” The nose is sweet fruited and the palate full of ripe black plums, lovely and fleshy. The rounded ripe tannins help the suppleness and towards the back lots of powerful black fruit enriches. The finish is exotic herbal and spicy. “
MW Derek Smedley
General information :
Producer: Chateau Khoury
Winemaker: Jean-Paul Khoury
Country of Origin: Lebanon
Region of Origin: Bekaa, Zahle
Style: Still dry Red
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah , Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Body: Full
Vintage: 2008
ABV: 13%
Drinking window: 2016-2023
Case Size: 6x75cl
Closure Type: Cork
– Location: Dhour Zahle
– Soil: Clay and limestone
– Exposure: South
– Area: 9 ha
– Altitude: 1250m
– Trellising System: double Guyot
– Age of vines: 20 years
– Number of vines per hectare: 4000
– Yield: 40 hl / ha
– Agricultural method: Organic
Winemaking process:
– Harvest: mid to late September
– 100% manually with intensive selection in 20kg boxes.
– Whole grapes de-stemmed and crushed, and then put in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks
– Cold pre-fermentation maceration for about a week, alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts, then followed by malolactic fermentation
– Alcoholic fermentation: 4 weeks
– Apparatus: 40% in 1 year old barrels from a variety of French producers and 60% cask aged in 2 years or less
– Maturation period: 12 months
– Bottled in May and then rested at least 6 months in the cellar before marketing
Tasting advice and food recommendations:
– Serving temperature: Best served at room temperature. Decant into a carafe one hour before serving
– Wine and food pairing: Excellent with red meat, it goes wonderfully with lamb.
Awards
日本で飲もう最高のワイン, 2015, Japan, Platinum medal (the highest).
Sommelier Wine Awards, 2013, U.K: Gold Medal
Salon HORECA, April 2011,Beirut: Gold medal « red wine old vintage » category
Ratings
92 Pts. Derek Smedley – Master of Wine
Lebanese wine guide Zawaq 2012: Coup de coeur (top 21st)