Vine By Design

Cynthiana Grapes produce a rich, full-bodied red wine with a dry character similar in style to Cabernet Sauvignon but with more spice. In fact, it has been called 'The Cabernet of the Ozarks'.

Excellent resistance to most diseases that affect leaves and fruit. Vigorous plants bear small, flavorful grapes. Ripens in late August to early September, makes deeply pigmented wine.

Few species of grapes, can make enough natural sugar, in most years, to be made into a traditional dry wine. Among the two dozen or so grape species native to North America, one has proven to be capable of producing award winning dry wines. That grape is called 'Norton' (scientific name: vitis aestivalis) and it was once a staple of American winemaking and vineyard planting. 

Also known as ‘Cynthiana’ (sin-thee-ana), Norton has shown promise as a wine grape but unlike most grape cultivars, it is difficult to propagate from cuttings. Studies have found that rooting can be improved by treating the cuttings with rooting hormone such as indole-3 butyric acid (IBA). 

 
In Arkansas, it's usually called Cynthiana and in Missouri it's most often called Norton. Whether you call it Cynthiana or Norton, the variety has been available for sale commercially since 1830.

From This Hill, My Hand, Cynthiana's Wine
by Paul Roberts 

This tremendous book will really get you thinking about grapes, agriculture, and how man interacts with nature. Share one man's experience with wine and his unending awe of the Cynthiana grape. 

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