The Chesapeake Bay wine region features favorable soil conditions and a climate suited to such varietals as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chambourcin, merlot, petit verdot, syrah, chardonnay, pinot grigio, seyval blanc and vidal blanc. Take a stroll through the choices and find your favorite.
THE REDS
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with cabernet sauvignon and merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be produced alone. Cabernet franc is lighter than cabernet sauvignon, making a bright, pale red wine that contributes finesse and lends a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes. Depending on the growing region and style of the wine, additional aromas can include tobacco, raspberry, bell pepper, cassis and violets.
Cabernet sauvignon is one of the world’s most recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country. For most of the twentieth century, it was the world’s most widely planted premium red wine grape, until it was surpassed by merlot in the 1990s. The classic profile of cabernet sauvignon tends to be full-bodied with high tannins and noticeable acidity that contributes to the wine’s aging potential. In cooler climates, cabernet sauvignon tends to produce wines with black currant notes that can be accompanied by green bell pepper notes, mint and cedar, which will all become more pronounced as the wine ages. In more moderate climates, the black currant notes often combine with black cherry and black olive notes, while in very hot climates, the currant flavors can veer towards the overripe and “jammy” side.
Chambourcin is a purple-skinned French-American hybrid grape that is more readily available in the United States than in its homeland, France. It is one of the world’s most popular hybrid varieties and is noted for its distinctive dark coloring and herbaceous aroma. Chambourcin wines are often spicy, with black cherry and plum flavors and a range of herbal characters.
Merlot is a dark blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird. There are two main styles of merlot. The “international” style is inky purple and full-bodied, with high alcohol levels, velvety tannins and intense plum and blackberry flavors. The traditional Bordeaux style maintains acidity, a medium body, moderate alcohol levels, fresh fruit flavors like raspberries and strawberries, and potentially leafy, vegetal notes.
Petit verdot is a later-ripening variety of red wine grape which has gained popularity in new world wine-producing countries such as the United States, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa. When young, its aromas have been likened to banana and pencil shavings. Strong tones of violet and leather develop as it matures.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhone Valley of eastern France. In Australia, syrah is overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) known as shiraz, and is regarded as the country’s national grape. One of the world’s most diverse and successful grape varieties, syrah wines can display myriad dark-fruit flavors. Varietal syrah wines can be quite floral in their youth, developing more peppery and herbaceous notes as they age. Some examples show tanned leather and smoky scents, while the fruit tones in these wines tend towards the very dark flavors of black currant and licorice.
THE WHITES
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape which originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced. For new and developing wine regions, growing chardonnay is seen as a “rite of passage” and an easy entry into the international wine market. The chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as habitat and oak. Chardonnay wine is produced in many different styles, from lean, crisply mineral wines to those with oak and even tropical fruit flavors. In cool climates, chardonnay tends to be medium to light-bodied with noticeable acidity and flavors of green plum, apple, and pear. In warmer locations, the flavors evolve more toward citrus, peach, and melon notes, while in very warm locations, more fig and tropical fruit notes such as banana and mango emerge.
Pinot grigio is the Italian white wine grape clone of the pinot gris grape, which is itself a mutation of the pinot noir (red) grape. The wines produced from the pinot grigio grape can vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink. It can be spicy and full-bodied, or lighter and more acidic. The new world style tends to have moderate to low acidity, higher alcohol levels and a full-bodied nature. The flavors can range from ripe tropical fruit notes of melon and mango to raisin-like concentrated sweetness.
Seyval blanc is a French hybrid varietal that is famous for its resistance to cold. Seyval blanc buds and ripens early and provides a good alternative in cool climates to grapes such as chardonnay and sauvignon blanc that don’t like the extreme cold. Crisp and dry versions have flavors and aromas of citrus fruits and a certain minerality that some compare to white burgundies. It also takes well to oak fermentation.
Vidal blanc is a white hybrid grape variety which is very winter hardy and produces wine with moderate to high acidity and high sugar levels. Vidal blanc wine tends to be very fruity, with aroma notes of grapefruit and pineapple. It is particularly suited to sweeter dessert wines. In particular, because of the tough outer skin of the fruit, it is well adapted for the production of ice wine.