Vieilles Vignes Merweh & Obeidi

Domaine des Tourelles

Appellation: Bekaa Valley
Variety: Merweh, Obeidi
Age of Vines: 50–100+
Farming: Sustainable
Soil: Clay limestone
Altitude: 1100-1400 meters
Fermentation: Hand harvested, separate natural yeast fermentation for each variety in stainless steel tanks
Aging: 3 months in stainless steel tanks, vegan

Press Review

...one sip and the wine explodes into a million glittering shards. As if a chandelier of white light had fractured into thousand of salt and lemon crystals. Almost shocking, the intensity of the acidity, the saltiness, the singularity of the driving arrow-like line of the wine... it is all you need on a hot day to cool you down.

- Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com

Overview

If you google Merweh and Obeidi, you might be led to believe that they maybe they’re Chardonnay, Sémillon, or some other French grape, but recent, preliminary DNA research has thrown cold water on these theories. For winemakers in Lebanon, they have long been seen as the indigenous white varieties of their homeland. Merweh provides texture and aromas of almonds, while Obeidi contributes floral and herbal aromatics. Faouzi Issa has been searching for old vines of these varieties as a white counterpart to his Cinsault and Carignan old vine cuvées, and 2020 will mark his inaugural vintage of this wine. The Merweh is from 100+-year-old vines located in the Bsarreh mountains in the north of Lebanon, while the Obeidi comes from 50-year-old vines near the capital of Bekaa, Zahleh.