Château Kefraya
Bekaa Valley Red Blend
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Quite nice Lebanese Bordeaux blend. Spicy red fruit, white pepper, saline.
92 points
Quite nice Lebanese Bordeaux blend. Spicy red fruit, white pepper, saline.
92 points
An oddity in our blind line-up. Found it hard to place, which made sense upon reveal (then again I never do well in blinds involving Bordeaux blends, let alone ones coming from Lebanon). On the nose, red and black fruits with a really candied edge (what?!), oak spices, leather and a touch of soy sauce. On the palate, it was meaty and quite juicy with a nuanced salinity. Directional and silky tannins (Cab-heavy blend). Not the longest nor most complex wine tonight, but I found myself enjoying how the pieces all came together.
An oddity in our blind line-up. Found it hard to place, which made sense upon reveal (then again I never do well in blinds involving Bordeaux blends, let alone ones coming from Lebanon). On the nose, red and black fruits with a really candied edge (what?!), oak spices, leather and a touch of soy sauce. On the palate, it was meaty and quite juicy with a nuanced salinity. Directional and silky tannins (Cab-heavy blend). Not the longest nor most complex wine tonight, but I found myself enjoying how the pieces all came together.
Nov 24th, 20222009 vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Ripe blackberries and subtle spices. A bit warmer and finer tannins compared to the 2007 I've tasted recently. Drinking beautifully now and good value. Abv. 14%.
2009 vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Ripe blackberries and subtle spices. A bit warmer and finer tannins compared to the 2007 I've tasted recently. Drinking beautifully now and good value. Abv. 14%.
Apr 26th, 2020Not sure about the exact blend, but it's 3 grape varieties : Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It would be interesting to know the percentages, as this wine somehow reminds me of an old Bandol. The spiceness and rusticity are quite Mourvèdre- like. It's lighter on its feet than expected, thanks to the fresh acidity and relatively low alcohol (13% abv). This could be the high altitude effect (1000 meters). In any case this wine has a distinctive character, and a certain complexity. If the tannins would be a bit more fine-grained, this would deserve a higher score. In any case, it's a nice food wine, probably at its peak and more than decent value at 28 euros in 2020.
Not sure about the exact blend, but it's 3 grape varieties : Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It would be interesting to know the percentages, as this wine somehow reminds me of an old Bandol. The spiceness and rusticity are quite Mourvèdre- like. It's lighter on its feet than expected, thanks to the fresh acidity and relatively low alcohol (13% abv). This could be the high altitude effect (1000 meters). In any case this wine has a distinctive character, and a certain complexity. If the tannins would be a bit more fine-grained, this would deserve a higher score. In any case, it's a nice food wine, probably at its peak and more than decent value at 28 euros in 2020.
Apr 3rd, 2020
Love the ripe fruit on the nose and on the palate, great structure too with medium + tannins and acidity to match. Very enjoyable.
Love the ripe fruit on the nose and on the palate, great structure too with medium + tannins and acidity to match. Very enjoyable.
Feb 10th, 2015Dark purple. Red cinnamon nose and bottle bouquet. Red raspberries and wet earth. Rich lingering finish.
Dark purple. Red cinnamon nose and bottle bouquet. Red raspberries and wet earth. Rich lingering finish.
Oct 11th, 2014
No formal notes: had this at dinner, kitchen sink blend & quite tasty, cherries and some secondary notes & flavors. Sturdy tannins yet smooth thru finish
No formal notes: had this at dinner, kitchen sink blend & quite tasty, cherries and some secondary notes & flavors. Sturdy tannins yet smooth thru finish
Apr 27th, 2023