Discovering Lebanese wine in Beirut

I had such a ball in Beirut that for the first time in my life I missed a return flight. And then I missed another. The city transformed me into the sort of happy-go-lucky human being who, with devil may care attitude, lays back and waves flights bye bye while pondering the joys of Lebanese rosé. 

The backdrop for this spontaneous outburst was the Saint-George Yacht Club & Marina, which is spread out beneath the gutted remains of the Saint-George Hotel. Frequented by Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Brigitte Bardot during Beirut’s golden age, the hotel was one of the glitzy spots that earned the city it’s reputation as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” This reputation came tumbling down during the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War, along with everything else, including the hotel, which was brutally shelled and later became the site of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri’s assassination in 2005. It now bears a vast ‘STOP SOLIDERE’ banner, in reaction to the government-backed development and construction giant that has blocked the hotel’s renovation ever since.

Having served as a battleground for the past 60 years, and still the object of ongoing political machinations, it is perhaps a miracle that the Saint-George Yacht Club & Marina still operates daily in such glamorous fashion. While the hotel offers an eery glimpse back into Beirut’s troubled history, the pool club is the perfect place for a spot of rosé. This kind of contrast can be found throughout the city, because although Beirut still bears the scars of its warn-torn past and remains at threat from militia groups and conflict in neighbouring Syria, its tourism and wine trades are once again flourishing.

On my first night in Beirut I visited CRU Wine Bar on Makdessi Street (party central), and had an enlightening discussion with owners Wael Bou Jaoude and Karen Matta, and manager Ali Nassrallah. Their optimism about the Lebanese wine market was palpable; new wineries are opening, wine tourism is on the up, quality is improving in leaps and bounds, and producers are profiting from a burgeoning export market. The UK is the country’s most important market, accounting for 32% of exports, followed by France (17%) and the USA (17%).

Lebanese producers are exploring new terroirs in Batroun, Kfifane, Bhamdoun, Richmaya, Majdel Maouche and Jezzine, as well as the Eastern Bekaa Valley, and the CRU team hopes to see more wines coming from these promising areas. However many of the best Lebanese wines still come from high altitude sites in the Western Bekaa Valley, as the country’s hot, dry Mediterranean climate makes it a struggle to keep wines below a punchy 14 or 15% abv otherwise.

For the same reason (combined with the influence of French winemaking), the majority of the country’s wines are blends, allowing producers to retain freshness by selecting components of varying degrees of ripeness. The CRU team feels that blending is one of Lebanon’s fortes – the producers and natives aren’t slaves to single varietal wines as many UK consumers are. Instead they revel in the possibilities offered by the huge variety of grapes grown here, both international and indigenous. Karen hopes to see producers making more of the latter, commenting “I think the most exciting new development is the success of Obeidy, which is an indigenous grape to Lebanon. Over time we hope there will be a trend to create more wines that are unique to our country.”

The CRU team’s fierce pride in their country’s wines is humbling, and this attitude was shared by almost everybody I met in Beirut, where Lebanese wines unfailingly appear on every restaurant, bar and hotel list in town. “There is a patriotism of the population; people choose local wine over foreign wine to support producers in difficult times”, says Karen. It all made London’s English wine offering look pretty lacklustre by comparison.

Ali honourably offered to drive me bang smack through the red zone and into the vineyards that weekend. I reluctantly declined, but what a hero! I hope I’ll be able to take him up on the invite one day, but until I get there, here are some notes for the top bottles I tasted in Beirut:

Château Kefraya ‘Myst’ Rosé 2013

What a surprise! This fantastically glam looking blend of Cinsault and Syrah is absolutely on par with Provence rosé, and I do not say that lightly. With lifted red berry notes, floral nuances and a creamy touch to the finish, it is full of elegance and charm. We’re all told that rosé should be drunk within a year of its release but this 2013 vintage was perfect; the only pairings you need are sun and sea.

Château Ksara ‘Sunset’ Rosé 2015

This colourful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is vibrant watermelon pink, but please don’t let that put you off! Be brave and embrace its fruit concentration, which totally lives up to its vivid colour – ripe strawberry and red cherry aromas abound, and combined with juicy acidity and a pleasing grip on the palate, this makes for a rosé with body and spirit. A lip smacking match for calamari. 

