Lebanon
2018 Gold 2 Silver 3 Bronze 1 Commended 1
2017 Gold 1 Silver 3 Bronze 2 Commended 2
Lebanon has been a mystifying underperformer at the Sommelier Wine Awards pretty much since the competition started, rarely picking up more than the odd stray medal here and there. So this represented a good performance.
Moreover, while our tasters in the past have been left ruing a certain clunkiness of tannins and heaviness of oak and alcohol, there seemed a more integrated elegance to much of what was sent in this year. It’s the first time the country has had both a red and a white on the Gold List, and while the prices weren’t show-stoppingly cheap, nor were they heart-stoppingly expensive.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘The Syrah-based wines in this flight were showstoppers. There was a lot of oak used in this flight, but there’s still a sense of place to them, especially as you get to the higher price points.’ Andrés Ituarte, Coq d’Argent
‘While some here were bold, most were elegant and well balanced. They’re useful for wine lists, and some were really excellent value.’ Mikolaj Harmider, Adam’s Restaurant
‘This is a country that has what it takes for growing good wines, and it showed. There was oak in each one, but this was in balance. Maybe the top one was too expensive, but overall I’d consider these for my wine list.’ Jurijs Nemkovs, Hakkasan Mayfair