Mersel 2021 'Phoenix' Merwah Skin Contact, Wadi Qannoubine

Item Number: 17773

UPC: 5-287001628029

Country: Lebanon
Region: North Lebanon
Sub Region: Bsharri District
Appellation/AVA: Wadi Qannoubine
Estate Grown Wine: No
Vintage: 2021
Grape(s): 100% Merwah
Type: Wine - White
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
pH: 3.1
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Sandy, volcanic, and limestone
Elevation: 1,800 meters

Vines: Indigenous Merwah vines, over 150 years old
Yeast: Indigenous
Maceration: 3 weeks
Added Sulfites: None
Fining: None
Filtering: None

Winemaking Notes: The Merwah grapes are picked in middle of October and crushed into 2 proportional lots. Fermentation takes place in both stainless tanks and amphorae. The macerates with its skins for 3 weeks. The cap is gently broken by hand a few times a day, and is then racked off the skins in the middle of November into half neutral barrels and half stainless tanks. The temperature at the winery reaches -5 degrees Celsius during the night consistently in winter, which allows for natural cold stabilization of the wine. Malolactic fermentation happens naturally in the spring.

Terroir Notes: Wadi Qannoubine is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wadi is Arabic for “valley.” Surrounded by historic villages, it’s minutes from ski resorts and the famous Cedars of God. The vineyards have not been tendered for years due to war, immigration, and land mines. Wadi Qannoubine is a typical Mediterranean Alpine region with cool summers and cold winters. It has a maritime climate in the coastal areas with cool nighttime breezes that keep natural acids high.