Domaine Tourelles, Vielles Vignes White 2020, Bekaa Valley

A blend of two indigenous Lebanese varieties that likey trace their lineage back to the Phoenicians, this wine is made from very old vines grown at altitude. Merweh vineyards are spread over the mountians of Bsharreh to the west of the Bekaa Valley at 1,400m altitude, in amongst the famous cedars of Mount Lebanon. Merweh is a resistant variety which has adpated very well to the Mediterranean mountain climate and ecosystem. Due to the wild nature of the Merweh vines, the ripening was uneven and required several passes and a skilled team to select only perectly ripe grapes. Obeidi vineyards are grown on the hills of Zahleh - the capital of Bekaa Valley - at 1,100m altitude. These 50 year old vines are trained using a pergola system to ensure they enjoy the best sun exposure to reach maximum ripeness an balance on this late-ripening grape. Obeidi is a reliable and very resitant grape, considered to be the backbone of Behaa Valley's vines throughout its winemaking history.

This blend of Merweh and Obeidi is golden in colour, the nose has natural aromas of ripened grapes, apple skin and a mix of herbs and spices. Mineral and savoury on the palate, the wine shows notes of dried figs and fresh almonds on the finish. If you like Chenin Blanc from the Loire, then you’ll love this!