Australian Chambourcin wine regional and flavour profile

RED | MEDIUM BODY

Tastes and aromas

Mulberry, cherry and spicy plum with slight chocolate overtones and gamey flavours

Mouthfeel

Chambourcin is a medium bodied, soft and well balanced red wine with high acidity and a short finish.

Fun Facts

• Chambourcin is a French-American interspecific hybrid grape, created by a variety of the European grape vine Vitis Vinifera with an American vine species. The resulting vines have higher disease and pest resistance, but the wines produced often have an unusual or ‘foxy’ flavour. The major motivation for producing French Hybrids was to rebuild the European wine industry after the devastation caused by the phylloxera pest in the late 1800’s. Now most vineyards are planted on resistant rootstocks as phylloxera attacks the roots rather than the top of the plant.
• Chambourcin is a fairly new species, and the grape only came into existence in 1963.
• The grape has a good resistance to fungal disease, and is one of the parents of the new disease resistant variety, Regent, which is increasing in popularity among German and Okanagan Valley grape growers.
• Chambourcin grapes can be made into a dry style or ones with a moderate residual sugar level, giving it pleasant but not overbearing sweetness.
• Chambourcin differs from other red grape varieties as it yields pink or red juice, whilst all others red grape juice is clear.

Regionality

In Australia, Chambourcin was first commercially produced by Cassegrain Wines in the Hastings River region of New South Wales. This variety is especially resistant to fungal diseases so the warm maritime climate suits this varietal perfectly.

The variety is also grown in the McLaren Vale region of South Australia, as well as the Hunter Valley and Queensland.

Internationally, Chambourcin has been planted widely in the mid-Atlantic region of North America, particularly in such states as New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and also in France and Portugal.

Food Pairings

Chambourcin’s high acidity pairs well with quality olive oil, and its rich dark fruit characters marry well with spicy tomato based sauces. Chambourcin’s foxy, gamy character matches well with gamey meats such as kangaroo, venison and chevon.

Chambourcin wines are often served with dark chocolate (or desserts made from the chocolate), as the flavours of the wine and chocolate intermingle exceptionally well.