Mersel Lebnani Abyad 2021 White Blend 1.0L

Mersel Winery was established in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in 2000. Their website proudly proclaims, "you won't find any 'Chateau Mersel' or 'Le Mersel' here. We are just 'Mersel Wine': we are everyday people that support local farmers to make good Lebanese wine for everyone to enjoy!"  These heartfelt words are a firm riposte to the many estates in Bekaa that channel French style and French grapes. Mersel is emphatically the opposite. Their Lebnani Abyad is a blend of the indigenous merwah (70%) from 150-year-old vines in the Qannboubine Valley and sauvignon blanc from the Bekaa Valley, organically farmed without the use of any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. Both grapes are fermented on their skins for added texture and complexity. The wine is luscious and richly flavoured without any suggestion of fatness, and is absolutely bone dry with nervy high acidity, flavours of peach, quince, pear, and marzipan, and a grippy, salty finish. Winemaker Eddie Chami visited Vancouver earlier this year, and showed off his confident, clean style at the Top Drop festival. Trained at UC Davis in California, he’s devoted to Lebanon’s native grapes as well as the Nubian Ibex (check out the Mersel logo), a desert goat species that was all but extirpated. Food matches naturally include Lebanese meze (small plate) dishes such as tabbouleh, baba ghannouj, hummus and meaty koftas. It’s a brilliant food wine, and best of all, it’s a one litre bottle!

-- DJ Kearney