2023 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Cinsault has been farmed in the Bekaa Valley since the mid-19th century before ceding the way to new imported varieties. In 2014, Domaine des Tourelles decided to revive this grape by searching out very old Cinsault vines, over 50 years of age, and fermenting the wines in concrete tanks using wild yeasts and nothing else to offer the purest expression of that grape. The result is a supple wine that beautifully reflects the terroir of the Bekaa Valley, with an aging potential of several years.
Specs
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Cinault 100%
Region: Western Bekaa.
Altitude: 1,050 m (3,445 feet) above sea level.
Age of the Vines: Above 50 years
Density/ha: 3,000 vines/ha.
Soil: Clay with some limestone.
Irrigation: Dry Farmed.
Harvest: 100% manual in boxes with intensive selection in the vineyards.
Vinification: Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats for 10 days. Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously. The wine is aged in neutral used French oak barrels for 8 months.
Alcohol: 13.5%
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Carignan, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Carignan has existed in the Bekaa Valley for over two centuries and has proven to be a variety in full harmony with the Lebanese terroir. In 2018, Domaine des Tourelles decided to introduce Carignan to its family of old vines wines (over 50 years old) in an effort to reconnect with our special Mediterranean identity.
This wine is high in acidity with balanced tannins. The vinification and aging in concrete vats ensure that it can be drunk reasonably young. Along with the dominant flavors of cranberries and raspberries there are strong notes of licorice and Mediterranean spices.
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Carignan (100%)
Region: Western Bekaa.
Altitude: 1,050 m (3,445 feet) above sea level.
Age of the Vines: Above 50 years.
Density/ha: 3,000 vines/ha.
Soil: Clay with some limestone.
Treatment: Organic Without Irrigation.
Harvest: 100% manual in boxes with intensive selection in the vineyards.
Vinification: Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation starts spontaneously then the wine is aged for 2 years in concrete vats. This whole process witnesses minimal intervention which ends upreflecting closely the real identity of the terroir.
Alcohol: 14%
Food pairing: A wine that goes well with rich poultry (turkey or duck). It has also the rich structure to be enjoyed with red meat
Top 12 wines to try in 2026 - Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book
“This is a longstanding favourite of mine, and I still don’t understand how something so silky, savoury, herbal and layered can be so inexpensive. The vines are over 50 years old, and old-vine Carignan has enormous character and depth. Tourelles makes wines of poise and freshness, utterly modern, fine and long-lived.”
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x - 2023 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
2x - 2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Carignan, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Case:
6x - 2023 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
6x - 2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Carignan, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Price Comparison
Not available on winery website, $432/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Domaine des Tourelles
Owners: Issa and Issa el-Khoury families
Founded: 1868
Location: Chtaura, Bekaa Valley
François-Eugène Brun, who came from France, fell in love with this area of the Bekaa Valley where he set up the first winery in Lebanon in 1868.
Recruited at first by a French company in charge of the works for the Beirut-Damascus road, François-Eugène Brun succeeded in making his dream come true by producing wine and Arak. This is when Domaine des Tourelles was born. After François-Eugène, there were Louis Brun, then Pierre Brun. Three generations of wine lovers, of Bekaa lovers and Lebanon lovers. 150 years of passion for the wine and the land.
Today more than 150 years since it was established, Domaine des Tourelles is run by the next generation of the Issa & Issa el Khoury families – making it the country’s youngest winemaking team running the country’s oldest winery.
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Domaine des Tourelles Lebanon Mixed Reds
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $164.99 $13.75/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault 2023
As always, we are thrilled to get the email notifying us of our golden ticket from the gang at Casemates!
As noted by the big font on the front label, this is a Cinsault (100% noted on the back label).
I won’t say this is the first time we’ve ever had Cinsault, but I don’t think we’ve had it more than a handful of times, which is to say that there isn’t a huge frame of reference for us. I had to look up which glass to use in my handy dandy Riedel glass to wine mapping pamphlet. Hermitage it is! We were also intrigued to see that it is a Lebanese wine.
The wine is a beautiful deep pink color, much brighter than what I’m used to seeing in lighter reds such as a grenache or a sangio. This being relatively young, at 2023, I’m not surprised to see no bricking nor any edge changes. I will say that I felt obliged to take a few photos, as the color in the images didn’t do justice to how not-purple nor even ruby it appears live in the glass.
We only received the bottle about an hour before dinner on Monday, and knew it would be offered Tuesday night, so figured we’d better get a move on and opened it to try with Monday’s meal. On pop and pour, there’s not too much aroma. Maybe a hint of fruit, a tiny bit of pepper, but dominated by some astringency with some alcoholic heat. The alcohol on the nose was a bit surprising as the label states 13.5% abv.
