Key takeaways: The Merwah grape variety, ancient Lebanese treasure, produces fresh and full-bodied wines thanks to its cultivation at 1,400 meters altitude on limestone soils. Its citrus and hazelnut aromas reveal a Phoenician heritage revitalized as a single-varietal wine since 2017. Discover its authenticity with Château Ksara Merwah, expression of a unique terroir.
Looking for a white wine that stands out for its ancient history and exceptional terroir? The Merwah grape variety, Lebanese viticultural treasure, embodies an ancestral heritage forged by millennia of high-altitude cultivation. Native to the foothills of Mount Lebanon and cultivated since Phoenician times, this ancient grape variety, often associated with arak production, is making a strong comeback in glasses worldwide. Discover how this forgotten grape variety now reveals citrus aromas and striking minerality, capturing the very soul of Lebanese limestone soils, where its roots plunge deep into the arid lands of the Bekaa.
- The Merwah grape variety, an ancient viticultural treasure of Lebanon
- A high-altitude terroir that makes its specificity
- Portrait of Merwah: from grape to glass
- Merwah and Obeideh, an emblematic duo of the Lebanese vineyard
- The renaissance of Merwah: from blend to single-varietal
- How to taste and pair Merwah wine?
- Merwah today: rarity, challenges, and future
The Merwah grape variety, an ancient viticultural treasure of Lebanon
At the origins of viticulture
The Merwah grape variety embodies a viticultural heritage anchored in Lebanon's history. Its presence on the slopes of Mount Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon dates back millennia, although archaeological evidence is rare. The Phoenicians, the region's first cultivators, would have exploited this grape variety, establishing Lebanon as the cradle of Mediterranean viticulture.
Adapted to a demanding terroir—limestone soils, high altitude (1,400 meters and more)—Merwah testifies to a symbiosis between man and nature. Traditionally, vines climbed trees to protect themselves from heat, a practice that still persists in some vineyards.
A grape with multiple traditional uses
Long used as a table grape or for distilling arak, Lebanon's national alcohol, Merwah has marked local traditions. It wasn't until the 2010s that estates like Château Ksara and Château Musar revived its pure vinification, defying centuries-old uses.
Before this renaissance, Merwah was integrated into white wine blends, bringing freshness and subtlety. Its marriage with Obeideh, an indigenous grape variety, remains emblematic. Single-varietal trials, initiated as early as 1930 by Gaston Hochar, reveal a unique aromatic profile: floral aromas, citrus notes, and creamy texture, reflecting the minerality of its exceptional terroir.
A high-altitude terroir that makes its specificity
Merwah embodies the essence of a terroir shaped by unique conditions. Cultivated at over 1,400 meters altitude, it benefits from a marked contrast between daytime heat and nocturnal coolness, favoring slow cluster maturation. This alternation preserves lively acidity and reveals citrus and white flower aromas. Limestone soils, typical of Lebanese mountains, drain excess moisture while releasing stored heat, reinforcing the grape variety's minerality.
Altitude as the vine's ally
In the Bekaa Valley, between 1,000 and 1,800 meters altitude, Merwah thrives in a setting of contrast. Scorching summers are softened by elevation, avoiding overripening. Wines from the Bekaa Valley thus combine mineral vivacity and concentration. Cold winters, nourished by snow, and dry summers limit diseases, guaranteeing healthy berries. These unique conditions transform climatic adversity into an asset for a resistant grape variety.
Traditions cultivated with terroir
Ancestral methods reveal ancient expertise. Terraced vines, hugging steep slopes, optimize sunlight and reduce erosion. At Domaine des Tourelles, century-old vines grow without irrigation, relying on clay-limestone soils for natural balance between minerality and roundness. Intercropping with olive and fig trees, where vines once climbed on trees, illustrates a harmonious ecosystem, promoting biodiversity and soil fertility. This link between tradition and environment makes Merwah the soul of an immutable viticultural heritage.
