Adhemar de Chaunac
Encyclopedia
Adhemar F. de Chaunac was a French
-born Canadian wine
pioneer who helped lay the groundwork for a successful wine industry in Ontario
and other eastern North American wine regions.
He was born in 1896 in southwestern France, and immigrated to Canada in 1907. He temporarily returned to France to serve in the French army during World War I
between 1915 and 1919.
Trained as a chemist
, and having worked in the dairy and yeast industries, he was hired as the chief chemist at Brights Wines in 1933. Promoted to director of research in 1944, he served in this capacity until he retired in 1961. Alongside viticulturalist George Hostetter, he was to have a major impact on the long term prospects of the North American wine industry.
In 1946, de Chaunac was responsible for the introduction to Canada of 35 French hybrid grapevines
. Prior to the use of these varieties, wines in eastern North America were typically made with "foxy" native North American varieties like Concord
or Niagara
. The use of French hybrid varieties allowed for a more neutral flavour profile for wine production while still providing tolerances to climatic, soil, and disease conditions that made the use of traditional Vitis vinifera
varieties impossible in North American viticulture at that time.
It was Adhemar de Chaunac, along with John Paroshy who first tested the use of Vidal blanc
for the production of icewine. Vidal is now the most common ice wine grape in Ontario, producing icewines which are a successful export
product and routinely win international competitions.
Marechal Foch
(Kuhlmann 188-2), De Chaunac
(Seibel 9549), Baco noir
, and Leon Millot
are some of the successful hybrids introduced by de Chaunac. While vitis vinifera varieties have ultimately supplanted the majority of French hybrid plantings in eastern North America, hundreds of hectares remain in production, some even used to produce "cult wines" from old vine plantings.
The De Chaunac
(Seibel 9549) grape variety, still grown in some northeastern wine regions, was named after Adhemar de Chaunac.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Canadian wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
pioneer who helped lay the groundwork for a successful wine industry in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and other eastern North American wine regions.
He was born in 1896 in southwestern France, and immigrated to Canada in 1907. He temporarily returned to France to serve in the French army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
between 1915 and 1919.
Trained as a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, and having worked in the dairy and yeast industries, he was hired as the chief chemist at Brights Wines in 1933. Promoted to director of research in 1944, he served in this capacity until he retired in 1961. Alongside viticulturalist George Hostetter, he was to have a major impact on the long term prospects of the North American wine industry.
In 1946, de Chaunac was responsible for the introduction to Canada of 35 French hybrid grapevines
Hybrid grapes
Hybrid grapes are grape varieties that are the product of a crossing of two or more Vitis species. This is in contrast to crossings between grape varieties of the same species, typically Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine. Hybrid grapes are also referred to as inter-specific crossings...
. Prior to the use of these varieties, wines in eastern North America were typically made with "foxy" native North American varieties like Concord
Concord grape
Concord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes....
or Niagara
Niagara grape
Niagara grapes are a variety of the North American grape species Vitis labrusca and are used as table grapes and for wines, as well as jams and juice. Niagara is the leading green grape grown in the United States. The Niagara grape was created in Niagara County, New York, in 1868 when C. L. Hoag...
. The use of French hybrid varieties allowed for a more neutral flavour profile for wine production while still providing tolerances to climatic, soil, and disease conditions that made the use of traditional Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
varieties impossible in North American viticulture at that time.
It was Adhemar de Chaunac, along with John Paroshy who first tested the use of Vidal blanc
Vidal Blanc
Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape, a cross of Ugni Blanc and Rayon d'Or . It manages to produce high sugar levels in cold climates while maintaining good acid levels....
for the production of icewine. Vidal is now the most common ice wine grape in Ontario, producing icewines which are a successful export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
product and routinely win international competitions.
Marechal Foch
Marechal Foch
Marechal Foch , is an inter-specific hybrid red wine grape variety. It was named after the French marshal Ferdinand Foch , who played an important role in the negotiation of the armistice terms during the closing of the First World War. It was developed in Alsace, France by grape hybridizer...
(Kuhlmann 188-2), De Chaunac
De Chaunac
De Chaunac is a French-American hybrid wine grape variety used to make red wines. It was developed by Albert Seibel circa 1860. It is also known as Seibel 9549 and is a cross of Seibel 5163 and possibly Seibel 793...
(Seibel 9549), Baco noir
Baco noir
Baco noir is a hybrid red wine grape variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var. Folle Blanche, a French wine grape, and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia indigenous to North America. Baco noir produces a medium body, deeply tinted, acidic red wine which is fruit forward and often...
, and Leon Millot
Léon Millot
Léon Millot is a red variety of hybrid grape used for wine. It was created in 1911 in the Oberlin Institute in Colmar, Alsace, by the French viticulturist Eugène Kuhlmann by crossing the hybrid grape Millardet et Grasset 101-14 O.P. with Goldriesling, which is Vitis vinifera...
are some of the successful hybrids introduced by de Chaunac. While vitis vinifera varieties have ultimately supplanted the majority of French hybrid plantings in eastern North America, hundreds of hectares remain in production, some even used to produce "cult wines" from old vine plantings.
The De Chaunac
De Chaunac
De Chaunac is a French-American hybrid wine grape variety used to make red wines. It was developed by Albert Seibel circa 1860. It is also known as Seibel 9549 and is a cross of Seibel 5163 and possibly Seibel 793...
(Seibel 9549) grape variety, still grown in some northeastern wine regions, was named after Adhemar de Chaunac.