A harmonious balance of structure and elegance: Very smooth, with lovely mellow, maturing flavours. Delicious!

Elegant and mineral, Jabal de Bargylus is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Syrah (40%), gently aged in oak barrels for 6 to 8 months. It is made with the same qualitative criteria as its "older brother" Bargylus Red. With a deep purple color, the wine is a bit shy at first on the nose, but after some rolling it reveals very elegant and balanced notes of blackcurrant and dried flowers tinged with spiciness. On the palate, this medium to full-bodied wine is again very balanced with mineral freshness, excellent acidity and well-integrated tannins with a long spicy spicy aftertaste.

The originality of this vineyard, whose vines grow at an altitude of 900 meters on a clay-limestone terroir marked by a temperate Mediterranean climate, lies even more in its history. Founded in 2002 by the Saadés, a Syrian-Lebanese family who also owns Château Marsyas in Lebanon, it has withstood the upheavals of the Syrian revolution of 2011-2012 and the bloody war that followed; despite the fact that the Saadés have never set foot in Syria again. Far too dangerous, given that to get to this region, it has long been required to cross a zone held by Daesh and its other islamist offshoots.

Instead, owners Karim and Sandro Saadé manage everything remotely from Lebanon, where the two brothers live and work. Advised by French winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt, they manage their team by phone, videoconference or WhatsApp. Before and during the harvest, grape samples are even driven by cab to Beirut for analysis. As a result, Bargylus has never missed a vintage.

What can they rely on? Growing international recognition. Most of its production (around 45,000 bottles a year) is exported to Europe, especially France, where it can be found at highly sought-after tables such as at Spoon, Alain Ducasse's Parisian restaurant.