Uncovering America's best kept wine secrets
Concord
Concord is pure Americana nostalgia in a glass. Think grape popsicles at the fair, PB&J lunches, and childhood grape juice turned into a grown-up drink.
Concord is Fruity, Juicy, and Easy Drinking. If you like Niagara, Riesling, or old fashioned grape juice, you may enjoy Concord for its similar profile.
Flavors
Grape juice
Grape jelly
Grape popsicle
Fruit roll-ups
Musky funk (think grape version of wild meat game taste)
Imagine grabbing a grape popsicle at the county fair, purple-stained lips and all. It’s pure nostalgia, bottled into wine.
Concord is the grape that makes people say “this tastes like grape.” Unlike Cabernet or Pinot, which suggest fruit flavors indirectly, Concord screams nostalgic grape juice, jelly, and candied purple fruit, sometimes with a foxy, almost wild edge. Most vinifera wines don’t taste this overtly grapey, which is why Concord is so distinctive. While some versions are made sweet, there are plenty of dry styles too... those still carry that unmistakable grape-soda vibe but with more structure and a drier finish. It’s not trying to imitate Bordeaux or Burgundy; Concord is unapologetically American and instantly recognizable.
Acid
Concord is juicy and grapey with moderate acidity that makes it taste like classic grape juice with a kick.
Tannin
Concord has a soft, grapey juiciness without tannin. It's satin-sheet smooth.
Alcohol
Concord wines usually land 9–12%. Sweetness and juiciness dominate so alcohol is low and straightforward.
Serving Temp
40–45°F (fridge-cold but not frozen)
Chill for 2–3 hours in the fridge before serving, and keep in an ice bucket if drinking outdoors or over a long stretch.
Food Pairing
Takeout: BBQ Pork sandwich
Snack: Cheese and crackers
From the Fridge: Pepperoni or salty charcuterie meat
Elevated Pairing: Chocolate soufflé with cassis sauce
Where you'll find it
Concord is a native American grape (Vitis labrusca) from Massachusetts, most famous for grape juice and jelly. But yes, it makes wine too: often grapey, foxy, and nostalgic.
New York (Finger Lakes)
Fruity and sweet, often in regional “porch wines.”
Ohio
Jammy and nostalgic, a nod to its juice heritage.
Michigan
Fruity, grapey wines that lean sweet.
Pennsylvania
A regional staple, used in blends and sweet reds.
Missouri
Juicy and foxy, often local favorites.
The Last Drop
If “grape” flavor reminds you of jelly or Kool-Aid, that’s Concord. It’s one of the few wine grapes that taste like the artificial grape flavor we grew up with. Not just for juice, it’s still made into sweet and sparkling wines across the Northeast and Midwest.