Château Ksara Blanc de Blancs 2014

Soft, inviting and pretty, with a light touch of oak, this is a truly lovely blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. You might expect a combination like this to taste a little muddled, but all the parts sit happily together and it has a pleasing citrus fruit freshness that made it the ideal accompaniment to a Lebanese feast at Café Em Nazih.

Château Ksara Cuveé du Pape Chardonnay 2013

This 100% Chardonnay from Château Ksara has a fresh marine quality to the nose, over ripe citrus and pineapple aromas. Subtle creamy notes and richness from barrel fermentation and lees stirring are balanced by citrussy acidity. I drank this with Lebanese vine leaves and hummus; it was the bomb.

Clos St Thomas Les Emirs 2011

Proof that you shouldn’t judge a wine by the label (which in all honesty is pretty hideous in this case), this is a ripe, juicy blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. A riot of rich red fruit aromas and flavours, with vanilla softness from a few months in French oak barrels.

Château Belle-Vue La Renaissance 2008

Foisted on me by the highly persuasive and enchanting waiters at Café Enab, this was the best Bordeaux blend I tasted in Beirut. Made with 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, it has an amazing richness and focus that stood up to Lebanese Frekeh – a mixture of raw, spiced, pounded meat that is, slightly alarmingly, moulded by hand and served with distinct finger imprints. 

For more info on Lebanese wine check out the Union Viticole du Liban website: http://www.lebanonwines.com/

Maginficent restocking of food/booze reserves after long absence

The good Dr has spent the last two months working in Dubai, but tonight he makes his triumphant journey home…to realise that I have still not fixed the lamp or sorted out the tap. I believe he is currently flying over Bucharest, so I shall soon be on my way to Heathrow to meet him…

For his return I decided to organise a magnificent restocking of booze and food reserves, as the oven/hob/fridge/kitchen in general haven’t seen much action in his absence. (Meanwhile, I must admit, wine glass/corkscrew activity has remained very healthy).

God bless Ocado, which ceaselessly leads me astray with enticing offers and reminders of all the personal favourites I have forgotten. Silly me, how could I have omitted a cupboard essential like Antica Formula?!

Shopping list, in chronological order:

• 2 x Duval-Leroy Fleur De Champagne Premier Cru NV, £29.99
• 2 x Freshly Squeezed Waitrose Orange Juice, £5.30 (absurd)
• 1 x Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth, £14.50 for 37.5cl (never enough)
• 1 x Cawston Press Terrific Tomato, £2.49
• 2 x Eager Tomato Juice, £3.00 (2 types of tomato juice absolutely necessary for continuing research into which is the best for making Bloody Marys)
• 1 x Green Celery, £0.80
• 1 x Tabasco, £1.89
• 1 x The Hedonist Shiraz 2013, £11.19 down from £13.99 (BARGAIN)

I have been assured that the good Dr is bringing back a giant bottle of vodka from Dubai, and I already have gin and Martini Rosso in abundance, so at this point I have secured excellent ingredients for all desirable brunch cocktails – Mimosa, Bloody Mary and Negroni. The latter not so traditional, it has to be said. Neither The Hedonist Shiraz, but this should always be snapped up when it’s on offer.

Realising I have gone completely overboard and also forgotten entirely about food, I hastily add eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, chorizo, salmon, avocado etc. We shall have a feast to rival The Breakfast Club (I imagine)!

Delivery arrived last night and it appears I have enough food to feed a small family of mice, but enough booze to quench the five thousand. A brilliant Saturday is on the cards…

 

Friday pm desk wine – 29th May 2015

What’s on the desk: Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Côte du Py ‘James’ 2013, Morgon, Beaujolais, France

Why it’s cool: This is a serious red from a misunderstood region. Beaujolais naysayers be gone! (It’s also cool as it’s starring in my first Friday pm desk wine post for YONKS, following a manic few weeks that have seen me drop off the face of the planet. Hi again.)

