Lexington Valley Vineyard is a hidden gem in the Virginia lineup of wineries. I virtually got lost the first time I went to check it out. I had to keep checking my Navigation app to be sure I was headed in the correct direction. However, once I found it, I was impressed with the wines I purchased that day back in August of 2022, especially their Marchel Foch along with their Norton.

This is a small family run operation that Ryan Hale the current winemaker father Cal planted the vineyard in 1999 but passed aways in 2021. Ryan and his sister stepped up and have kept the winery and vineyard moving forward despite having full-time day jobs. 

Their Norton vines are amongst the oldest in Virginia, now approaching 25 years old. None other than Shep Rouse the owner and winemaker of Rockbridge Vineyard produces his Norton wine from their grapes. If they are good enough for Shep that is all the endorsement I needed to seek them out.

One more note: Ryan Hale was most recently in a documentary film about Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton and the history of the Norton grape here in Virginia. You can watch the film on YouTube. It is titled Norton, The Grape That Change Everything.

Listen to the Episode or read the transcript attached below.

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I always enjoy sitting down with Shep Rouse and getting his viewpoint on winegrowing in Virginia and wine in general. He has been making wine for close to 45 years. First in California in the early '80s and then in Virginia first in 1986 at the old Montdomaine winery and then founding his own winery Rockbridge in 1992.

Although Shep doesn't produce a Norton every vintage, mostly because he doesn't grow it in his vineyard the Norton wine, I have had from him in the past is a great expression of the grape and what it can be once in the bottle and aged properly. In fact, the 2002 Rockbridge Norton, his first vintage, that I had several years ago was one of the highlights for me since I moved to Virginia in 2019. Tasted in the fall of 2020 it had transformed into a wine that reminded me of some of the BV Private Reserve wines from the early '70s that I used to enjoy from California. It was a remarkable bottle of wine. The memory of which has stuck with me since and has inspired me to begin to collect Norton and lay it down in my cellar for the future. 

You will learn from this conversation with Shep. Take a listen or read the transcript attached below.

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Burnley Vineyard was first planted in 1977 making them one of the early winegrowing pioneers during the formative years when Virginia wine was just beginning to re-emerge after a long slumber from the years of Prohibition and its repeal. 

C. J. Reeder, Lee Reeder's father purchased the land in 1977 and Gabriele Rausse who had just begun to plant Barboursville Vineyard down the road from this property entire into a handshake deal with C. J. The arrangement was Burnley would buy Barboursville vines, (they had begun a nursery at that time) and Barboursville would buy their grapes. Ultimately that would lead to Burnley Vineyards producing its first Estate Wines in 1984 with Lee Reeder fresh out of VA Tech as the winemaker. Lee has been the winemaker ever since.

I believe you will find this interview refreshing by the openness and honesty that Lee Reeder shows throughout our discussion. 

One of the fascinating facets of this interview is how Lee and Burnley Vineyard helped contribute to the trail about whether Cynthiana is a different grape than Norton or the same. I believe through, mostly my tasting experiences over the past several years that it is the former.

Take a listen and decide for yourself.  

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This is a fascinating interview because Anna Want, the General Manager and daughter of the founders openly embraces the idea that Casanel has both Norton and Cynthiana vines planted in their vineyard. There is beginning to be a more robust open debate about whether the Cynthiana grape vine is Norton under a different name, or a completely different species of grape vine. I personally, lean toward it is a different species based on the many bottles of Norton I have tasted and enjoyed that have Cynthiana vines listed as the varietal from the nursery they purchased these vines from.

Casanel also is unique in Virginia as they are the only winery I know of who has planted the Carmenere grape and successfully produced a high-quality wine from it here in Virginia. 

The back story as to why the founders Nelson & Casey DeSouza purchase the land that their vineyard was planted on in Northern Loudon County in 2008 is yet another example of the pioneering spirit behind many Virginia wineries. It is a testament to the hard work and determination of one family to make a success out of a Farm Winery. 

Take a listen or read the transcript below.

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Rob Cox had a dream of being a professional baseball player early in his life and when that didn't pan out, he found himself in the business of Golf. Not the usual way in which a person becomes a winemaker, which eventually he did. Now almost twenty years later he guides the winemaking at both Paradise Springs Virginia winery and their wine making operation in Santa Barbara, California. 

Additionally, somehow, he also has a consulting practice in Virginia. A very busy man for sure juggling all of these aspects of his wine career.

Paradise Springs is in the upper echelon of wine producers here in the Old Dominion, thanks to Rob's ability to handle many different winemaking challenges at the same time.

