Chambourcin: the powerhouse grape with a uniquely storied origin
Those of us who love and advocate for the wines of emerging regions across the US know the grape Chambourcin well. Yet in the industry as a whole this fascinating grape is largely ignored, if not unknown. I’ve decided to take a moment to put the charming Chambourcin in the spotlight (though it deserves more for sure).
Chambourcin grapes on the vine
Where did Chambourcin come from?
Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid. It was developed by French viticulturist Joannes Seyve in the Nantes region of France late 1950’s.
Why would Seyve create hybrids of French and American grapes, you may ask? Because of steamships. This may sound odd, but let’s explore this a bit further:
As North America’s European population increased throughout the 1600’s-1800’s, more trade and shipping occurred. “Exotic” plants found in the American Northeast were frequently brought across the Atlantic to find homes in the gardens of those who could afford them. They were curiosities, and therefore were very appealing to those with means. The trip across the sea took quite some time as the only shipping option was sailboat, thus the plants were in effect quarantined during their journey.
The mid-to-late 1800’s saw the rise of the steamship. This brought more human immigration to North America, and more plant emigration to Europe. But now the quarantine effect no longer applied - trips across the sea could be done in a matter of days, not weeks.
Unfortunately for Europe the vines coming from the Northeast had stowaway lice and spores that quickly spread throughout England, France, and then the rest of the world. Soon phylloxera, black rot, powdery mildew, and downy mildew became the norm in vineyard regions around the globe. Combatting these scourges was not easy, and lots of time and money was poured into research into potential solutions.
One way around these issues used the genetics of the American vines to create immunity. Viticulturists like Seyve began experimenting with French-American hybrids that carried tolerance while adopting flavor profiles more akin to what the European palate expected. And thus you have delightful creations like the Chambourcin grape.
The Great French Wine Blight was driven by phylloxera
Why was Chambourcin brought to America?
In the 1970’s, many of the American states in the Northeast and East were finally truly recovering from Prohibition. Though the legalization of alcohol in the US had occurred decades before, many states still had lingering pressure from religious groups and strict state laws that resulted in the floundering of their wine industries for quite some time. The 1970’s saw the creation of various Farm Winery Acts (which allowed producers to sell direct to consumer) as an attempt to boost the industry, and production began to surge.
Producers sought out grapes with more European flavor profiles that could tolerate the cooler climates, pests, and diseases present in these areas; French-American hybrids were obvious choices. Chambourcin made its debut in US vineyards in the 1970’s in the Northeast, spreading west over time.
Galen Glen’s Chambourcin from Lehigh Valley, PA
What kind of wine does Chambourcin make?
Chambourcin is a teinturier. That means the flesh of the grape is a deep ruby, unlike most red grapes which have clear juice inside. Chambourcin wines have dark, rich color and lighter tannin, which make it an ideal blending grape for varieties like Cabernet Franc.
Chambourcin tends to be spicy, with black cherry and plum flavors, and a range of herbal characteristics. It can be a lovely quaffable glou-glou style wine, or a friendly table wine that is easy to pair with a wide range of dishes. Think Zweigelt, Barbera, or not-too-complex Merlot.
Camuna Cellar City Glou Chambourcin from New Jersey
