A panel of six 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.

Judging of the country’s finest Norton wines took place at Busch’s Grove in Clayton, Missouri on August 4, 2007, and the results are as follows:

Best in Show – Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery* (Mo.) – 2006 Cynthiana
Best of Class – Dry Norton: Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery* (Mo.) – 2006 Cynthiana
Best of Class – Port Norton: Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery (Mo.) – 2002 Missouri Red Port

DRY NORTON CATEGORY

Gold Medals
1. Bethlehem Valley Vineyards (Augusta, Missouri) – 2004 Norton
2. Chrysalis Vineyards* (Middleburg, Virginia) – 2005 Barrel Select 100% Virginia Norton
3. Chrysalis Vineyards* (Middleburg, Virginia) – 2004 Locksley Reserve Norton
4. Mary Michelle Winery* (Carrollton, Illinois) – 2006 Norton
5. Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery* (Augusta, Missouri) – 2006 Cynthiana
6. Westphalia Vineyards* (Westphalia, Missouri) – 2006 Norton Reserve

Silver Medals
1. Chrysalis Vineyards* (Virginia) – 2004 Estate Bottled Norton
2. Chrysalis Vineyards* (Virginia) – 2005 Estate Bottled Norton
3. Hermannhof Winery* (Missouri) – 2002 Norton
4. Jowler Creek Winery (Missouri) – 2006 Norton
5. Les Bourgeois Winery* (Missouri) – 2005 Norton Premium Claret
6. Spirit Knob Winery (Illinois) – 2005 Norton
7. Spirit Knob Winery (Illinois) – 2006 Estate Reserve Norton
8. St. James Winery (Missouri) – 2003 Norton
9. St. James Winery (Missouri) – 2005 Cynthiana
10. Stone Hill Winery* (Missouri) – 2002 Norton
11. Stone Hill Winery* (Missouri) – 2005 Norton
12. Stone Hill Winery* (Missouri) – 2005 Norton, Cross J Vineyards

Bronze Medals
1. Augusta Winery* (Missouri) – 2003 Estate Bottled Norton Reserva del Patron
2. Augusta Winery*(Missouri) – 2004 Estate Bottled Norton
4. Augusta Winery* (Missouri) – 2004 Estate Bottled Norton Reserva del Patron
5. Baltimore Bend Winery* (Missouri) – 2004 Cynthiana
6. Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery (Missouri) – 2004 Norton Missouri Dry Red
7. Cave Vineyard* (Missouri) – 2004 Norton
8. Chrysalis Vineyards* (Virginia) – 2003 Locksley Reserve Norton
9. Cooper Vineyards (Virginia) – 2004 Norton
10. Cooper Vineyards (Virginia) – 2005 Norton
11. Crown Valley Winery* (Missouri) – 2002 Norton Limited Edition
12. Crown Valley Winery* (Missouri) – 2003 Norton Estate
13. Crown Valley Winery* (Missouri) – 2003 Norton Proprietor’s Select
14. Hermannhof Winery* (Missouri) – 2002 Norton Hermann French Oak Reserve
15. Hermannhof Winery* (Missouri) – 2003 Norton Hermann
16. Hinnant Family Vineyards (North Carolina) – 2004 Beaverdam Vineyards Estates
17. Holy-Field Winery (Kansas) – 2004 Cynthiana
18. Holy-Field Winery (Kansas) – 2005 Cynthiana
19. Horton Vineyards (Virginia) – 2004 Norton
20. Keswick Vineyards (Virginia) – 2005 Norton

Judges:
Doug Frost-Kansas City, Missouri
Glenn Bardgett-St. Louis, Missouri
Christopher Hoel-St. Louis, Missouri
Bob Foster-San Diego, California
Rich Bryan-Linwood, Kansas
Bill Musgnung-Paonia, Colorado
Stephen Menke-Pennsylvania
Patricia Wamhoff-St. Louis, Missouri

On September 8, 2007 wine and food lovers are invited to gather to celebrate great wines such as these at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park (Lindell and Debaliviere) for the first annual Norton Wine Festival. The festival will last from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Cost for the event is $20 for a standard ticket, and allows guests to sample up to 15 current vintage Nortons. VIP tickets are $35 and include additional tastings of vertical flights from past top Norton vintages.

Wineries from 12 states will be represented at the Norton Wine Festival, as well as 25 of the top Norton producers from across the country.

Events will include:

• Vintage wine tastings in the Norton VIP room
• Norton wines paired with meats, cheeses and dark chocolate
• Exhibits including demonstrations of wine barrel-making
• Access to the Missouri History Museum and Meriwether’s Restaurant
• Educational presentations about Norton

Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.nortonfestival.com/tickets or at the door for a $5 increase. Ten percent of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Missouri Historical Society. Please call Cory Kleinschmidt at 314-369-0432 for more information.

*These wineries will have samples available at the Sept. 8 Festival

Presented by MissouriWineCountry.com

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