2005 Horton Vineyards Orange County Norton

Solid effort from Horton, one of the vineyards responsible for re-introducing the Norton grape. This is a more accessible Norton than something like the Cross J and a better "beginner" Norton. Not as big as the previous wines, but still substantial. Good balance of fruit and tannins, it's the first Norton I've tried that seemed ready to drink. A little of the Concord grapiness noted in the St. James Cynthiana but in balance. Tart. The muskiness noted in the previous Nortons I've tried isn't noticable in this bottle. At 13.1% ABV it doesn't have the high alcohol heat that's so common in big wines.

Again, the wine opened up the second night after spending a night corked in the fridge. I had help from relatives on the second night and the bottle was emptied fairly early - preferred over a eight buck Argentinian malbec. The '05 is no no longer on the Horton website, and the '03 blend at $12 is the only Norton I see listed. If it's as good as this, it's worth the twelve bucks. 13.1% ABV. DF grade: B-, I'd buy it again.