Amur from Finger Lakes, NY.

Purchase Price: $34.99

ElsBob 89

ABV 12.0%

A deep red full-bodied wine with aromas mainly of dark fruits, firm tannins, and notable acidity. Overall, a rather subdued wine that is fitting for restrained foods with delicate flavors such as classic cheesecake or a chocolate mousse.

A very good table wine but overpriced. As a novelty though it is worth trying.

Trivia: Amur grapes tolerate extreme cold, surviving temperatures under      -40°F/-40°C (the cosmic duality of thermal frost). But they do require a fairly wet, subhumid to humid, growing season. They also ripen early, allowing for growing in the mid-latitudes, otherwise known as the snow-belt.

The roots contain rare compounds called oligostilbenes which have shown potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties in early studies. So don’t take any unnecessary chances: drink up.