The Virginia Grape & Horton Vineyard

When Thomas Jefferson planted vines at Monticello in 1773, he dreamed that Virginia would one day rival European winemakers in both quality and quantity.  Seven times he attempted to grow vines, but each time black rot and other native pests killed the European grapes.  What Jefferson needed was a hardy grape with native genetics to resist disease and European components to develop fine wine.

(C) Brittany James

Less than seventy miles away in Richmond but a few decades later, Dr. Daniel Norton was experimenting with a grape cultivar derived from the seedling of the Bland vine that was open-pollinated presumably by Vitis aestivalis, a native plant.  The combination proved to be a success.  By 1830, Dr. Norton was selling the plant, called Norton or Norton's Virginia, for cultivation in Virginia and Missouri.  It grew quickly in popularity - and not just within the United States.  By 1873, a Norton wine triumphed over its European counterparts at an international exhibition in Vienna.

Then Prohibition struck North America, and for the next seventy years, the Norton was largely forgotten.

But in 1989, a new vineyard made an appearance in Virginia and brought with it the revival of the Norton Grape.  Owner Dennis Horton originates from Hermann, Missouri, which flourished as the epicenter of wine-making in pre-Prohibition America and whose bootlegging residents kept the Norton grape from going extinct during the Prohibition.

(C) Brittany James

When Horton first opened Horton Vineyards in its current location northeast of Charlottesville, less than 20 miles from Jefferson's Monticello, he gambled with the planting of many types of grapes.  Ultimately, however, the Norton grape and the Viognier, a French variety, became two of his key players and has resulted in making Horton Vineyards a leader in the Virginia wine industry.

But those two grapes are not the only ones in Horton's arsenal.  They offer wine for any palate, from the sweet white notes of Niagara, also from an American grape, to the rich, tannic taste of Tannat.  No matter the selection, it is best enjoyed while overlooking the perfectly manicured lawn and vines which extend in front of the unique architecture of the tasting room.  Prices for tasting are reasonable at $5 a person.

While Jefferson's dream did not come to fruition in his lifetime, it is on the cusp of realization nearly 300 years later.  Virginia wine is rising in popularity, and if Jefferson were alive, he'd be smiling over a glass of Horton's Virginia wine.

(C) Brittany James

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All photos are the property of Brittany James and are used with permission.  Unauthorized use of these photos is strictly prohibited.

Part of the #252by2022 challenge.

General references:
"Dr. Daniel Norborne Norton and the Origin of the Norton Grape" by Rebecca K.R. Ambers, Ph.D. and Clifford P. Ambers, Ph.D. as published in the American Wine Society Journal, Volume 36, No. 3, Fall 2004.
"The Fascinating History Behind America's Oldest Grape: Norton" by Adam Teeter. 1 July 2014.
"Virginia's Special Viognier" by Ken Ringle as published in The Washington Post on 29 March 2006.

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