Made from the indigenous Obeidy variety, Château Oumsiyat Obeidy is a refreshing white wine with a distinctively exotic and mineral flavour. Hints of peach and a clean, salty finish make this wine a unique and delicious choice. With a majority composition of Obeidy, this aromatic wine is a must-try. The rich creamy texture helps this wine to work fantastically with chicken or seafood in creamy sauces.

Critic Review

JancisRobinson.com: 16.5Pts (2023 vintage)

"More rounded and tropical than the Merwah, but also distinctly salty, and ending in a piercing triangle of acidity and mineral salts (a bit like a lick of Epsom salts!). Mouth-watering! Great structure and brisk, vibrant finish."
Tamlyn Currin

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. Obeidy is an indigenous Lebanese variety
which is unique to Lebanon and thrives in this terroir. It was previously used in the
production of Arak, but is now coming into its own as a varietal white wine.

The grapes were pressed and each variety was vinified separately. The must was
racked and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 14 to 16°C with
selected yeasts. The wine did not go through malolactic conversion to maintain the
crisp and fresh style. The wine was skilfully blended with the Odeidy variety given
prominence, offering a creamy texture and flavours of honey and lemon; beautifully
balanced by the Sauvignon Blanc’s crisp vivacity and citrus tones while the Viognier
complements with heady, peach and floral aromatics. A unique and complex blend,
which was lightly filtered prior to bottling.