July 2026 Potpourri

Our 4th of July

I hope everyone enjoyed a nice Fourth of July. Ours was pretty laid back. We watched some Wimbledon Tennis and the Phillies win against the Royals, barbecued some flat iron steaks, and enjoyed a terrific bottle of Cedar Rose Vineyards 2016 Norton. I know I have written about this interesting wine several times over the years, but I chose it for our Fourth of July celebration because it is uniquely American. Why do I say that? Celebrating not only the Fourth of July, but our country’s 250th birthday, I thought I’d share a couple of interesting tidbits about Norton below.

We finished the bottle while watching fireworks on television from New York and D.C. Unfortunately, things went downhill after that. We lost power around 9:00 PM and didn’t get it back until around 4:00 AM, leaving us with no A/C and a very hot house! But back to wine and happier thoughts.

Norton Grape and Wine

The birthplace of the Norton grape is Virginia. Not Europe or South America or Asia. Norton is Missouri’s state grape. It won a Gold Medal in 1873 and was declared “One of the best reds in the world.” It was developed by Dr. Daniel Norton, a physician and horticulturalist. Dr. Norton was married to the niece (by marriage) of Supreme Court Justice John Marshall. You can’t get more American than that. You can read more about this unique grape and its interesting history in a book entitled, “The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine” by Todd Kliman.

There are a few New Jersey wineries that grow and produce Norton, but I first came upon it in Virginia, where it also does very well. My favorite Norton is Cedar Rose Norton. I always surprise Dustin Tarpine, winemaker and one of the owners at Cedar Rose Vineyards. He largely uses it as a mixing grape, but does produce a small amount as a single varietal. I hope he continues to do so. What does it taste like?

Cedar Rose 2016 Norton – Norton (also known as Cynthiana)– It is truly a native grape and I love its dark, inky appearance, taste of blackberries and cherries, and full-bodied earthiness.

Other Great NJ Wines I’ve Recently Enjoyed

Autumn Lake Winery 2022 Tortuga-This is a an excellent dry red blend of Cab Franc and Merlot with some earthy notes and ripe raspberry on the palate. It is very smooth and definitely their best version to date, in my opinion. It is a bargain at $28!

Cedar Rose Vineyards 2022 Ashenfelter Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon-A wonderful Cab, sourced from Orley Ashenfelter’s vineyard in Vineland and produced by Cedar Rose Vineyard. It is full-bodied, with robust dark fruit and silky smooth tannins. It is probably not a coincidence that both of these bottles came from the wonderful 2022 vintage.

Coming Attractions

• Family Vacation in Cape May
• Seahorse Winery (NJ’s Newest Winery)
• Bellview Winery Summer ’26
• Cedar Rose Vineyards Summer ’26
• Cape May Winery Grill Night September ’26

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