N/V Saint Julian ST.J Red

I was at a local shop, wanting something, cheap, not too complex or heavy - an easy quaff, if you will - to go with some steak tacos. This jumped out at me for eight bones - it's a blend of Chancellor, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Strawberry and a distinct garbage thing on the nose.

You know, this is almost like a damn good Beaujolais Village wine. It's simple, light, sorta compost like, but none of the negatives (ie, banana). Cherry, strawberry, plum, even some cola, with some very mild tannins and spice.

The finish fades quick - some plummy notes and lingering traces of cola.

The fact is this wine excels at what it is - it's meant to be a light red that's good for everyday drinking - I can not only complain, but I must sing its praises.

Wine: 6.5
Value: Yes

2007 Fenn Valley Chambourcin

I bought this thinking it was a damn good example of the varietal and a good value at $12.

Earth, carob, and spice on the nose.

Raspberry, chocolate, and tobacco with some odd rosemary touches. Some acidic zing lingers on the mid and back palate, dried spices, potent strawberry, and almost a bit of saltiness.

Tart cherry with some lingering earthiness on the finish.

Good rule of thumb about Chambourcin – decant for at least an hour or two – there's a loud of funk and weirdness in this varietal but it normally blows off. If I did notes on first pour from the recently opened bottle I'd say it was all weird and funky with way too much acid. For $12 this is a fine example and well worth a look.

2001 Hemannhof Vineyard Chambourcin

I am somewhat sure we visited this winery a few years back and were impressed by their offerings. so I grabbed this on our last trip to St. Louis and paid about $12.

Funky, earthy berries on the nose.

Good ol' weird Chambourcin – almost Italianlike in its funkiness – acidic, spicy, very soft tannins, a bit of chocolate, cherry, and oak.

Earth, chocolate, and funk on the finish.

Not bad stuff, heavy and definitely has some age on it...I wouldn't hesitate grabbing a newer vintage if I saw one.

2004 Fox Valley Winery Heritage Collection

I felt like supporting a local(ish) winery and saw this one for $15. We've visited this winery about a year ago and felt they were easily one of the better wineries in Illinois. If I had one gripe, it was that all their dry reds were a bit expensive. This is a blend of Chambourccin and Frontenac – two common Midwest varietals.

Funk and cherry on the nose.

Earth, funk, dirt, even some barnyard, oak, cherry and raspberry on the palate – outstanding depth not only from the region but for the price in general. Low tannin overall.

The finish comes through with some earthy notes, a touch of oak, and perhaps some berry.

I have to say this is much better than I anticipated it being. If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say a nice Chianti Classico. If you see this – or if you're in the area – I strongly recommend both the wine and the winery.

2005 Bald Knobb Owl Creek Vineyard

I was at a wine shop and this one caught my eye. We visited this winery about two years ago on a little Midwest wine weekend trip.

Owl Creek is part of the Shawnee Valley Wine Trail and it was one of the best in the region, which is why I jumped on this. If you’re in the mood for a weekend trip, that particular area isn’t bad (I’m assuming you’re within a few hours from Southern Illinois) but don’t expect much in terms of good quality red wine...lots of sweeter white dominates the area.

I think that’s why we liked Owl Creek–they had two excellent dry red wines. This particular one was not available when we visited. It’s made from Chambourcin and ran us about $15 (though it’s cheaper from the winery direct). I was hesitant because the label says “semi dry” but I figured it was worth a shot.

I typically find Chambourcin to be a strange wine and this one is no exception. The nose: big and weird. I can’t really place it...I’ll settle for raspberry jam and there’s also some spice.

The palate is more strangeness: almost effervescent with acid, big plum, peach, blueberry fruit, maybe some honey, and a touch of black pepper. I’m not sure if this has seen oak, I don’t really taste any, but there’s a lot going on here if it hasn’t. I think “semi dry” is an accurate description as it’s not dry, but it’s not terribly sweet either. No tannins, but the acidity which is interesting at first gets to be a bit overbearing after a while. I think this could benefit from a slight chill, so throw it in the fridge for fifteen minutes or so before drinking.

The finish fades quickly and leaves nothing discernable with perhaps a little bit of black pepper residue.

I’d compare it to a Beaujolais, but I’ve never had a Beaujolais this interesting. If you’ve never had Chambourcin and want to try one, I’d put this one as one of my top recommendations.

2000 Lynfred Michigan Chambourcin

You may be asking “what the hell is Chambourcin?”

It’s an offbeat varietal that you won’t find in places like France or California...you find it in places like Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, I’ve heard even Pennsylvania and New York vineyards grow this type. It’s a French-American hybrid. Basically the classic grapes can’t grow in places like the Midwest, so way back when a guy named Jonnes Seyve did some cross breeding and we have grapes like Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, and Traminette. They're definitely different than the famous varietals, but they all can make very good wine.

If you go to any Midwest winery the odds are they have a Chaumbourcin. A few years ago Fran and I went on a “wine tour” of Illinois and we had more Chambourcin than I care to remember, but every so often I get a craving.

This is a fairly light red wine, I’d say it’s light purple but there seems to be a hint of brown (a sign the wine may be a tad too old), It looks sort of like a very light Pinot Noir.

There’s a bit of earth on the nose, maybe some tobacco, and most definitely sour cherries.

In a word, this wine is tart. Fran’s first comment was “it’s harsh” and I agree. This isn’t a bash at Lynfred, it’s the way I’d describe most Chambourcin. The sour cherries definitely overpower everything else though as it opens up I taste some cinammon. The more it opens, the smoother it gets, but that's not to say it is even remotely "smooth." The tartness overpowers all....low tannin, high spice.

This sounds like I'm bashing it, and I suppose I am, but the fact is, in six months I'll be craving it again. I think trying these unusual varietals is a fun thing to do and I'd recommend trying some next time you see a bottle, just don't spend too much.