Rob produces a Norton that is meant for long-term bottle aging. I was fortunate several years ago upon meeting Rob for the first time at Paradise Springs to taste several vintages of their Norton going back to 2008 and I can attest to their age worthyness as the 2008 wine was showing beautifully. It was very impressive.

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Todd Kliman, is a James Beard Award winning writer. After reading The Wild Vine you will know why. He has an incredible ability to bring to life the story of the Norton Grape and have you feel as if you just entered another world, you didn't even know existed. All the time going back into time and then bringing you back to the moment. 

He started out with the idea that he would write a column about Norton. But after meeting Jenni McCloud at Chrysalis Vineyards and spending time understanding her story and why she planted the largest single vineyard of Norton in the world he realized there was much more to this story and was inspired to write his book about it.

For my part this is one of the more intriguing and interesting Podcast Episode interviews I have ever done. It just crystalized for me why I have been captivated by Norton and the wines it can produce when grown and vinted by a talented winegrower. 

One last note; if you ever have the opportunity to taste a well-aged Norton wine, say one that is at least 10 to 15 years in age, you will then understand and wonder like Todd does in the last segment of this Episode; what if Prohibition had not happened and wiped out all of the winegrowing in the Eastern United States what could have been. Enjoy the Episode.

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Matthew began his winemaker career on the West Coast in California. His final stop on that journey was several years at the venerable Heitz Cellars in Napa Valley where he says he learned some good winemaking skills and lesson that have served him well the rest of his career.

He would then move to Virginia in 2002 to take the position as winemaker at Williamsburg Winery established by Patrick Duffeler Sr. in 1985. 

Matthew has since moved on from Williamsburg Winery and is working with Gauthier Winery a small vineyard and winery who only has Norton planed at their estate vineyard.

I always learn something when I have the opportunity to spend time with Matthew because he has a very concise and focused approached to his winemaking. He told me that he had no experience with Norton prior to producing it at Williamsburg Winery but decided he would approach it just like he would a vitis vinifera grape. In other words, give it the respect it deserves as a noble grape. You will enjoy his insights into Norton in this interview.
Listen below or read the transcript 

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Jeremy Ligon was brought on just in time for the 2021 harvest. Barrel Oak was purchased from its' previous owners and the new ownership wanted to up the quality of the wines from their Vineyard. In my opinion, Jeremy was a significant step up and his wines reflect that. 

In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as one of the new upcoming winemakers in Virginia as someone to keep an eye on. He has lived up to that from what I have tasted of his new wines from Barrel Oak.

There is an intriguing story he relays as to why the previous ownership had planted their Norton vines in the vineyard and why. It turns out it has a connection to Dr. Daniel Norton, who propagated the Norton seedling in the early 1820's.

Jeremy got his introduction to winegrowing in his early teens when his family planted a small vineyard in Southern Virginia. The rest is history.

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If it were not for Dennis & Sharon Horton Virginia may have never come to know and enjoy it's native grape Norton once again. Let me quote a passage from Todd Kilman book The Wild Vine to set the stage for this Episode.

Dennis Horton rang up Jon Held at Stone Hill Winery in the fall of 1988 and requested a shipment of vines, (Norton), laying the foundation for his new vineyard in Orange, Virginia. He buried the borrowed roots in the soil that spring, eight acres' worth of Norton--the first planting of the grape in Virginia since Repeal.

Folks that says it all. The rest is history.  It wasn't long after that it became known as "Horton Norton" in the marketplace. I have recently had bottles of Norton produced by Horton from as far back as 2002 and more recently 2010 that reminded me of the BV Private Reserve from Rutherford from the mid '70s. it is a grape/wine that needs to be decanted when young but, when given proper bottle aging, which was the practice early in my career that we did for all of the Classified Growth Bordeaux, the wine evolves into an amazing and subtle array of aromas, and deep flavors, again reminiscent of fine Bordeaux style wines from the '70s.

Listen to Sharon and Shannon recant the history of Norton in their family or read the transcript. You will enjoy this Episode, I guarantee you. 

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Rappahannock Cellars was established when John Delmare and his wife Marialisa made the decision to sell their vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountain area of California and move their family to Virginia back in 1998. They soon purchased the historic Glenway farm in Rappahannock County which would become their new home and vineyard. 

It is truly a family affair as three of their twelve siblings have returned to the farm after college graduation and work actively in important segments of the family business at Rapahannock Cellars. 

The 85-acre farm is now planted to 30 acres, and they grow a diverse range of grape varietals which include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Virginia's grape Norton.

John lives by the belief that "wine is made in the vineyard". John and Marialisa believe they have the perfect site for the style and quality of wine they want to produce. The results they have experience in over 20 years of winegrowing bear witness to that.     

Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com