Portrait of Merwah: from grape to glass
Berry characteristics
The Merwah grape variety is distinguished by its compact clusters of modest to medium size, ideal for regular maturation despite Lebanon's torrid summers. Its thick skin, pale green to golden yellow, is a perfect adaptation to the demanding climate of the Bekaa Valley, preserving lively acidity essential to wine balance. Cultivated at over 1,400 meters altitude, it resists diurnal temperature variations, typical of Mount Lebanon slopes. Limestone soils reinforce its natural resistance and bring subtle minerality, while terrace cultivation among olive and fig trees, practiced since Phoenician times, preserves moisture in arid soils.
Aromatic profile of a unique white wine
Merwah embodies Lebanese terroir DNA, combining freshness and structure at each tasting stage:
- Nose: Delicate aromas of white flowers (linden, hawthorn) intertwine with citrus notes (lime, grapefruit) and hazelnut, sometimes with mineral accents reminiscent of flint.
- Palate: Lively attack on citrus, followed by a generous mid-palate evoking white peach and summer melon. A touch of bitter almond brings tension.
- Texture: Silky roundness, close to Sémillon, softened by the dynamic acidity of mountainous terroir.
- Alcohol: Between 11 and 12%, a moderate level that preserves its freshness, especially in high-altitude vineyards where cool nights slow sugar maturation.
This dry and fruity wine embodies Lebanon's DNA. Château Ksara cuvées, from 60-year-old vines at 1,500 meters altitude, reveal guava and gunflint notes. Served chilled (8-10°C), it enhances Lebanese mezze—hummus, grilled fish—thanks to its balance between acidity and light spices. Heir to an ancient tradition, this ancient grape variety rediscovers its splendor through modern organic practices, combining heritage preservation and viticultural boldness.
Merwah and Obeideh, an emblematic duo of the Lebanese vineyard
A history and complementary grape varieties
Merwah and Obeideh are two ancient white grape varieties of Lebanon, cultivated since Phoenician times. Traditionally used for arak and blends, they embody a unique viticultural heritage. Merwah, close to Sémillon, combines with Obeideh, long compared to Chardonnay but now recognized as an "orphan" grape variety with no proven genetic link. Their terrace cultivation, integrated with olive and fig trees, reflects ancient adaptation to Lebanese terroir, especially after the Ottoman period when their use gradually turned toward wine.
Discover Obeideh, emblem of Lebanese viticulture.
Perfect synergy in blending
Their union creates balanced wines: Merwah brings lively acidity and floral notes, while Obeideh reveals richness, honey aromas, and ripe fruits. Château Musar Blanc, essential reference, illustrates this alchemy since the 1930s, combining tradition and modernity. This Lebanese viticulture pioneer put these grape varieties on the international map of atypical wine enthusiasts.
"The blend of Merwah and Obeideh is the very expression of balance, where the liveliness of one enhances the roundness of the other, creating wines of unique complexity."
Their synergy reveals heritage linked to limestone terroir, altitude, and Bekaa traditions, where mineral-rich soils and marked temperature variations shape inimitable aromatic profiles.
The renaissance of Merwah: from blend to single-varietal
From pioneer estates to worldwide recognition
Merwah, ancient white grape variety of Lebanon, was long associated with other varieties. It wasn't until 2017 that its single-varietal potential was fully revealed. Château Musar, pioneer since 1930, preserved a 100% Merwah from 1954, symbol of bold vision. This vintage, aged in clay jars and bottle-aged, remains a reference.
Château Ksara then played a key role in marketing a pure Merwah, offering new showcase for this grape variety. Other estates, like Domaine des Tourelles and Massaya, followed. The former favors Merwah-Obeideh blend, while Massaya explores jar vinifications for orange wines, revealing its complexity.
These producers, combining tradition and innovation, put Merwah on the international map. Their work transformed this grape variety, once dedicated to arak, into ambassador of a unique terroir.
Between tradition and modernity: vinification techniques
Merwah vinification blends ancestral heritage and modernity. Clay jars, inherited from ancient practices, preserve mineral imprint and authentic character. Estates like Massaya use them for orange cuvées, exalting its dense structure.