For the non wine geeks: Fabulous wines have always been made in Beaujolais. However, these have been eclipsed by the raging success of Beaujolais Nouveau – a fruity, young red wine released at only 2 months old, traditionally at midnight on the third Thursday of November. From the 50s to the 80s this wine was surrounded by phenomenal hype, and producers would actually race to get their Beaujolais Nouveau to bars first. The less scrupulous among them identified this as an opportunity to palm off their cheap plonk (particularly on the ravenous UK market), and so the whole Beaujolais region became tainted with a bad rep. What Jean-Marc Burgaud does could not be further from this. He represents the opposite camp, producing beautifully crafted wines from his vineyards in Morgon, one of the ten Beaujolais Crus (the best winemaking areas of the region). All of the vines are tended by hand and all of the wines are made by traditional semi-carbonic maceration, a winemaking process associated very much with Beaujolais. He is meticulous and obsessive when it comes to the quality of his wines. Good on him.

For the wine geeks: This wine is only produced in the best vintages, and the grapes come from a particular parcel of vineyards at the top of the Côte du Py. It is made by traditional semi-carbonic maceration, with a maceration period of around 15 days, and a portion was barrel fermented. It was then matured in oak barrels but I can’t seem to find out for how long…although I can tell you it’s named after James Bond…which is more fun after all.

A taster: This is a cherry-laden and beautifully perfumed red with a whiff of potpourri about it. Lovely smooth palate with fine grained tannins and well-integrated oak considering it’s still young. I think this will be even better with a few more years age. It is also perfectly suited to the weather at the mo (i.e. the UK failing at summer), because it has a lifted quality and fineness of tannin, but also a rich, warming fruit core. An ideal between seasons red!

Go forth and taste: My gorgeous colleague Chloe has been trying to convince Jean-Marc to bring this to the UK, but it’s not here quite yet. Stay tuned though…a fiery French/Tahitian woman always gets her way in the end.

Happy Friday! x

 

Some musings from a newcomer to Port and the Douro

This week my eyes were opened to Port and the Douro, and as a newcomer to the region I wanted to share some of my first impressions with you (as well as make you a tad jealous with some photos).

This week my eyes were opened to Port and the Douro, and as a newcomer to the region I wanted to share some of my first impressions with you (as well as make you a tad jealous with some photos).

The Douro is, of course, best known for its Port production, and the international prestige of this wine is still both representative of the region and crucial to its ongoing success. We Brits have history with Port and the wine itself is steeped in tradition; we have imported it since the 17^th century and it irresistibly recalls mahogany clad, pipe-smoke-filled gentlemen’s clubs. I will take it as read that you have tasted one of these traditionally sweet, ruby red elixirs, perhaps on a snoozy Christmas Day or at the end of a ‘function’…

However, while this style of wine remains emblematic of the region, it is in fact the tip of the Douro iceberg! It’s amazing what you can learn in four days, so here are some observations from a freshly-picked Douro enthusiast:

Hard to Port!

• Port is the most regulated wine in the world and everything goes through the Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP); they decide which vintages will be declared and have a record of literally every barrel in Porto. This just scrapes the surface of their endeavours to control the quality and quantity of Port wine production.

• The majority of the producers we visited agree this is important for maintaining high standards, but you can feel that the beneficio system is a seriously sensitive subject! The beneficio regulates the quantity of Port that producers can make in a year according to stocks, the vintage, the market etc. and has been contested by some for its harshly restrictive nature. However, Manuel de Novaes Cabral, President of the IVDP, does not feel it is an artificial restriction but rather one made necessary by the sensitivity of the market as well as one bound by tradition. If the IVDP were to do away with the system, Port production would soar and prices would inevitably fall, so while discussions may continue I would be surprised if the system is ever changed.

• The outstanding 2011 vintage threw the region into the limelight, and then three wines (one Port and amazingly two Douro wines) were placed among the Top 5 of the Wine Spectator Magazine’s Top 100 Wines of 2014. During the trip it was clear to see how much excitement this has stirred up, but the question is how to maintain the momentum?…

• The release of aged tawnies seems to do the trick, and Taylor’s led the charge back in 2010 with the release if its Scion, a pre-phylloxera Port dating back to 1855 (!!). Graham’s and Sandeman followed suit, and over the past three years many projects have raised interest in this special category – an exciting development. Sogevinus Fine Wines, owners of the Burmester, Barros, Calem and Kopke brands, gave us a splendid tasting dedicated to tawnies, including impressive examples like the Barros Porto Colheita 1974, Burmester Porto Colheita 1952 and Kopke Porto Colheita 1941. These wines seem to have drunk from the fountain of youth – their ability to age is absolutely astounding and I can only pray for more to be released on the UK market. It looks like I may well be in luck.

