Chambourcin
A French-American red that's a mainstay of Mid-Atlantic and Midwest wine country, with cherry fruit, soft tannins and bright acidity. It's one of the best hybrid reds for dry wine.
Chambourcin is the hybrid red you'll see most often in tasting rooms from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Missouri, Indiana and Virginia. Joannès Seyve bred it in France, and it became available in 1963. It isn't especially cold hardy, but it shrugs off the humid summers and disease pressure that make Cabernet and Merlot hard work in the eastern U.S. That makes it the reliable red of the Mid-Atlantic, the Ohio Valley and the lower Midwest.
What It Tastes Like
Chambourcin is deeply colored, with black cherry, plum and raspberry, an herbal note and a little black pepper. Tannins are soft and acidity is bright, so a dry Chambourcin feels juicy and food-friendly, a bit like a cross between Merlot and a Côtes du Rhône. Winemakers in Pennsylvania and Missouri have shown it also handles oak well.
Where It Grows
Chambourcin is a leading red in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. It's also grown in Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas, and on a small scale in Australia. It needs winters milder than about -5°F, so in Michigan it's mostly found in the southwest, near Lake Michigan.
What to Look For
- Dry, oak-aged Chambourcin is the style that wins competitions.
- Rosé of Chambourcin is a summer favorite in the Mid-Atlantic.
- Sparkling red and port-style versions are fun finds.
- Blends with Cabernet Franc or Norton are common.
Where to Find Chambourcin
Wine regions on American Winery Guide where Chambourcin is grown or poured: