chambourcin

so, everyone says what the heck is that? this is a french hybrid, of limited popularity in the area of nantes, which is quite tolerant of a wide variety of climates. as a hybrid it cannot be planted and regarded as an aoc grape in france. although most folks do not know about it, it is an excellent grape for the northeastern united states. it does well in pennsylvania and in new jersey. this grape can stand up to rhone wines or to a california zinfandel. the grape is thick skinned and produces a red wine with a dark color. it has aromas of wild red cherry, red raspberry, and spice. the tannins need time to soften, or young wines need to be decanted for an hour or so. the finish has smooth and well rounded acidity without any of the off-putting tastes of many hybrid grapes. although typically made as a red wine, it can be produced as a rose.

my preferred chambourcin comes from alba in milford, new jersey. this wine is amazingly consistent year to year. it is dark with aromas of red fruit, spice, and smoke. the taste is of wild red cherries, finishing with smoke and spice. the tannins and acid are soft and well balanced.

alba makes an excellent style of wine from this grape. we routinely include this wine as an option with grilled red meats, savory home made pizza and pasta, and as a stand alone wine (try it with dark chocolate, there seems to be a magical interplay of this wine and the flavors and aromatics in chocolate). alba's address and web site are:

www.albavineyard.com
269 County Road 627
Milford, NJ 08848-1771
(908) 995-7800

this is just across the delaware river from rieglesville, pennsylvania and is well worth the short trip. they produce a number of wines. my favorites are their barbera, pinot noir, and chambourcin. the tasting room is quite nice. i strongly recommend their wines and i think the experience of a visit to alba is on par with the "nicest" tasting experiences in napa. this is a local producer who is doing a great job. the wines i have listed are wonderful.