A liter of Lebanese please?

I’m sure you’ve had wine from interesting places but most folks have never had the pleasure of enjoying Lebanese wine. Much to my surprise, Highly Likely Cafe just happened to have one last liter of Lebnani Abyad from Mersel Wines in Lebanon.

Most people hear Lebanese wine and immediately think of the great Chateau Musar and Chateau Ksara who’s wines have really brought Lebanon back into the wine conversation. This wine isn’t that.

When it’s a “pet nat” without the bottle cap

Mersel Wine is really easy and approachable. Merwah is an ancient and indigenous varietal that many winemakers use as a monovarietal wine and one to age. This easy drinking liter speaks volumes of the cultural and communal aspects of the wine growers and makers.

Mersel sources the Merwah from vines that are 150 years old, aging them in the lees for 4 weeks, blending with 12 year vines Sauvignon Blanc and then another two weeks of maceration. They rack (or use gravity) twice before bottling to remove unnecessary sediment.

This leave a hazy bright amber gold wine that smells of magnolias and citrus grove. Stone fruits and beeswax coat the mouth as a wisp of lemon zest covers the tongue inviting the next sip.

I’m sad it was the last bottle.