After the international success of its Merwah varietal, Château Ksara, has once again honored its roots and produced the country’s first Old Vine Carignan varietal. Carignan has been cultivated in Lebanon since the mid 19th Century, when the Jesuits who founded Château Ksara planted the variety in the Bekaa Valley. In doing so, they laid the foundations of the modern Lebanese wine industry.
Château Ksara’s Carignan is grown on 60-year-old vines at over 1,200 meters, an altitude that gives freshness and flavour to the wine’s fruity and floral aromas. The grapes are dry-farmed, and hand harvested at low yields in mid-September. “The launch of our Old Vine Carignan is yet another exciting landmark of Château Ksara,” said Chairman Zafer Chaoui. “After creating Lebanon’s first Merwah varietal in 2017, we have once again delved into our 160-year old heritage and are honouring a grape that has been the backbone of our sector for over 160 years.
We are celebrating our roots in every sense!”
Château Ksara is no stranger to working with the grapes that define the taste of Lebanon. Obeideh, which along with Merwah is the country’s other indigenous grape, can be found in Blanc de L’Observatoire, while the red Le Prieuré has, along Cinsault and Grenache, varieties introduced into Lebanon by the Jesuits at the same time as the Carignan, and which are also fermented in concrete tank that are over 100 years old.
Mr Chaoui added: “We are also responding to demand from international consumers who increasingly want wines that reflect a terroir or that have a sense of identity. In a dynamic and competitive global market, we cannot rest on our laurels.”
About: Château Ksara, is situated in Lebanon’s famous Bekaa Valley, the center of the country’s winemaking industry. It is Lebanon’s oldest and largest producer, with an annual production of 3 million bottles. It makes 16 wines, arak and two eaux de vie. The winery welcomes over 100,000 visitors a year. Château Ksara is available in more than 40 countries.
