Mersel, exciting low intervention wines from special terroirs in Lebanon
Website: https://www.merselwine.com/
Eddie Chami’s family comes from Lebanon, but moved to Australia in the 1960s. That’s where he grew up. But he felt a draw to his homeland, and this led him back there after he studied winemaking at UC Davis.
He returned to Lebanon in 2007 and began re-establishing his grandparents’ vineyards. Initially he was involved in a small cooperative winery venture, but with time his vision diverged from the path most wineries were taking in Lebanon, which was to try to make French wines from French varieties.
Instead, Eddie is a big believer in Lebanon’s indigenous varieties: Merwah, Marini, Dow Al Amar and Jouzani.
The name Mersel comes from the name of a region, Maskar Mersel, which is now the highest viticultural region in Lebanon, with vines from 1900-2650 m. Eddie established this region, and while the mountain peaks at just over 3000 m, he thinks the highest he can go is 2600 m. Just east of here is the Bekaa Valley, home to 90% of Lebanon’s vineyards. This has some altitude (700-1200 m), but it’s getting quite warm. Eddie also makes wine from the Wadi Quannoubine region, where his family comes from. This isn’t high altitude (the valley floor is 600 m), but it’s snowy in the winter and in the summer it’s warm but not hot.
As well as making his own wines, Eddie also does something very valuable: he opens up his winery for aspiring winegrowers to make their own small-lot wines.
Mersel Elevate Marini 2021 Blouza, Lebanon
12.5% alcohol. This is from the Marini variety grown at 1800 m in Blouza, Lebanon. The vines are 150 years old and are on their own roots. The wine is fermented in Georgian qvevri and then matured in Lebanese amphorae. It says it’s a red wine but it’s actually pale pink/red with some copper hues. Beautiful aromatics of wild strawberry with red cherries and a rose petal floral note. The palate is supple, juicy and fine with mandarin and orange peel alongside the ripe pear and red cherry notes, with a fine spiciness, some stony hints and a lick of wild pepper, as well as leafy green notes in the background. Very fine and digestible, and quite unique. 95/100 (UK agent: Les Caves de Pyrene)
Mersel Elevate Marini 2022 Blouza, Lebanon
12.5% alcohol. This is made in amphora (fermented in qvevri, aged in Lebanese amphorae). They pick a lot of Merweh, and then there is just a bit of Marini in this – perhaps 100 kg. Then they repeat and keep adding the Marini to the ferment. This is all in amphora, and the tannins are from the extended maceration. The Marini is ungrafted. Crunchy, vibrant and showing good tannins. This has nice acidity and structure as well as sappy redcurrant characters. Such energy here with nice grip. 95/100
Mersel Phoenix Merweh 2023 Dimane, Qannboubine Valley, Lebanon
12.5% alcohol. pH 3.1. This is from indigenous Merwah vines over 150 year old grown at 1600 m. This spent two weeks on skins, then it was aged in tank and neutral barrels. Lovely texture with pear and yellow plum fruit as well as some spicy detail and a bit of pithiness. Has nice grip. 92/100
Mersel Jaffa Crush 2024 Lebanon
This is old Mersel (70%) and young Muscat (30%), carbonic maceration. Bright, lively and pure with nice grip. Juicy and alert with lovely complexity. Really lively. 94/100
Mersel Phoenix Merweh Field Blend 2022 Dimane, Qannboubine Valley, Lebanon
Merwah (80%), Sangiovese (20%). Full pink in colour, this is juicy and supple with lovely cherry and raspberry fruit as well as some watermelon notes. Nice weight. 93/100
Mersel Red Velvet 2022 Deir El Ahmar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
This is carbonic Cinsault grown at 1200 m, pressed after 10 days, so it finishes ferment off skins. Ripe, sweet fruit: cherries and raspberries. There’s a bit of structure, too. Nice weight, showing spicy detail. This is beautiful. 94/100
Mersel Elevate Daw Al Amar 2022 Ainata, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
This is an indigenous white variety grown at 1700 m, 50 year old vines, two weeks on skins. Layered and textural with minty spicy detail as well as citrus and pear fruit. There’s some melon, too, and a touch of vermouth. Lovely. 94/100
Mersel Leb Nat 2022 Lebanon
This Pet Nat is half/half Viognier and Merweh. Juicy and bright with nice citrus fruit, a touch of marmalade and some pithy notes. So stylish with some nice grip. 93/100
Heya Wines Nour 2024 Lebanon
This is one of the small wineries operating out of Mersel, and it’s run by Claudine Lteif and Michelle Chami. The blend is half/half Grenache Blanc and Obeidh. Richly textured and spicy with nice weight to the pear and peach fruit. 93/100
Heya Wines Kanz 2024 Lebanon
This is Grenache and Syrah. Supple, juicy and bright with nice berry fruits and a bit of grip. Very fine and pure. This is so refined. 95/100
