Under $21: Massaya Classic White Bekaa Valley 2006

Posted 06/10/2008 at 08:10 AM by Derek

I wonder how often the Ghosn brothers get asked, “Is it difficult making wine in Lebanon?” Sami and Ramzi Ghosn run the Massaya winery in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon between Mt. Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.

Of course, no one is referring to the excellent wine growing conditions in the Bekaa Valley, where the weather is ideal for viticulture and neither frost nor pests are an issue. They mean, quite simply, is it difficult to make wine in times of war? But isn’t that obvious?

Despite the great difficulties involved, winemakers have always found a way. Many top wine regions have at one point or another been through wars. France, of course, has been through more than one.

In Lebanon’s case, the country emerged from a tragic civil war lasting through 1990, only to face continued conflicts internally and along its borders. In 2006, the July War with Israel had winemakers ready to once again abandon their vineyards while the vines withered.

Thankfully, the Ghosn brothers stuck it out. As such, they have become one of Lebanon’s rising stars. Of course help from French partners Frédéric and Daniel Brunier of Domaine Vieux Télégraphe hasn’t hurt either.

Massaya’s Classic White, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and the autochthonous varietal Obeidi, is one of my favorite bargain wines. The wine is crisp, mineral driven with notes of melon, citrus and dried herbs—a perfect pair with soft shell-crabs, light seafood or salads. This simple but tasty wine has a place at a picnic or in dining room.

While Sauvignon Blanc is a worldwide phenomenon, Obeidi is a grape only grown in the Bekaa Valley and generally used for the production of Arak—an anise flavored liqueur. Along with wine, Massaya makes top-notch Arak using copper stills and aged in special amphorae from the Mount Lebanon village of Beit Cheba.

Massaya’s Classic White is not only under $21, this wine can be found for around $10. That’s a steal. I highly recommend grabbing a bottle. You’ll be grateful for the Ghosn brothers’ perseverance.
 

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