We had no intention of pairing these two, but that’s what happened this past weekend. Jenni McCloud of Chrysalis Vineyards agreed to let us interview her again for an upcoming article on Norton, and she was nice enough to even feed us breakfast! We were treated to pancakes and eggs from her own harem of hens, and executive chef for Chrysalis, Hump Astorga joined us too to discuss food and wine.
It was a very, very cold morning when we met Jenni at her house, and I gladly took her up on the offer for a cup of coffee. As we chatted about wine, Jenni whipped up pancakes, fried eggs graciously delivered by her own hens, and bacon. The focus of our conversation was Norton, its history, and its potential. We’ve been following the Norton Renaissance first pioneered by Dennis Horton and then taken to a whole new level by Jenni McCloud. Since the time that we started this blog, we have noted that winemakers in Virginia have taken notice of Norton; newer wineries like Green Springs gladly offer Norton. Jenni and Hump shed light as to why that may be the case.
In the course of our chat with Jenni and Hump, we discovered that Norton, unlike European varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, is resistant to the disease and fungus that is part and parcel of Virginia’s humid climate. Also, Norton, a hybrid of native grape varietals is fully adapted to Virginia’s sometimes wacky weather—late frosts, early springs, rain today, dry tomorrow, etc., Therefore, late freezes that may kill off a vineyard of European varietals most likely will never effect Norton. Also, with the current focus on “green”, Norton does not need to be sprayed with chemicals—it is the product of its environment and can defend itself without the help of “agri-chemicals”.
Our conversation continued to the dining table with its view of mountain-covered landscapes. We’ve already described Jenni as a true visionary, and she only confirmed that judgment as we munched on eggs and pancakes. In fact, Jenni shared with us that she recently poured Norton at a wine event in Sicily, and she remains steadfast in the conviction that Norton will put Virginia wines on the international map. (And no—we did not literally have pancakes with Norton wine!)
We did mention that our interview with Jenni and Hump were pursuant to an upcoming article–we’ll leave you all in suspense about the article and its details for a bit longer. However, after we wrapped up our interview with Jenni and Hump ( and breakfast, too—we were pleasantly stuffed!), we made our way to the tasting room. Our goal was to find a Norton that we would serve at an upcoming Norton tasting. I already have the 2003 Locksely Reserve on the wine rack; Paul has his favorite, Sarah’s Patio Red, but we both were interested in the newer 2006 Norton Barrel Select. This 100% Norton offering has earned Chrysalis accolades at wine competitions, and we understood why—dense, intense colors, jammy aromas and flavors that included dark berries and raisins, the 2006 Norton Barrel Select offered a fruit-forward presentation that demands to be appreciated now. Needless to say, a bottle of this one found its way home.
More to come about the outcome of our interview with Jenni McCloud and Hump Astorga. In the meantime, visit Chrysalis Vineyards and experience Jenni’s vision of quality winemaking for yourself—be sure that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
It was a dark and stormy night—-well, the cliché certainly fits. It’s cold and snowy, and it is dark outside as the sun has set. However, it’s bright and toasty indoors, and I’ve prepared a hearty beef stew in the slow cooker. What wine to pair with this substantive comfort food? The 
