineyard that was very nice. Not sure what the ratios were.

 

[Norton]

A local vineyard a couple of years ago tried about 10% Merlot with Norton.