2024 Merwah, Château Oumsiyat

The Bekaa Salt-Wind White

This is Lebanese white wine with freshness, salinity and a beautiful mountain snap. Made from Merwah, one of Lebanon’s indigenous white grapes, it opens with elderflower, grapefruit, lemon peel and green apple, before notes of rock salt, ginger, white flowers and wet stone begin to appear. It feels bright and unusual in the best way, with a cool mineral line running through the glass.

The palate is crisp, zesty and mouth-watering, with citrus, floral lift and a salty, mineral finish that gives the wine real energy. There is a little texture, but the mood is all freshness, tension and clean Mediterranean air. It is a brilliant bottle for anyone who wants a white wine that feels both ancient and completely alive.

For when you want a white wine with originality, freshness and a proper Lebanese accent.
Pairs with grilled prawns, sea bass, oysters, lemon chicken, fattoush, tabbouleh, hummus, goat’s cheese, calamari, or anything with herbs, salt and citrus.
If this wine were… a breeze, it would be cool air moving through the Bekaa Valley at dusk, carrying grapefruit peel, wild flowers and salt from ancient stone.

Château Oumsiyat is run by the Bou Sleiman family, with Joseph Bou Sleiman combining local tradition and modern winemaking from the family’s winery in Mtein. The estate’s vineyards sit over 1,000 metres above sea level in the Bekaa Valley, between Mount Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, where altitude, microclimate and soils help create fresh wines with a Mediterranean feel.