NV Port of Chambourcin – The Winery at Wilcox – Wilcox, PA
$19.99
Port style wines have been a favourite of mine for many years now, and because of this I can sometimes be a bit picky as to what I enjoy. But still I always seem to have an insatiable urge to try new ones. And thus in comes this interesting 100% Chamourcin port from the fine state of Pennsylvania. This is certainly a non-traditional port style wine, which intrigued me, so let’s see how it fairs.
When you open up a bottle of this particular port you immediately notice the strong smell of alcohol, as with any port. The difference here though is that it’s not quite as strong of a smell as you might see with traditional ports as this is fermented to its alcohol content rather then fortified (a bold move in my opinion). But after a few good swirls in the glass you begin to notice the other aromas coming through, the first of which being that of cherry. You also get some interesting hints of plum and tobacco. After your first sip you are brought back to the high alcohol content, but you also get some subtle hints of licorice. Along with this you may also get some lovely berry flavours as well as a nice smooth, almost velvety finish to it all. As for food pairing, I had this wine as an after dinner digestif but I believe that it would go well with a rich chocolaty dessert or perhaps even a hearty beef stew (oddly I think it would work). Overall I did truly enjoy this wine for its lovely aromas, flavours and even its strange non-traditional creation. So, if you are a fan of port style wines, chambourcin or sweeter reds in general then I think you may also enjoy this wine. And the price point certainly isn’t too bad so you might as well give it a go.
If you would like to purchase this wine you can get it from the Winery here or from Snooth.com here. Remember to make sure they can ship to your state.