From the Appellation America website – 2.19.2008

When Bad Weather Happens to Good Grapegrowers

Grape growers, farmers, and journalists used strong words in describing the freeze damage sustained by vineyards in the Midwest in early April of 2007: Tragedy!, Devastation!, Massacre!. After March ended with the highest temperatures for that time period in over 100 years (according to the University of Missouri’s Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology department (ICCVE)), April began with the coldest temperatures for that time period in over 100 years. March’s warm temperatures promoted early bud break in grape vines (especially in Arkansas and the lower Midwest), and 5 days of below-freezing temperatures killed those buds and caused some trunk splitting.

Young vineyards sustained the least damage, as immature vines show bud break later and have less woody material which can split when fluids inside the vines freeze, splitting the vine. Those cultivars worst hit were vinifera (which are difficult to grow in the Midwest in good years) and white grapes (although Traminette showed decent hardiness). Norton, the Missouri state grape, showed mixed hardiness but faired better than most other grapes.

Initial estimates of over 90 percent grape crop loss decreased somewhat as secondary budding revealed some vineyard life. Still, the Easter 2007 freeze changed how many area grape growers will farm in the coming years; how they will prepare for the next inevitable killing frost; and how they will situate future planting to avoid crop loss due to surprising drops in temperature.

Some grape growers are turning to farming strategies typically used in colder, more northerly growing regions. One strategy is to maintain “suckers”, or a second trunk, to act as a back-up if the main trunk is killed by frost. These insurance vine growths are close to the ground, however, and grape growers have to watch how they treat the grasses and weeds growing in vineyard rows so that the suckers are not sprayed with injurious herbicides.

Missouri grape grower Frank Gordon, who has about 6 acres planted south-west of Columbia, will have to replace about 10 percent of his vines but hopes some injured vines will be viable. “Before the leaves fell, I flagged every dead vine and also those which are on the verge of death with a lot of crown gall. We may be able to get root suckers from those on the verge.” Freezing promotes crown gall in that freeze damage can provide an entry route for the disease.

Tending those vines which managed to survive the Easter frost requires careful, frequent inspection of vines and exact spraying of just those solutions necessary for vine health. Midwest grape growers also have to carefully balance crop size and canopy structure. In short, they have to treat their vines on virtually a one-on-one basis rather than assuming that vine health is consistent throughout the entire vineyard.

Gordon will delay winter pruning this year, but notes, “The conditions set up last year . . . I don’t think anything could have been done. We did fertilize after harvest, but there’s just not a whole lot you can do.”

It is an accepted fact that the only consistency in Missouri weather is its inconsistency, so area grape growers are learning how to prepare for the next late frost. The ICCVE showed no delay in surveying vine damage and providing grape growers with information on how to respond when threatening low temperatures are predicted. In addition to widespread vineyard inspection and research, the ICCVE hosted a workshop in early December to inform grape growers about successful strategies used in other viticultural areas.

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From the WINE COMPASS BLOG – 9.10.07

National Norton Festival

On Saturday September, we were fortunate to attend the First Annual National Norton Festival in St. Louis Missouri. Organized by the Missouri Wine Country The event provided the general public a chance to sample a wide array of Norton wines from 25 wineries from Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia. This event was the culmination of activities that began in August, at the 2007 National Norton Wine Competition.

We made it a point to visit the Gold medal winners first, and after tasting, agreed with the judges decisions; these were excellent wines. Best in Show Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery's 2006 Cynthiana was smooth and fruity and somewhat similar to Westphalia Vineyards' 2006 Norton Reserve. Mary Michelle Winery's 2006 Norton was fruity with a little more spiciness at the finish. Bethlehem Valley Vineyards' 2004 Norton and Chrysalis Vineyards' 2005 Barrel Select 100% Virginia Norton and 2004 Locksley Reserve Norton where fruity, but possessed a little more character at the finish. Finally, we tasted the best dessert wine this side of Tokaji, Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery's 2002 Missouri Red Port. This may have been our favorite wine of the day.

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From the Norton Festival–– 9.08.07

First Annual Norton Wine Competition Announces “Best Norton of 2007”

ST. LOUIS, MO, August 14, 2007—A panel of eight distinguished judges has selected the “Best Norton of 2007” from 113 wines and 52 wineries from across the country. The widely acclaimed Norton grape was first cultivated by its namesake Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton between 1823 and 1828, and is the state grape of Missouri.

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From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch–– 9.06.07

Raise a glass to Norton
by Joe Bonwich

Last month, a panel of judges from Missouri, California, Kansas, Colorado and Pennsylvania convened at Busch's Grove restaurant to judge the submissions. The panel awarded best of show to Sugar Creek Vineyards in Augusta for its 2006 Cynthiana (another name for the Norton grape, or at least for a grape that's generally thought to be nearly identical genetically) and to Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery in New Haven, Mo., for its 2002 Missouri Red Port.

The six gold medals for dry Norton went to Sugar Creek, Bethlehem Valley and Westphalia from Missouri; Chrysalis Vineyards in Virginia (two medals); and Mary Michelle in Carrollton, Ill.

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Westphalia Vineyards gathers in the gold

The fledgling Westphalia Vineyards—Osage County’s only winery—was founded less than two years ago by the Terry Neuner family and did not sell its first bottle of wine until two months ago, but in spite of that the company has just won a gold medal in the fiercely-competitive Norton National Wine Festival in St. Louis.

The Norton grape is the talk of the wine-lover’s world.  It is the official grape of Missouri and is being touted as a world-class grape.  Whoever can use this grape to make a great wine will be a winner in the world of winemaking.

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From the WINE COMPASS BLOG – 8.6.07

2007 National Norton Competition Winners

Today, the winners of the 2007 First Annual Norton Competition were announced with Missouri's Sugar Creek Winery & Vineyards winning Best in Show and Best of Class – Dry Norton. Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery, also from Missouri, won Best of Class – Port Norton for their 2002 Missouri Red Port. A handful of other wineries were awarded Gold medals. Virginia's Chrysalis Vineyards won two golds, one with their 2005 Barrel Select 100% Virginia Norton and the other for their 2004 Locksley Reserve Norton. Mary Michelle Winery was the other non-Missouri winery to win Gold, this from their 2006 Illinois Norton. The other gold medals were awarded to Missouri's Bethlehem Valley Vineyards, Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery, and Westphalia Vineyards.

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