Tom Payette is one of the veterans making wine here in Virginia. The upcoming 2025 harvest will mark Tom's 40th. While most of Tom's career has been in Virginia he has been involved some years ago on the west coast in California as a result of his position at Prince Michel. The then owner Jean Leducq owned a vineyard on Elhers Lane in Napa Valley.
Tom has been recognized by numerous wine publications for his work including being named in 1999 as Winemaker of the Year by Vineyard & Winery management and more recently he was named by Wine Business Monthly as one of their Wine Industry Leader of the Year Awards.
Tom has a very active Wine management and consulting business currently and New Kent Vineyards is one of his long-time clients who produces Norton. Tom brought with him the day of the interview two bottles of wine. Once of which was from their Norton vineyard block and the other was from what Lucie Morton the world renown Ampelographer visited and said was from Cynthiana which is not Norton despite the fact that it is legal to label it as Norton. Lucie joined us after the interview concluded and we tasted the wines. There is no question they were different. More on that in a later Episode when I interview Lucie.
Take a listen to Episode posted here or read the transcript.
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