Much Ado about Norton

Its always a tough choice deciding what wine to drink with dinner.  While I stayed in McAllen this Thursday Pris initially decided to open a Merlot that we'd had since before the move to Brownsville.  Unfortunately oxygen got into the bottle and the wine had turned.  So she moved on to her second choice and opened up a bottle of Norton Barrel Select 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon to go with her meal.  I got to dig into it when I got home Friday evening while the "tropical storm" came through. 

The Norton Barrel Select Cab is a good little wine.  It has a great nose full of cherry and blackberry.  Its a full bodied, but mellow Cab.  This wine is soft on the palate with loads of dark fruit and some spice towards the end.  Supple tannins provide an nice mellow finish that lasts for some time.

This is an Argentinean Cab from the Medoza region, and its considerably softer than your typical Cab from California.  It still has the full flavor and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, just not as much bite or tannic activity.

One of the best features of this mellow wine is that it can pair readily with a wide variety of meals without it overpowering them.  We initially paired the wine with some brisket and potato salad from Rudy's and it went really well.  The wine held up with the deep smoky flavor of the meat and the sweet spice of the sauce without any problems.  Later on in the evening we had another glass with some olives, manchego cheese, serrano jamon, and lomo.  Again, the wine paired flawlessly with the salty savory meats and cheese.

Besides its versatility, the Norton Barrel Select is a great value at about $10 a bottle.  At that price, this is a great everyday wine, or as Pris put it "economy wine."  If you're looking for a decent, well priced Cab then this wine has you're name on it.  If you're more into the big bold dry California Cabs and Argentinean Malbecs, then this wine may not be your first choice for dinner or drinks. You can find the Norton just about everywhere.  Its at H.E.B., Feldmans, and Target.  Again, it runs about $10 and is a great value.  You can find out more about the Norton wines at:  http://www.norton.com.ar/