Taste Chambourcin at the Source
Chambourcin is tied to a handful of regions. Explore each as a travel destination — with wineries, tours and guides.
JOLO Winery & Vineyards
JOLO Winery & Vineyards is a high-end boutique winery that sits on a picturesque spot framed by Pilot Mountain. Owners JW and Kristen Ray combined the names of their two sons, Joey and Logan, to ...
Explore JOLO Winery & Vineyards →Wineries Known for Chambourcin
Estates specializing in Chambourcin, open for tastings.
JOLO Winery & Vineyards
Galen Glen Winery
Oliver Winery
Desert Rose Ranch and Winery
Stony Knoll Vineyards
Vynecrest Winery
Clover Hill Winery
Old North State Winery
More About Chambourcin
Chambourcin is one of the most popular hybrid grapes across the world. Like many hybrids, it was originally produced in France by a man named Joannes Seyve in the early 1960s, but it has since found favor in parts of the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Despite being a popular grape used in winemaking in the 1970s in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley regions, Chambourcin is no longer allowed to be used in AOC or even IGP wines across France because of its status as a hybrid French/American grape, although it is sometimes used in Vin de Table wines in the western Loire Valley region around Nantes. Now, it is quite popular in winemaking throughout states like Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, and in British Columbia, Canada, and New South Wales, Australia. This grape is fungal resistant and is the parent to the new disease-resistant grape variety, Regent, which is grown primarily in Germany, Switzerland, and Okanagan Valley.
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Terroir
In the vineyard, Chambourcin is a vigorously productive grape. It thrives in well-drained loamy soils and shale. It can grow successfully in cooler regions such as upstate New York and parts of Canada, as well as more moderate regions in Virginia, and warm, humid regions found in New South Wales, Australia. Its tolerance to diseases, especially ones caused by humidity, makes it fairly easy to manage in the vineyard and in warmer or more humid climates.
Chambourcin Tasting Notes
Chambourcin is a deep colored and aromatic red wine grape that is also a “teinturier” grape, meaning that its juice is pink or red instead of clear like most other red grapes. Many producers utilize oak in the winemaking process to soften acidity, which can be quite high in cooler regions. Chambourcin produces a wine that is typically high in acidity with modest tannins and strong flavors that can be complemented with the addition of oak aging.
In the glass, you can expect flavors of black cherry, red fruit, herbaceous notes, black pepper, and even chocolate. Chambourcin can be a single varietal wine or used in blends as it is often produced in Australia where it is blended with Shiraz. It can even be made into a semi-sweet wine or sparkling red wine. It is best consumed in its youth due to its freshness and can be served chilled because of its typically strong flavor.
Food Pairing
Chambourcin wines are best paired with hamburgers, seared steak, or gamey meat like veal or venison. The wines can go well with tomato-based pasta dishes and even dark chocolate, which pairs nicely with semi-sweet versions that still maintain the darker flavors of the wine.
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Jacqueline Coleman is a professional wine + travel writer, wine judge, columnist, and consultant based in Miami, FL.
Chambourcin: Frequently Asked Questions
What does Chambourcin wine taste like?
Chambourcin delivers dark cherry, blackberry and plum flavors with herbal, peppery and earthy notes. This French-American hybrid shows a deep purple color, moderate tannins and bright acidity. It ranges from light, fruity styles to richer, oak-aged versions with smoky, spicy complexity.
Is Chambourcin sweet or dry?
Chambourcin is most often made dry, showing dark-fruit flavors and a fresh, medium-bodied profile. Because it is versatile, producers also craft off-dry, rosé and semi-sweet versions. The classic red expression, however, is dry with balanced acidity and gentle tannins.
What food pairs well with Chambourcin?
Chambourcin's bright acidity and moderate tannins pair well with grilled meats, barbecue, roast pork and burgers. It complements tomato-based pasta, pizza, herb-roasted vegetables and medium cheeses. The wine's peppery, earthy edge also suits sausages, game and smoky, spiced dishes.
What is the difference between Chambourcin and Cabernet Sauvignon?
Chambourcin is a disease-resistant French-American hybrid producing lighter-bodied, softer-tannin reds with herbal, bright-fruit character, thriving in humid climates. Cabernet Sauvignon is a European vinifera grape yielding fuller-bodied, more tannic, structured wines. Chambourcin is fruitier and more approachable young; Cabernet ages longer.
Where is Chambourcin grown?
Chambourcin thrives in humid, disease-prone climates thanks to its strong resistance. It is widely planted across the eastern United States, including Pennsylvania, Missouri, New York, Virginia and the Midwest, plus Australia and its native France, where it was developed as a hybrid.
How should you serve Chambourcin?
Serve Chambourcin slightly below room temperature, around 60-65°F, to emphasize its fresh fruit and bright acidity. A light chill suits fruitier versions. Decanting oak-aged bottles softens tannins. Use a standard red-wine glass, and enjoy most examples within a few years of release.