Loudoun Valley Chambourcin (2002)

Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid red grape variety that is grown mostly in the eastern U.S., and quite a bit in Virginia. This offering from Loudoun Valley Vineyards is ruby in color, medium bodied with strong hints of cherry on the nose and the palette. We paired this wine with a chicken provencal soup/stew which had a tomatoes added to the stock along with a black olive tapenade, giving it a nice earthy flavor that we thought would go nicely with a red wine. Although this chambourcin was a bit more on the fruit side than I would have liked, it still was a decent compliment to the meal. Grade: B-