Joint ventures add French style to Lebanese wines White

Lebanon and Chateau Musar have become synonymous in people’s minds, but there are now 30 wineries in Lebanon, many of them offering wines in the UK at affordable prices.

Some of Lebanon’s wineries are joint ventures with French winemakers and using French grapes in the mix, they offer a definite nod to Bordeaux and the Rhône with a wilder spicier undertone. With their Mediterranean climate and high altitude vineyards over 1,000 metres in the Bekaa Valley 20 miles east of Beirut, the Lebanese can offer a wide range of styles from crisp light whites and intense rosés to powerful spicy reds.

Ixsir Altitudes White 2016 Grapes:

sauvignon blanc, semillon, muscat and viognier If you enjoy Rhône’s herby whites, this easy drinking Lebanese example definitely bears some similarity – with a zingier, fresher zip and more citric flavours than you find in the Rhône. Made by a young Lebanese company, set up in 2008 in Batroun in the north of the country, it’s best served with seafood or spicy chicken.

£16.95, www.

greatwesternwine.co.uk

Rosé Musar Jeune Rosé 2015 Grapes:

cinsault and mourvedre Lebanon’s warm days and cool nights at altitude have proved ideal for producing rosé. This is Ch Musar’s unoaked rosé – a big chunky wine designed to be matched with spicy foods. The 2015 vintage has Rhône grape mourvedre in the blend which gives it a bit more structure. Our tasters loved its crisp red apple flavours, floral undertones with good refreshing acidity to keep it clean. £10.99, www.htfwines.co.uk; www.wadebridgewines.co.uk

Red Reserve du Couvent 2014 Chateau Ksara Grapes:

syrah and cabernet sauvignon

From Lebanon’s largest and oldest winery, Chateau Ksara, this reminded me of a Crozes Hermitage with slightly herbier, sweet spice flavours. The aroma was quite closed on opening, so decant and aerate for an hour before serving. £9.50, The Wine Society, www.thewinesociety.com; £12, Oddbins

Musar Jeune Red 2014 Grapes:

cinsault, syrah and cabernet sauvignon This is an unoaked young release from a blend of 50 per cent mature organic cinsault vines and 35 per cent younger syrah and 15 per cent cabernet vines grown in the Bekaa Valley. There are plummy youthful aromas, hints of spice and blackcurrant flavours. It’s certainly much more accessible in its youth than many Musar vintages – made by Chateau Musar’s winemaker Tarek Sakr. £11.99, Virgin Wines, www.virginwines.co.uk

Chateau Ksara Clos St Alphonse 2013 Grapes:

syrah, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon Of all the wines in our tasting, this was perhaps closest to Bordeaux in structure and style, but still with that characteristic wild exotic spicy scent you also get from Lebanese old vines. No wonder perhaps, as Ksara’s winemaker James Palge trained in Bordeaux and ages this for a year in French oak.

£10, Marks & Spencer

Massaya Le Colombier 2014

Grapes:

cinsault, grenache, syrah and tempranillo A lovely supple rounded blend predominantly cinsault (60 per cent) made by an excellent French-lebanese joint venture. Our tasters loved its meaty, spicy notes and ripe berry fruit character; it shares more similarity with Languedoc reds, although the French winemakers involved in the venture come from Bordeaux and the Rhône. Despite its high alcohol level, it seems very balanced. A perfect match with herby roast lamb. £12.50, www.thewinesociety. com; £13.50, www.tannerswines.co.uk

Hochar 2012 Grapes:

cinsault, carignan, cabernet sauvignon and grenache From younger vines in a single vineyard, if you are a fan of Chateau Musar you will find this baby brother, made from a similar grape blend, is a bit tamer, lighter and softer. Our tasters loved its plummy fruits and gentle spice note, but thought it lacked the wild flavours often found in Musar. £12.95, www.thewinesociety. com; £11.99/£13.99, Majestic Wine

Domaine des Tourelles Red 2013 Grapes:

cabernet sauvignon, syrah, cinsault and carignan From an old winery in Zahle, this medium-bodied red from a blend of 40 per cent each of cabernet and syrah echoes many Languedoc reds with a sweet spicy undertone. £8.49-£9.99, www. simplywinesdirect.co.uk

Ixsir Altitudes Red 2012 Grapes:

caladoc, syrah and tempranillo Another impressive wine from Carlos Ghosn’s new venture – with St Emilion chateau owner Hubert de Bouard as consultant it is hardly surprising that it shows a strong resemblance to Bordeaux and Languedoc reds, despite being from an unusual grape blend. Caladoc, a southern French grenache and cot cross, gives it power, tannin and fruit. n

£16.95, www.

greatwesternwine.co.uk

Join Rose’s Lebanon v Bordeaux wine tasting at The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh on Wednesday 6 September, £45, www.rose murraybrown. com