2019 Domaine de Baal - Red Bekaa Valley (750ml)

Domaine de Baal sits at 1200 meters on the slopes of Mount Lebanon, overlooking the Bekaa Valley, with vineyards first planted in 1994 and a first estate vintage in 2006 under winemaker Sebastien Khoury, who trained for years in Saint-Emilion before returning home to build the winery. The estate farms organically and takes a low intervention approach in the cellar, working limestone-clay soils that reflect Lebanon's long Mediterranean winemaking history, a tradition stretching back roughly seven thousand years in this part of the world.

This red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, and syrah, grown on a small six hectare parcel within the valley. After harvest the wine ages for eighteen months in French oak barrels, about a third of them new, a regimen that builds structure while letting the estate's limestone terroir show through in the glass.

The wine offers a complex nose of black fruit and red berries lifted by a hint of mint. On the palate it is elegant and fresh, with silky, well integrated tannins and a mineral freshness that keeps the fruit from feeling heavy. The finish is long and savory. It pairs naturally with lamb, grilled meats, or other hearty Mediterranean fare.