1 Mersel Wine, LebNat Gold, Deir al Ahmar/Wadi Annoubine 2021 93
£26 Vinebud A joyous, engaging pét-nat 50/50 blend of Merwah and Viognier from Eddie Chami’s scenic winery below the cedars of Lebanon, with a distinctive label showing a goat atop one of the celebrated Roman temples at Baalbek. Unfiltered and unfined, with minimal added sulphites, this has a fresh, bready, citric nose and a fine, honeyed mousse of apricots and baked apples in the mouth, underpinned by a nice saline undertow. Drink 2023-2025 Alcohol 12.5%
2 Vertical 33, Obeidi, Mount Lebanon 2015 95 vertical33.com Eid Azar’s wines are uncompromising. He believes in low intervention, using natural yeasts, minimal addition of sulphites to his wines and zero oak. From a rediscovered vineyard at 1,100m, planted more than a hundred years ago, Vertical 33’s Obeideh bottling is rich, complex and delicious. This has a nutty, acacia honey nose, a creamy texture and a flavour profile not unlike some Rhône whites: herby and dense, with a distinctive bitter almond edge and great drive and energy. Drink 2023-2028 Alc 13.6%
Château Ksara, Merwah, Central Bekaa 2022 93
£14.99 Oakham Wines Based in the centre of the Bekaa valley, Ksara is Lebanon’s largest wine producer by far and has a correspondingly big range of wines. This 100% Merwah is a satisfying, tangy wine with a beautifully designed label. It has a fresh, honeyed nose of citrus zest, green tea and fruit drops. Mouthwatering acidity, with intense, refreshing iodine notes of the seashore. A gastronomic white with a salinity on the finish that you find in so many Lebanese wines. Drink 2023-2027 Alc 13%
Château St Thomas, Obeidy, Central Bekaa 2021 91
£26 Lebanese Fine Wine Joe Touma of Château St Thomas is credited with proving Obeideh’s origins as an indigenous Lebanese variety and this monovarietal bottling has an open, expressive nose that’s limey, herby, slightly medicinal. There is freshness in the mouth with a rich, oily texture and floral-herby notes of honeysuckle, aloe vera and pine honey. Dry with a touch of bitterness on the finish. Drink 2023-2026 Alc 12%
3 Ixsir, Grande Réserve Rosé, Batroun 2022 91
£24-£29.50 Shelved Wine, The Great Wine Co, Vinvm A blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre in an attractively designed bottle with the domaine’s distinctive symbol, representing the roots of Ixsir’s wines spread all over Lebanon. The grapes for this press rosé come from vineyards at Halwa in western Bekaa, Jezzine in south Lebanon and Kfifane in the Batroun region. A pale salmon-pink hue with honeysuckle and citrus on the nose, this has refreshing red fruit and floral notes, nice grip with good le
