Anyone making 100% Norton wine here?

[hbd_Indy]

I have a love-hate relationship with Norton. I want to like it but I have had too many bad Norton wines. I will also say that I have had both Chrysalis and Stone Hill Nortons when I toured their wineries, and I was not terribly impressed. The winemakers were quite dismissive and zip lipped also. I just roll my eyes, no winemaker in California acts like that.

I would love to try to make my own Norton, to get a feel for how this wine evolves, but I doubt that I can find a source of frozen grapes that ship. I would like to attempt to grow a vine in California. Any ideas how it would handle the hot, dry climate?

How do you make Norton wines?

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Norton grapes grown in California: https://d2xcq4qphg1ge9.cloudfront.n...351/original_Norton_202018_20tech_20sheet.pdf

 

[Nic_B90]

I would love to hear about your process here. I've had wines in the Wisconsin/Michigan area from Chambourcin and Frontenac that were "made to be more like Vinifera" and they were terrible. Strange tannins and ridiculously high % alcohol that wiped out any nuance. I've had some others that were delicious but didn't have any insights into how they were made or if they were intended to be like Vinifera. As someone who loves working with Hybrids, I'm very curious about your process and what works for you.

I would love to hear about your process here. I've had wines in the Wisconsin/Michigan area from Chambourcin and Frontenac that were "made to be more like Vinifera" and they were terrible. Strange tannins and ridiculously high % alcohol that wiped out any nuance. I've had some others that were delicious but didn't have any insights into how they were made or if they were intended to be like Vinifera. As someone who loves working with Hybrids, I'm very curious about your process and what works for you.

I would say the biggest issue is too much tartaric acid being used with the concern of pH. pH is important, but making a balanced wine is more important. Norton can benefit from longer hang time in the vineyard, longer fermentation macerations, and less exposure to oxygen when transferring or racking. Protect the fruit with co2 or argon gas as soon as it’s crushed. I’ve found that simpler is better. Almost be lazy with it. A controlled lazy, which can take some courage at first, but it’s been worth it for me over the years. Quality barrels also make a huge difference. Press directly into barrels, age on the lees, rack to a tank when it’s ready to bottle, and then bottle straight from that tank. Do a light filtration if you think it’s needed. Also, Maintain 0.5 molecular so2 as soon as it finishes malolactic.

 

[Greg Corey]

Makes perfect sense to me. "Controlled lazy" is the process I enjoy the most and have had nothing but delicious results. I love the idea of pH be damned (to an extent). Personally I could probably let the fruit hang a little longer. Nice tip!

Also, not knowing about other winemaker's process, I wonder if for hybrids in particular, adding lallezyme or other enzymes extract more of the bad than the good? I've never used them and always go very "natural" but I'm curious. Anyone have thoughts/side by side comparisons?

 

[Snafflebit]

Norton grapes grown in California: https://d2xcq4qphg1ge9.cloudfront.n...351/original_Norton_202018_20tech_20sheet.pdf

Hey hey! Old thread but thanks for responding. I can try to drive up that way sometime and find WineSmith winery.

 

[Snafflebit]

WineSmith Norton Tasting Video

Clark Smith’s winemaking philosophy

As it turns out, the winemaker is Clark Smith from UC Davis, author of Postmodern Winemaking.

He actually goes into detail about the Norton winemaking process. And he points out the unfermentable polysaccarides in Norton that I assume will affect Brix measurements. So, there is a vineyard somewhere in California growing Norton having some luck with it. I have a wine pickup at Turley Cellars, located in Plymouth, CA. I think that is close to the WineSmith location. Not sure the winery has a tasting room yet or local pickup.

 

[Huba Huba]

WineSmith Norton Tasting Video

Clark Smith’s winemaking philosophy

As it turns out, the winemaker is Clark Smith from UC Davis, author of Postmodern Winemaking.

He actually goes into detail about the Norton winemaking process. And he points out the unfermentable polysaccarides in Norton that I assume will affect Brix measurements. So, there is a vineyard somewhere in California growing Norton having some luck with it. I have a wine pickup at Turley Cellars, located in Plymouth, CA. I think that is close to the WineSmith location. Not sure the winery has a tasting room yet or local pickup.

"He actually goes into detail about the Norton winemaking process. And he points out the unfermentable polysaccarides in Norton that I assume will affect Brix measurements."
Are you referring to his book or information from him found in other places?

 

[Snafflebit]

"He actually goes into detail about the Norton winemaking process. And he points out the unfermentable polysaccarides in Norton that I assume will affect Brix measurements."
Are you referring to his book or information from him found in other places?

He talks about it on his website and in videos. I have not read the book but I have ordered it. The book was on my wishlist for a while.