2015 Domaine des Tourelles Cinsault (Magnum)

Cinsault has been farmed in the Bekaa Valley since the mid-19th century before ceding the way to new imported varieties.

In 2014, Domaine des Tourelles decided to revive this grape by searching out very old Cinsault vines and fermenting the wines in concrete tanks using wild yeasts and nothing else to offer the purest expression of that grape.

One of the most perfect examples of this grape taken from vines that are over 60 years old. Spontaneously fermented on wild Lebanese yeasts, the result is a supple wine that beautifully reflects the terroir of the Bekaa Valley, with an aging potential of several years.

This is one of the wines that features in Margaret Rand’s book ‘101 Wine to Try Before You Die’. A must-have when dining on those aromatic and heart dishes from the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.

Mark Bedford’s Tasting Note: With its exotic mulberry fruit and a certain gamey spice with peppery tannins this old vine Cinsault combines the best of an evolved red Burgundy with a maturing Northern Rhone Syrah.  Fermented on natural yeasts in old unlined traditional concrete tanks then aged in used French oak barrels the small concentrated grapes are encouraged to fully express themselves with minimum interference.  The wine cries out for autumn game and is a perfect match for a wealth of artisan English cheese whether stronger blue or pale creamy goats.  Despite its delicate touch, the wine will persist and evolve for a further 5 to 10 years.

Origin: Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Alcohol: 13.5%

Blend: Cinsault