Virginia Norton Grape Wines Display Versatility with Food
Food paring tasting displays scope of Virginia wine varietal

December 14, 2002
Contact: Dave Luvison
703-608-7249
Virginia Wine Guide
Dmlva@aol.com

McLEAN, VA — Wines made from the Norton grape, once considered among the finest in the world, may be poised for a comeback – at least around the dinner table. That was the consensus of a recent food paring organized by the Virginia Wine and Food Society.

In a tasting conducted in conjunction with Jeff Buben’s Vidalia Restaurant in Washington, DC, a series of Norton-based wines from Chrysalis and Horton vineyards were paired with a number of innovative dishes to better understand what types best complement this Virginia grape. Two types of wines were provided for the tasting: young wines done in an off-dry style and older more traditionally styled dry wines. Participants at the tasting included Chrysalis Vineyards proprietor Jennifer McCloud and Norton Vineyards Sales Manager Neil Glazer,

The off-dry wines, exemplified by the Chrysalis 2001 Whole Cluster Pressed Norton, showed they can accompany mildly spiced Indian and Thai foods, as well as fried chicken, cold antipastos, and vegetarian dishes with oriental spices. Traditionally styled dry Nortons, such as the Horton 1993 and 1995 offered at the tasting, have more earthy Rhone-like flavors and showed that they have a special affinity to wild mushrooms as well as meats such as lamb and venison.

Full results of the tasting can be found in the November Virginia Wine Guide Newsletter. Registration for the newsletter is free at www.virginiawineguide.com.

The Virginia Wine Guide is an on-line review of Virginia wines published by the Virginia Wine and Food Society, Inc., a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to broaden awareness of and foster appreciation for Virginia wines and the foods grown and prepared in Virginia that best accompany them. The Society is a collaborative endeavor of Virginia’s wineries, hotels, restaurants, retail shops and most of all, individuals who share a deep appreciation of the Commonwealth’s wine and food. # # #