Château Oumsiyat Jaspe is a superb wine showcasing intense and aromatic wild fruit aromas, enhanced with a hint of black pepper spice. With a beautifully structured palate and well-integrated tannins, this wine lends itself perfectly to Lebanese cuisine.

About the Producer

Passion and heritage has been passed down through the Bou Sleiman family for four generations. When Joseph Bou Sleiman took over the reins at Château Oumsiyat, he blended respect for local tradition with modern techniques to craft contemporary wines. A passionate vine grower, Joseph also built a modern winery in the village of Mtein, where he creates wines that are a fusion of Old World and New World. The grapes are grown in the 78-hectare vineyard, situated at over 1,000 metres elevation in the beautiful Bekaa Valley, between Mount Lebanon to the west and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east. The altitude, microclimate and soils combine in this ancient terroir to produce fresh wines with a very Mediterranean “feel.”

Vineyard and Winery

The vines are planted at an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level, where the warm
days are tempered by cooler nights. The summer diurnal temperature difference is
20°C, which encourages an extended ripening period, concentrating the flavours and
aromatic complexity in the berries, while retaining balancing acidity from the cool
nights. The soil is calcareous clay which is a cool soil that has good water retention
properties to nourish the vines during the hot, dry summers. Due to its pH, calcareous
clay soils tend to produce refreshing wines, which encourages further balance to the
ripeness of fruit. The vines are cane pruned and are planted at a density of 4,000 vines
per hectare. The vineyard is cultivated with respect for the environment and the grapes
are hand-harvested at optimal maturity.

The fruit was carefully sorted to ensure only healthy, ripe grapes were vinified. Each
variety was fermented separately in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of
28°C with inoculated yeasts. Remontage or pump overs took place periodically to
oxygenate the wine and extract tannins. Moderate post-fermentation maceration took
place to extract colour, flavour and impart structure to the wine. The wine went through
malolactic conversion resulting in a softer palate and was made without oak influence
to showcase the purity of fruit. The wine was carefully blended with the Cabernet
Sauvignon imparting black fruit flavours and mid-palate texture, the Syrah adding
structure and spicy notes, the Carignan offering deep colour and balancing freshness
and the Cinsault a softness and aromatic notes. Gently filtered prior to bottling.