Winemakers in other regions tend to treat Chambourcin as a bench player. If they use the varietal at all it is for a dash of color, as the juice lends a rich violet hue to lighter reds.
But this …
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![Chambourcin is more popular with Missouri winemakers than in most other regions. [Dave Faries]](https://epsilon.creativecirclecdn.com/mexicoledger/original/20210723-134646-Curling%20Wine%20CROPPED.jpg)
Winemakers in other regions tend to treat Chambourcin as a bench player. If they use the varietal at all it is for a dash of color, as the juice lends a rich violet hue to lighter reds.
But this is Missouri, where the grape makes up more than 10 percent of the annual harvest. And winemakers are not keen on relegating such a personable wine to a supporting role.
To understand why, sample the Chambourcin from Curling Vine Winery in New Florence. It spills pleasant aromas of fresh cherry, dried rose petals and a hint of herb garden flooded with sun.
Bowls overflowing with cherries cascade on the palate. It’s a juicy, happy wine brightened by a fringe of fresh plum. Yet there are more serene tones – an earthy ballast, a notion of brambles, dry herbs and cracked black pepper – that murmur in the background.
Curling Vine’s Chambourcin carries modest tannins, but the leathery sensation lingers to balance the vibrant fruit.
A wine this easy to enjoy beckons for a gathering. It wants to be with people in a casual setting – a barbecue, perhaps.
