Photo by Jane Fullerton Lemons
John Delmare of Rappahannock Cellars
Norton wines from 10 Virginia producers were showcased during the recent Homestead Norton Cup Challenge for 2024, with two wines topping the competition as co-champions: the 2022 Arterra Wines Norton and the 2023 Rappahannock Cellars Norton.
With the competition now in its third year, 10 wineries submitted entries for the multi-flight tastings conducted by five judges. Along with Arterra Wines and Rappahannock Cellars, the final four wines included DuCard Vineyards 2021 Norton and Chrysalis Vineyards at The Ag District 2022 Barrel Select Norton.
In addition to the formal judging, a People’s Choice Award went to the DuCard Vineyards Norton entry.
Photo by Jane Fullerton Lemons
John Delmare of Rappahannock Cellars of Huntly, Va. pours a glass of wine.
The Norton Cup Challenge was coordinated by Fred Reno, founder of Thomas Jefferson Wine Company and host of the Fine Wine Confidential podcast, and Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Emeritus Professor of Enology at Virginia Tech University.
“Three years ago, when the Omni Homestead began the Norton Cup Challenge, it was a novel idea to spotlight some of the finest wines produced from Virginia's native grape —Norton,” said Reno.
A Bright Future for Norton Wines in Virginia
But since the competition began, Reno said he has witnessed an increase in the quality of the wines each year.
Photo by Jane Fullerton Lemons
Julien Durantie, winemaker at DuCard Vineyards in Etlan, Va.
“This year's field of Norton wines has been the best yet to judge,” he said. “In my opinion, the future is bright for Norton as more producers are growing and treating it like the noble grape it is.”
The blind tasting included Norton wines from Arterra Wines, Barrel Oak Winery, Casanel Vineyards & Winery, Chrysalis Vineyards, Fifty-Third Winery & Vineyard, Horton Vineyards, Nokesville Winery, Paradise Springs Winery, Rappahannock Cellars, and DuCard Vineyards.
Several of those wineries are located in the Northern Virginia wine region, within driving distance of Alexandria, which ranges from Mount Vernon to Skyline Drive to Harper’s Ferry. The region is home to roughly 100 wineries, including the Middleburg American Viticultural Area (AVA), with wineries in Fauquier and Loudoun counties. Other nearby wine regions include the Eastern Shore, Chesapeake Bay, and Shenandoah Valley.
Photo by Jane Fullerton Lemons
Shannon Horton of Horton Vineyards in Gordonsville, VA, with Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, Emeritus Professor of Enology at Virginia Tech University, who was one of the judges for the Norton Cup Challenge.
Many of the participating wineries also are part of the newly formed Norton Network, comprised of grape growers, wine makers, and advocates who aim to promote Virginia’s native grape. The collaborative venture includes 22 wineries and vineyards that either grow Norton or feature it prominently in their wines. Earlier this year, the group sponsored its first Virginia Norton Wine Tour with events across the state.
Shining a Spotlight on Virginia’s Native Grape
The Norton Cup Challenge was held in November at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Spring, Virginia, as part of the 3rd anniversary celebration of the resort’s Virginia Wine Experience.
“We’re proud to shine a spotlight on Virginia’s incredible wine industry and the Norton grape,”
Photo by Jane Fullerton Lemons
Norton Cup Challenge trophy, showing the two previous winners: DuCard Vineyards in 2022 and Fifty-Third Vineyard in 2023.
said Mark Spadoni, managing director of the resort. “For more than two centuries, these grapes have symbolized the Virginia wine industry and the hundreds of wineries throughout the Commonwealth.”
In addition to Zoecklein, the judges included Todd Kliman, author of The Wild Vine and two-time James Beard award-winning writer and food critic; Frank Morgan, wine columnist and founder of DrinkWhatYouLike.com; Erin Scala, DipWSET, wine journalist and owner of Market Street Wine in Charlottesville; and Philip Ward, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW).
America’s oldest wine grape, Norton was first cultivated in the 1820s by Dr. Daniel Norton, a Richmond physician, with vines native to the United States. Norton soon became the dominant wine produced in the Eastern and Midwestern United States, and its popularity was cemented when it was awarded a gold medal at the Vienna World’s Fair of 1873.
The Norton grape thrives in the vineyard, requiring less intervention to combat fungi and pests, thanks to its native resistance to environmental pressures that typically affect non-native varietals. This makes Norton more sustainable and showcases its unique advantages as a Virginia wine grape.
The resulting wines are deeply colored and age-worthy with rich, fruity aromas and flavors of plums and tart cherries. It can be enjoyed as a single varietal wine or combined with other varieties to boost richness in blends.
