Norton is grown in theMidwestern United States, theMid-Atlantic States, and northeasternGeorgia. Nuclear and chloroplast DNA data are consistent with 'Norton' being a complex hybrid with ancestry fromV. aestivalis,V. vinifera, andV. labrusca.^[1][2]

Norton
Grape (Vitis)
Norton grapes growing on the vine
Color of berry skin	Noir
Species	V. vinifera,V. aestivalis,V. labrusca hybrid
Notable regions	Missouri USA
Breeder	Daniel Norborne Norton
VIVC number	3304

Norton was first cultivated inRichmond, Virginia, and is the official grape of the State ofMissouri, and is considered the cornerstone of theMissouri wine industry.^[3][4][5] Daniel Norton first purveyed the Nortoncultivar during the early 19th century from his vineyards in Virginia, USA.^[3]

The Norton cultivar was introduced by Daniel Norborne Norton of Richmond, Virginia, who selected it from among what he believed wereseedlings of a long-forgotten grape variety called Bland, though there is some doubt as to whether it was the actual source of theseed which yielded Norton. The male parent, presumably, was a wildvine ofVitis aestivalis.^[3][6][7] Another cultivar, calledCynthiana, closely resembles Norton, but has traditionally been considered a separate variety. Genetic studies, however, have shown the two to be indistinguishable.^[8]

This grape became available commercially in 1830 and very soon after that came to dominate wine production in the eastern and midwestern states likeMissouri andOhio in the United States.^[7] Since this grape lacks the distinct, "foxy" flavors that are typical of Native AmericanVitis labrusca grapes, it is quite suitable for making dry wine. Vineyards were pulled up andConcord grapes were planted in their place, for juice and jam. After prohibition, the wine industry in the eastern half of North America never recovered to the same degree that California's wine industry did.

In the 21st century, United Stateswineries along the east coast and throughout the Midwest are re-cultivating and producing wines from Norton grapes, such as at Chrysalis Vineyards inMiddleburg, Virginia, which has 69 acres (28 ha) of Norton grapes.^[3]

Notable for deep blue-purplepigmentation, the skin of Norton grapes has a higher content of totalanthocyanins (888 mg per 100 g) than other purple grapecultivars,Concord orMarechal Foch grapes.^[9]

Anthocyanins are the largest group ofwater-soluble pigments in the plant kingdom and belong to the family of compounds known aspolyphenols. Major sources of anthocyanins areblueberries,cherries,raspberries,strawberries,blackcurrants, purple grapes, and red wine. Anthocyanins are underbasic research to understand if they have any biological role in humans.^[10][11]

• Missouri wine
• Virginia wine

• Norton, America's True Grape