2020 TERRASSES DE BAALBECK, Massaya. Lebanon

Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre

From their agent Thorman Hunt:
“Massaya is run by brothers Sami and Ramzi Ghosn in partnership with Frédéric and Daniel Brunier from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and Dominique Hébrard, formerly from Château Cheval Blanc.
Until recently Massaya’s vineyards have solely been located in the fertile Beqaa Valley, at an altitude of 1000 metres above sea level. At these Tanaïl vineyards the slopes are protected by Mount Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon mountains. Free of frost and disease the Beqaa Valley enjoys a unique climate with long gentle summers, wet winters and an average temperature of 25oC, perfect for viticulture. However, over the last seven years Sami and Ramzi together with Frédéric and Daniel Brunier, have developed Massaya vineyards in the more extreme, mineral areas of the Beqaa valley, moving onto hillside sites to the North East (Ras Baalbek) and North West (Hadath Baalbek), as well as further north of Baalbek.”

Gentle, aromatic, savoury style. This is no hot climate blockbuster, but a wine of complexity and character.