United States of Wine

Huber Winery — Starlight Red — Chambourcin Blend — Indiana — N/V

Price: $12.99; https://www.huberwinery.com/wines/semis/starlight-red/

Chambourcin is a native French-American hybrid grape that we’ve tasted in many of the wines across the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. I previously didn’t know it could grow as far west as Indiana, but Huber Winery uses it as the primary grape in their semi-sweet Starlight Red blend.

I did have to dig a little deep to find some objectivity, as sweet wines are not my favorite. The candy-like red look of the wine didn’t ease any concerns because it almost felt like Huber was aiming for a fruit punch with light bubbles appearance.

When opened for a few minutes, this red blend smelled like shoe polish and fresh tar, with a hint of an artificial sweetness. While this wine was definitely sweeter than I like, it does have a fruit flavor right on the tongue. We debated if it was pomegranate or plum, but definitely a bright tree-grown berry.

Perhaps the largest surprise was how well it paired with bbq-flavored potato chips. The savory of the chips blended with the sweetness of the wine to create an interesting and pleasing flavor. I can assume that this wine could go well with anything that may be covered in barbecue sauce, like smoked meat.

Unfortunately, I found Huber Winery’s Starlight Red to leave a sugary filmy taste in my mouth. It reminded me of those cheap heart-shaped lollipops one would get with a Valentine’s Day card in grade school. The filminess would not leave my mouth unless I followed it up with quite a bit of water.

I wouldn’t recommend this wine, unless you’re a fan of sweet wines and paired it with smoked meat sandwiches. But if you’re looking for a wine you can sip on an average day, I’d skip this for something that didn’t leave you feeling like you swallowed cheap syrup.

Score: 4.0/10