Comments on: Hanging with Mr. Cooper http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439 The Best & Worst of Virginia Wine Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:49:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: rhodies http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-240 rhodies Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:03:46 +0000 http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439#comment-240 Cooper's wine is at the top of our list of Norton grape favorites. 171 Norton vineyards now listed on our database, have visited 54 Norton wineries, and these are the Norton wines we would consider returning to or buying online (ranking 1-to-5 / poor-to-excellent): Blumenhof Winery 5 MO Chandler Hill 5 MO Adam Puchta Winery 4 MO Cooper Vineyards 4 VA Heinrichshaus Vineyard 4 MO Montelle Winery 4 MO Robller Vineyard 4 MO Abingdon Vineyard 3 VA Barrel Oak Winery 3 VA (needs bottle maturing) Bommarito Estate Winery 3 MO Crane Creek Vineyards 3 GA Chrysalis Vineyards 3 VA Elk Creek Vineyards 3 KY Lovers Leap Vineyard 3 Ky Mount Pleasant Winery 3 MO Rockbridge Vineyards 3 VA St. James Winery 3 MO Stone Hill Winery 3 MO Stone Mt. Wine Cellars 3 PA Three Sisters Vineyards 3 GA White Oak Vineyards 3 AL Cooper’s wine is at the top of our list of Norton grape favorites. 171 Norton vineyards now listed on our database, have visited 54 Norton wineries, and these are the Norton wines we would consider returning to or buying online (ranking 1-to-5 / poor-to-excellent):

Blumenhof Winery 5 MO
Chandler Hill 5 MO
Adam Puchta Winery 4 MO
Cooper Vineyards 4 VA
Heinrichshaus Vineyard 4 MO
Montelle Winery 4 MO
Robller Vineyard 4 MO
Abingdon Vineyard 3 VA
Barrel Oak Winery 3 VA (needs bottle maturing)
Bommarito Estate Winery 3 MO
Crane Creek Vineyards 3 GA
Chrysalis Vineyards 3 VA
Elk Creek Vineyards 3 KY
Lovers Leap Vineyard 3 Ky
Mount Pleasant Winery 3 MO
Rockbridge Vineyards 3 VA
St. James Winery 3 MO
Stone Hill Winery 3 MO
Stone Mt. Wine Cellars 3 PA
Three Sisters Vineyards 3 GA
White Oak Vineyards 3 AL

]]> By: grapeenvyguy http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-238 grapeenvyguy Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:12:50 +0000 http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439#comment-238 Funny timing- we just finished a bottle of the Cooper Norton, and it was every bit as smooth and complex as I remembered. Cooper's is a darn fine Norton, but it was a tough call when Her Beautifulness saddled me with picking tonight's wine. I knew I wanted a Norton; it came down to the Cooper, or either the '03 or '05 Chrysalis Norton. I'm very happy with what I picked. It's good to hear from another Norton fan. We're definitely going to check out the Abingdon Norton! Funny timing- we just finished a bottle of the Cooper Norton, and it was every bit as smooth and complex as I remembered. Cooper’s is a darn fine Norton, but it was a tough call when Her Beautifulness saddled me with picking tonight’s wine. I knew I wanted a Norton; it came down to the Cooper, or either the ’03 or ’05 Chrysalis Norton. I’m very happy with what I picked. It’s good to hear from another Norton fan. We’re definitely going to check out the Abingdon Norton!

]]> By: rhodies http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-236 rhodies Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:45:36 +0000 http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439#comment-236 So far we have tasted 54 Norton wines from MO, LA, GA, AL, NC, PA, and VA. The two Virginia heavies in Norton wine production out of the state's eleven Norton vineyards we have visited so far would be Horton and Chrysalis Vineyards. I would say that Horton's mission is to introduce to the general public good wines at fair prices and to this they unquestionably succeed. Chrysalis, on the other hand, obviously wants to produce the very best Norton's on the east coast regardless of price. And to that I would state, they do this quite successfully. Both are wonderful examples of the east coast Norton varietal. But I would like to add, our favorite east coast Norton wines at this time would be from two small farm-like venues: Cooper Winery and from Pennsylvania's Stone Mountain Wine Cellars. Both were wonderful variations on a theme of Norton grapes. As for a soft and easy tasting table-wine Norton, don't pass up Abingdon Vineyard's Norton. So far we have tasted 54 Norton wines from MO, LA, GA, AL, NC, PA, and VA. The two Virginia heavies in Norton wine production out of the state’s eleven Norton vineyards we have visited so far would be Horton and Chrysalis Vineyards. I would say that Horton’s mission is to introduce to the general public good wines at fair prices and to this they unquestionably succeed. Chrysalis, on the other hand, obviously wants to produce the very best Norton’s on the east coast regardless of price. And to that I would state, they do this quite successfully. Both are wonderful examples of the east coast Norton varietal. But I would like to add, our favorite east coast Norton wines at this time would be from two small farm-like venues: Cooper Winery and from Pennsylvania’s Stone Mountain Wine Cellars. Both were wonderful variations on a theme of Norton grapes. As for a soft and easy tasting table-wine Norton, don’t pass up Abingdon Vineyard’s Norton.

]]> By: vawinediva http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439&cpage=1#comment-81 vawinediva Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:28:38 +0000 http://swirlsipsnark.com/?p=439#comment-81 As Grape Envy said, Cooper was a pleasant surprise for us. While we differed a bit in our impressions, we both really like the Viognier, Norton, and Noche. A few other wineries are now making chocolate desert wines. This is by far the best, so regardless of what you think of the others out there, you have to try this one. I was not as big a fan of their other dessert wine, the Vida, as I found it a bit harsh, and I could generally pass on their sweet wines, although they were fine - to each their own. All in all, I feel safe in saying that we'll be back to stock up on Cooper wines in the future. They may be small, but they are impressive and constantly improving. As Grape Envy said, Cooper was a pleasant surprise for us. While we differed a bit in our impressions, we both really like the Viognier, Norton, and Noche. A few other wineries are now making chocolate desert wines. This is by far the best, so regardless of what you think of the others out there, you have to try this one. I was not as big a fan of their other dessert wine, the Vida, as I found it a bit harsh, and I could generally pass on their sweet wines, although they were fine – to each their own. All in all, I feel safe in saying that we’ll be back to stock up on Cooper wines in the future. They may be small, but they are impressive and constantly improving.

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