Saint George Merlot from Jordan, deep purple with ruby hints, opening on menthol and cedarwood with blueberry and a green pepper lift, supple and juicy on a medium bodied palate with round tannins and a long, quiet finish.
Tasting Notes
Deep purple colour with ruby hints. Menthol and cedarwood on the nose with hints of blueberry and green pepper. Supple, juicy and fresh on the palate, medium bodied, showing blueberry and mulberry. Round tannins and a subtle, long finish. This is Merlot grown in a hot climate but at altitude, which is why the herbal and mineral edge survives alongside the ripe fruit.
Quick Facts
- Grape: 100% Merlot
- Origin: Jordan, Sama al-Sarhan, Oran Plains (clay, limestone and basalt soils at 630m)
- Style: Dry red, medium bodied, certified organic
- Viticulture: Certified organic, yields held under two tonnes per hectare, no herbicides or chemical fertiliser
Food Pairing
Smoked brisket, duck magret with cranberry sauce, and dark chocolate fondant.
Serving
Serve at 14 to 16°C. Open fifteen minutes before pouring.
About the Producer
Saint George is the wine of Omar Zumot, whose father Bulos founded the family drinks company in 1954. The name comes from the church of Saint George at Madaba, beside which Omar planted his first vineyard using vines brought from France. The estate now farms three sites: Madaba on clay and limestone, Souf in the mountains of Jerash at 1,150 metres, and the principal vineyard at Sama al-Sarhan on the Syrian border, where basalt thrown out by the extinct volcano of Jabal Druze layers the soil and changes every half metre. All are certified organic. Sheep graze between the rows, irrigation comes from carp ponds that enrich the water with nitrate, and yields are held below two tonnes per hectare, around a quarter of the world average.
