Mersel Phoenix Merwah Skin Contact from the Qannboubine Valley in north Lebanon, pure Merwah from vines over 150 years old, fermented three weeks on skins in tank and amphora, light and citrusy with the nutty depth that makes it a natural for anyone who loves Sémillon.
Tasting Notes
Merwah is central to the recent renaissance of white wine from indigenous varieties in Lebanon. If you love Sémillon you will recognise the light citrus character and the nutty flavours here. Three weeks on skins gives grip and texture without heaviness, and the wine is racked into a mix of neutral barrel and stainless steel. Winter temperatures at the winery drop to minus five, which cold stabilises the wine naturally with no intervention.
Quick Facts
- Grape: 100% Merwah, indigenous to Lebanon
- Origin: Lebanon, Dimane in the Qannboubine Valley, north Lebanon at 1,600m
- Style: Orange wine, three weeks skin contact, natural wine
- Winemaking: Picked mid October, fermented in stainless tanks and amphorae, three weeks on skins with the cap broken gently by hand, racked in November, natural cold stabilisation, malolactic in spring, bottled in May
- Vines: Over 150 years old
Food Pairing
Lentil and lemon soup, and chicken shish kebab with tabbouleh.
Serving
Serve at 12 to 14°C. Open fifteen minutes before pouring.
About the Producer
Mersel Wine is a natural wine producer working in the Lebanese mountains, founded by winemaker Eddie Chami. The estate farms high altitude sites from Terboul at 700 metres up to Ainata in the Bekaa at 1,700 metres, working with the indigenous Merwah grape alongside international varieties, using hand picking, indigenous yeasts and minimal intervention.