 

• From its birth, Port has been an export wine and the IVDP continues to surge into exciting new markets like Brazil, China, Angola and Russia. A key aim for the IVDP is to grow value sales for Port and push the special categories (LBV, Vintage Port, Colehita etc.) because, while France is its biggest market, much of what is exported there is relatively cheap. This is why the UK remains such a key market for the IVDP – we like the good stuff!

Douro beyond Port…

• Henry Shotton, Winemaker at Symington Family Estates, describes the Douro region as having two legs: Port wine and Douro wine (whites, reds, rosé and even fizz). While Port wine still vastly outweighs Douro wine in terms of value and volume (€366m vs. €144m sales in 2014 respectively), producers are increasingly recognising the importance of standing on both legs, and Manuel de Novaes Cabral confirmed that the younger Douro wine category is experiencing rapid growth. Henry Shotton also agreed that while Port sales are quite static, those for Douro wines are undoubtedly on the rise.

• This is a relatively new trend – for example Douro whites have only been produced in earnest for the past 15 years – but it is also an understandable one as Douro wines are subject to far fewer restrictions that Port wine. Almost every producer we visited is making efforts to increase its production of Douro wines alongside Port.

• Lavradores de Feitoria, an association of 20 farmers with 22 quintas (vineyards) across the Douro Valley, is the first to have adopted a co-op model for the production of Douro wines. The winemaker for the association is the gorgeous Paulo Ruão, who uses selected grapes from the various quintas to produce amazingly vibrant, exciting whites and reds, as well as a rosé made from the unusual Alvarhão grape and a few single quinta wines, including the beguiling Meruge white and red. This system makes sense for a region as varied as the Douro, allowing Paulo to pick and choose from quintas that he knows like the back of his hand.

• “Freshness” is a word that kept cropping up among the Douro winemakers, and my lasting impression of these wines is their remarkable vivacity considering the extreme climate the vineyards are subject to. A dash of Muscadet is added to the Symington Family Estate Altano whites for this very reason, as it lends them an aromatic lift. Careful monitoring of grape development, old vines, and clever use of oak also seem to be other keys to success – a good example is Manuel Lobo de Vasconcellos, winemaker at Quinta do Crasto, who after much experimentation, uses barrels with acacia wood heads and French oak staves to mature his Quinta do Crasto Superiore Branco.

One parting thought, which encompasses both Port and Douro wines, is how struck I was by the energetic improvements going on in the vineyards and wineries we visited.

Gonzalo Pedros, Managing Director of Sogevinus Fine Wines, gave me food for thought in this area during lunch, when he showed me an e-mail he had received from his viticultural team. Under a stream of incredibly detailed statistics about vineyard health and weather forecasts, was a photo of a vine that had ‘sunk’ due to the prolonged dry, hot weather the region has been experiencing. In the sinkhole, a bird had made a tiny nest and laid her eggs. Birds will not lay their eggs below ground if there is a chance of rain, so the viticulturalist predicted continuing dry weather, adding, “A mother’s instinct trumps all statistics.” This appreciation of nature was evident at every producer we visited.

Gonzalo began his career in the car manufacturing business, and was suspiciously referred to as ‘The Car Guy’ in the region until quite recently! He has aimed to transfer the efficiency of the production line to wine, centralising the Burmester, Barros, Calem and Kopke wineries and turning Sogevinus Fine Wines into a well-oiled, quality-conscious company. The sky’s the limit.

I would like to thank the Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP), particularly our trusty guide Paulo Pinto, and also throw a #ilovemyjob out there, because this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, dramatic and dynamic wine regions I have ever visited.

