-Jenni McCloud
Jenni McCloud of Chrysalis Vineyards is indeed on a mission—to promote Norton as the premier varietal in the state of Virginia and entire country. Jenni recently gave us an extensive tour of the Chrysalis facilities and grounds, and along the way, she shared with us her goals for Chrysalis Vineyards.
As our tour began, Jenni revealed to us that her interest and passion for winemaking in Virginia began in the mid-1990s; in particular, Jenni knew from the outset that she wanted to develop Cynthiana Norton’s potential, Why? The Cynthiana Norton is a varietal native to North America and thrives in Virginia’s tricky climate. Also, before Prohibition, American made Norton wines won rave reviews from international wine critics; however, after Prohibition, vineyards looked to the more delicate vinifera for America’s winemaking renaissance. With this in mind, Jenni resolved to restore Norton to its place of international prominence with the goal of putting Norton in every supermarket in America!
With over sixty acres of Norton planted, Jenni may be well on her way to realizing her goal. Jenni gave us a driving tour of Norton vineyard, and we witnessed rows and rows of Norton vines and their bare canes. Unlike most vinifera, the native Norton vines seem to have a top-heavy appearance, and Jenni maintains her vines on either single-wire canopies or Geneva Double Curtains. In addition, a greenhouse ensures that young Norton vines will be on the way for planting. If we were not already impressed by Jenni’s dedication to maximizing Norton’s potential, Jenni treated us to grapeseed oil pressed from Norton seeds. What we sampled had the taste and texture of a quality virgin olive oil; however, another Norton innovation was revealed—Norton red wine vinegar. Warren’s brain was swirling with menu possibilities when we were then introduced to innovative chef, Hump Astorga. Hump Astorga’s Aster restaurant earned rave reviews; more recently, he prepared the unbelievable menu for Chrysalis’ VIP party in December. In fact, Hump now works exclusively for Chrysalis as he shares Jenni’s passion for the Norton varietal and its potential; on this particular afternoon, Hump was in the midst of preparations for that evening’s winemaker’s dinner. However, he graciously took a moment to briefly chat with us as we sampled the oil and vinegar.
To say that we were awed as we toured the Chrysalis facility and witnessed Jenni’s vision in action would be an understatement. However, more was revealed on this cold and blustery afternoon. Jenni’s long-range vision is to turn Chrysalis into a center for agri-tainment. To this end, Jenni introduced us to her dairy cows and chickens whose milk and eggs will be used in future food and wine events at Chrysalis.
Our tour concluded with a walk through of the barrel room and a sampling of the upcoming Albarino and Petit Manseng. These we tasted out of the barrel, and both were truly incredible. The Albarino’s acidity imparted a crispness that would be appreciated with most seafood dishes, especially paella. Warren, the Cajun from Louisiana, thought of shrimp jumbalaya. The Petit Manseng evoked images of tropical paradises as we were treated to aromas of banana and pineapple; this varietal is yet another one that seems to do well in Virginia, and Jenni’s treatment of it sets the standard for others to follow.
Our afternoon with Jenni McCloud seemed to fly by, and we were unaware that we had spent two hours with this truly visionary winemaker. Before we left Chrysalis, we visited the tasting room for a sampling of current releases. Deanna skillfully assisted us through the tasting, and our favorites were indeed the Viognier, another international award winner for Jen ni, and the Locksely Norton Reserve; Warren also put a gold star next to the Petit Verdot and decided to purchase a bottle. Paul secured a bottle of Sarah’s Patio White for an upcoming party, and we reluctantly bid adieu to Chrysalis Vineyards. We cannot wait to return! Please visit Chrysalis Vineyards, and be sure to mention that you read about Chrysalis and Jenni McCloud on Virginia Wine Time!