03/26/2026
Are you familiar with this French-American hybrid commonly planted in our area?
"Chambourcin, originally named Johannes Seyve 26-205 after its developer Joannes Seyve, was released in 1963. Seyve died, leaving no documentation of its parentage and there are still questions about its true origins, but it is most likely based on the better Seibel hybrids and may involve as many as eight American Vitis species. Chambourcin is a monoglucocite, which means that, despite being a French-American hybrid, it would be difficult to determine if it were slipped into a vinifera blend." - WineBusiness.com
Sparked by curiosity to learn more about Chambourcin, we reached out to Dan Brown, the owner and winemaker of Deerfoot Vineyards & Winery in Shoemakersville, PA, about 35 miles west of Allentown. During his decade-plus of farming and managing his two-acre vineyard, Brown has grown a variety of grape...