 

Friday pm desk wine – 10th April 2015

What’s on the desk: Tupari Pinot Gris 2013, Awatere Valley, New Zealand

Why it’s cool: Did you know that Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape? It’s only really called Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it appears in arguably its most boring guise. Here’s a wine that shows what this grape can do in New Zealand…

For the non wine geeks: New Zealand is, of course, most famous for its ubiquitous Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, but Pinot Gris has found a new home here and is producing amazingly aromatic, exotic, perfumed wines. This particular wine is made in the Awatere Valley at the northern tip of the South Island, where the family-run Tupari winery sits high up in the cliffs. Tupari describes its philosophy as ‘Kaitiaki’ – a Maori word meaning ‘custodian or caretaker of the land’ – so they don’t use any chemicals on their cherished vineyards. A wine like this should be drunk chilled with Thai or Japanese food, as the intense aromas and spicy roundness of New Zealand Pinot Gris sit perfectly with Asian cuisine.

For the wine geeks: This is a single vineyard wine, and all of the grapes were picked from Tupari’s Pinot Gris block, which sits atop the cliffs and is protected from strong winds by surrounding woodland. The microclimate here is characterised by low rainfall and marked temperature fluctuations between the warm days and cool nights, encouraging long and slow ripening. The grapes were harvested by night in April and allowed a short period of skin contact at low temperatures. Bottling took place the following October.

A taster: Intensely perfumed, floral, peachy nose with some ginger notes and a mineral streak too. The palate has a spicy, exotic roundness but it is not flabby in the slightest. In fact it is refreshing and racy, with a thrilling 13.0% abv (high for a white). This certainly adds to its heady allure on this delightful Friday afternoon.

Go forth and taste: Never buy boring Pinot Grigio again. Get this for £16.00 at Oddbins and order in!

Happy Friday! x

 

Friday pk desk wine – 2nd April 2015

What’s on the desk: Saumur Champigny Soliterre Cabernet Franc 2013, Loire Valley, France

Why it’s cool: It’s been a week of packing 5 days work into 4 – anything is cool at this point. But also this is a biodynamic Cabernet Franc…ooooooh…

For the non wine geeks: Loire Valley reds are good for people who find Shiraz, Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon a bit of a mouthful. Cabernet Franc dominates the region (although Pinot Noir also makes a regular appearance), and it produces some of the only reds in the world that can benefit from being lightly chilled – think moreish red fruit flavours and light, silky tannins. I gotta say Cabernet Franc is not a mega fashionable grape, but one good example will put it on your wine radar for good. The producer of this wine, Domaine des Roches Neuves, manages all of its vineyards biodynamically. Biodynamic viticulture can almost be considered a philosophy; it follows the cosmic calendar and involves using homeopathic preparations like fertilising the soil with yarrow flowers that have been buried over winter sheathed in a pig’s bladder. It makes organic wine look like child’s play. Here is what Domaine des Roches Neuves said about their decision to turn to biodynamic cultivation:

“At last the plant world is showing us how to act…So far the earth has absorbed too many dangerous substances. It is impoverishing and losing its identity. Our soils, thousands of years old, are dying. If nothing is done, our children will not be able to taste our vineyards’ quintessence. Consequently, we have to change direction to give our children the opportunity to continue our work.”

Cosmic. Get involved.

For the wine geeks: Thierry Germain was born in Bordeaux to a winemaking family, and took over Domaine des Roches Neuves in 1993. The domaine now has 22 hectares of vineyards in Saumur-Champigny, all of which are managed in a fervently biodynamic manner if their website is anything to go by! The Cabernet Franc grapes for this wine were handpicked, and a 24 day fermentation then took place in stainless steel vats at temperatures between 16-22°C. The wine was aged in a mixture of stainless steel and wooden vats on fine lees for at least three to four months, and 30% of the wine then underwent cold maceration at 10°C for three days. I’ve had a soft spot for Cabernet Franc ever since I tasted Clos Rougeard at Sager & Wilde last year, and this is a good, affordable example.

A taster: This wine has a lovely lifted nose with lots of wild strawberry and raspberry aromas but also some herbal nuances. The palate is light, with pleasing acidity, and while the tannins are fine they are also mouth-filling and moreish. With its low 12.5% abv, this is a red that doesn’t need food to shine. It is one of the rare reds that I can imagine enjoying when/if ever it gets sunny.

Go forth and taste: This is from Oddbins and it can be yours for £13.00!

Happy Easter weekend! Go be silly x