Diamond

            Diamond, or Moore’s Diamond, goes back a long way in American viticultural history. Thomas Pinney’s “A History of Wine in America” calls it one of the first secondary hybrids, in which two hybrids are crossed or one is crossed with a native grape. Jacob Moore, a commercial nurseryman in Brighton, N.Y., created the variety in 1870 by breeding the native Concord grape with Iona, which has vinifera genes from its grandparent Catawba.

            Diamond is still widely used for wine across the Northeast, and perhaps nowhere farther northeast than Candia Vineyards outside Manchester, N.H., where grower and winemaker Bob Dabrowski specializes in cold-hardy hybrids. (“We do not use foreign grapes!” his website proclaims, though he does bottle Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon.)

            A chat and vineyard tour, though, made clear that the hybrids are truly where Bob’s heart is. He was also nice enough to dip into his basement bank vault, featured on his corks and some of his labels, for this bottle of technically sold-out Diamond from his private stock.

            The Concord heritage comes through strongly. It’s grapey and plain, with sweetness well balanced with acids. I’m pretty much a vinifera snob, but I had no trouble finishing my half of the bottle.

            To pair with this American tradition, I made a chicken pot pie, tweaking it by cooking off a couple of ounces of sherry once the veggies were sautéed. Candia suggests spicy Asian food, always a good choice with this style of wine.