1998 Horton Vineyards "Norton" Orange County, Virginia

[Drew]

Once again Mr. D came through some time ago and sent a bottle of the 1999 Horton Vineyards Norton. Even better than the '98. This one's completely opaque, glass staining, teeth staining and don't get it near light clothing! Very floral on the nose right out of the bottle with zin like notes mixed with dark and bright scents of the dark fruit spectrum. Similar intense flavors, acidic but not overwhelming with a wee touch of oak. It tastes like a blend of zin and syrah. The '99 shows several notches above the delicious '98. A very nice drinking experience that I matched with grilled chicken and fixens and at 12.5% Alc/vol it didn't knock you down like some high powered zins. Why can't other wineries make more lower alcohol wines with this intensity?

Drew