What's in My Glass Wednesdays! Chambourcin by Franklin Hill Vineyards

A good introductory red wine made by a fantastic winery: Franklin Hill Vineyards.  Franklin Hill Vineyards is nestled in the beautiful Pennsylvania country-side in the Lehigh Valley.  They are avid Four Square users, so find them on Four Square to get their best deals!

Franklin Hill Vineyards

(Photo by author)

(Photo from Google Images)

Chambourcin by Franklin Hill Vineyards

The D-2010 Scale 

Chambourcin by Franklin Hill Vineyards (Pennsylvania)

Appearance (10 points possible): deep red color, hard to see-through, with bright red edges - 10 points

Aroma/Bouquet (20 points possible): Herbal, cherry, slight tobacco, vegetal (in a good way), light smoke, and spice. - 14 points

Taste (10 points possible):  A medium-bodied red wine that is mostly present in the mid-palate to the finish.  The alcohol is very prevalent in this wine, even though it's labeled as 12%.  It may be hindering the flavor.  However, I like the body on this wine - it's smooth and velvety with a good balance of acidity.  Wine is bone dry.  - 6 points

Balance (5 points possible): This wine is slightly disintegrated and doesn't quite fill the mouth like a red wine should.  However, the acid is not overly noticeable, which is very common with this variety.  - 3 points

Finish (5 points possible):  A nice lingering smooth finish, with red sour cherry flavors, hints of raw wood, and slightly herbal. - 4 points

Packaging *Introduction to the D-2010 Scale*

Quality of Package (5 points possible):  The bottle and the cork are beautiful.  Good quality package. - 5 points

Label Marketability (10 points possible):  Personally, I like this label.  It's different.  It's not overly eye catching, but it's design makes the wine seem elusive and mysterious.  I think it matches the personality of this wine very well. - 8 points

Other (5 points possible):  There's no extras on this bottle, and actually, I'm disappointed there's no vintage year on the label - the wine deserves it! - 3 points

Total Points: 83 points

Overall Thought: Chambourcin, as a wine, has a tendency to be high in acid (so very sour tasting).  However, this wine was very well done and the acid is more integrated than it usually is for this variety.  I like drinking this as a basic table wine, and again think that it's a good introductory wine for those looking to break into red wines.  The slight oak aging also does this well - not overly oak tasting, but nice and fresh.

Food Pairings:  Again, this is an every-day table wine; a "house-red" so to speak.  I'd pair this with freshly grilled pizza, your basic pasta dishes, but also fatty cheeses.  I can actually see this with a cut baguette and some varying types of blue cheese.  Yuuuuummmm.

Cost: $12

Splurge Factor (out of 4): 1 - this wine is unbelievably priced for it's quality.

Where to buy:  Franklin Hill Vineyards has 4 retail outlets in Pennsylvania: Bangor, Tannersville, Easton, and Bethlehem.  For more information, check out their website.  Cheers!