In parallel, contemporary methods emerge. Temperature-controlled fermentation and oak barrel aging, inspired by French traditions, bring roundness and complexity. Château Musar and Château Ksara juggle between these approaches, highlighting both the grape variety's freshness and its evolution potential.
Today, Merwah embodies dialogue between past and present. Lebanese winemakers, rediscovering its purity, reveal a wine both rooted in its terroir and open to the world.
How to taste and pair Merwah wine?
Perfect pairings with Mediterranean cuisine
Merwah wine, with its citrus freshness and floral notes, proves to be an ideal partner for lively Mediterranean flavors. This Lebanese white grape variety balances traditional dishes, offering subtle harmony between acidity and aromatic richness.
- Grilled fish and seafood: Minerality enhances oysters, shrimp, or white fish.
- Lebanese mezze: Its lively character energizes hummus, baba ghanoush, or tabbouleh.
- Poultry and white meats: Spicy chicken taouk finds an acidic counterpoint.
- Salads and fresh cheeses: Halloumi or feta benefit from its creamy structure.
Service tips and aging potential
To reveal its complexity, Merwah must be served at the right temperature. Classic white wines between 10 and 12°C, macerated versions (like Phoenix Skin-Contact) between 14 and 20°C, like a light red.
Often drunk young for its bright fruitiness, Merwah reveals surprising aging potential. Château Musar cuvées, aged several decades, develop honey, dried fruit, and rare spice notes. Old vines, cultivated at altitude on limestone soils, play a key role in this aging capacity.
Merwah today: rarity, challenges, and future
A rare grape variety facing future challenges
Merwah embodies precious rarity. Its production remains confidential, confined to specific parcels of Lebanese mountains. Cultivated mainly in the Bekaa Valley and Mount Lebanon, this ancient grape variety thrives at altitudes around 1,400 meters. These unique conditions—limestone soils, marked temperature variations—contribute to its specificity, but make it vulnerable.
Faced with climate change, Lebanese winemakers observe cycle shifts. Harvests, once in October, now start in August. This precocity threatens the subtle balance between sugar and acidity that makes Merwah's signature. The country's political and economic instability adds to these challenges, limiting investments in sustainable solutions research.
Promises of a Lebanese wine ambassador
Merwah is not just a grape variety; it's a symbol of resilience and richness of Lebanese wine history, ready to conquer palates worldwide.
Yet, Merwah's future shines with hope. Winemakers multiply initiatives to preserve this treasure. Château Musar and Château Ksara, leading figures, combine tradition and innovation. Organic practices, terrace cultivation integrating olive and fig trees, or use of century-old vines in Bcharré testify to this will for sustainability.
Its exceptional aromatic profile—citrus, almond, hazelnut—seduces complex white wine enthusiasts. Export, driven by growing demand for indigenous grape varieties, opens new horizons. Discover our wines by grape variety to understand this Lebanese nectar's DNA.
With its ability to adapt to aridity and natural resistance, Merwah represents a solution facing climate evolution. Its future, intimately linked to Lebanese terroirs' survival, is written in every drop of this ancient wine.
Merwah embodies the ancient history of Lebanese viticulture. This white grape variety, close to Sémillon, combines delicate aromas and elegant structure, reflecting the resilience and ancestral expertise of its terroir.
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Origin | Indigenous white grape variety of Lebanon, cultivated since Antiquity. |
| Wine profile | Dry, rich wines with refreshing acidity and marked minerality. |
| Main aromas | Citrus (lemon, grapefruit), white flowers, almond and hazelnut. |
| Key terroir | High altitudes (1500m) and limestone soils of the Bekaa, ideal for its sugar-acidity balance. |
| Perfect pairings | Lebanese mezze, grilled fish and light Mediterranean dishes. |
Express Lebanon's essence with Château Ksara Merwah, living testimony of this exceptional grape variety. The Merwah grape variety embodies a Lebanese viticultural treasure, combining ancient history, exceptional terroir, and modern renaissance. Symbol of resilience, it seduces through its complexity and adaptation to climate challenges. Its rarity and authenticity make it an essential ambassador of Mediterranean wines, promised to a bright future.