The wine shows sour cherry and raspberry on the palate, with a slightly astringent finish with some nice tannins. After a few minutes in the glass, it becomes more “fruity” though still shows good acidity and that tannin on the finish. It is light to medium body, which isn’t usually our preference, but it did hold up very well with food (cholent and brisket), with the acidity cutting through some of the fatty beefiness. The heat on the nose has completely disappeared, so may have just been due to the recent transit and not really allowing the bottle to rest? Definitely more tart cherry, but still rather muted nose. After tasting and not discerning any oak, I did check to see that the wine was aged in concrete.
Since we tried it on Monday and had half a bottle left, we decided to try it with dinner tonight as well. Not too much different in my opinion. It was left out, on the table all day. It still has little nose, and the fruit is maybe a bit less and acid a bit more forward. Still has a long finish with tannin.
From Michelle, in so many words - Light pretty pink. A bit fruity with a slightly acidic on first sip. Not seeing much by way of legs. Not much tannin on the front. I like it more than I expected. And on the next day- Don’t like it today. It’s just acidic.
All in all, it seems to be a nice wine, even if not exactly to our usual preference.
Wha? Carignan & Cinsault from Lebanon?!? Don’t think I’ve ever seen that here before…or anywhere for that matter. Sounds like some fun stuff…in for two cases!
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Carignan Vieilles Vignes
Quite happy to get the labrat email, especially since it’s been a minute! Bottle showed up on Monday midday and I initially saw it was a 2021 Carignan(e). Thinking it was a mediocre-at-best $12 bottle of French Vin de Pays, I took a closer look and was thrilled to see it was from Vallée de la Bekaa – Lebanese wine! My thoughts immediately went to Château Musar, which is usually roughly equal parts Carignan, Cinsaut, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and I wondered how this would compare.
We let the bottle sit upright on the table until tonight so that any fine sediment would have a chance to settle out.
Pop-n-pour:
Colour is a nice red-purple, clear edges, brilliantly clear wine although may be micro-sediment or tiny air bubbles. As one would expect for a young wine.
Aromas are a bit indistinct, but I’m getting a touch of red berry, eventually a distinct raspberry, lots of earth, a hint of leather, a touch of spice that rings as mint. It’s a bit heady and overwhelming at first, maybe a touch of heat.
Flavours are initially quite woodsy and astringent. Immediately dry on the tongue. There’s a hunt of underlying strawberry and maybe cherry, with the minty note carrying through from the nose as well. Definitely a young wine! Plenty of mouthwatering acidity, shortish finish that’s focused on the tannin, stems, and a hint of smoke.
An hour+ later:
With an hour plus of air, some of which was totally unplanned, this opened up brilliantly. The fruit was bolder and brighter while the astringency receded. The herbal/minty quality (which the tasting notes from the winery suggest could be liquorice) stayed there and intensified a bit on the finish. The savoury qualities also came out more and the gained some depth.
End of the bottle:
Some of the astringency is creeping back in. Otherwise this is continuing on the trajectory it had been on - more fruit and complexity and depth.
This is a nice wine, especially for the CM price. It would go well with a variety of foods. We had it with an array of bread, cheeses, meats, and caesar salad. It didn’t mesh well with the acidity in the salad dressing, but played nicely with everything else.
molarchae liked it as well, but declines to provide more detailed notes.
Domaine des Tourelles Lebanon Mixed Reds
Top 12 wines to try in 2026
2023 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Specs
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Carignan, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Specs
Top 12 wines to try in 2026 - Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not available on winery website, $432/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jun 1 - Tuesday, Jun 2
Domaine des Tourelles Lebanon Mixed Reds
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $164.99 $13.75/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2023 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Carignan
Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault 2023
As always, we are thrilled to get the email notifying us of our golden ticket from the gang at Casemates!
As noted by the big font on the front label, this is a Cinsault (100% noted on the back label).
I won’t say this is the first time we’ve ever had Cinsault, but I don’t think we’ve had it more than a handful of times, which is to say that there isn’t a huge frame of reference for us. I had to look up which glass to use in my handy dandy Riedel glass to wine mapping pamphlet. Hermitage it is! We were also intrigued to see that it is a Lebanese wine.
The wine is a beautiful deep pink color, much brighter than what I’m used to seeing in lighter reds such as a grenache or a sangio. This being relatively young, at 2023, I’m not surprised to see no bricking nor any edge changes. I will say that I felt obliged to take a few photos, as the color in the images didn’t do justice to how not-purple nor even ruby it appears live in the glass.
We only received the bottle about an hour before dinner on Monday, and knew it would be offered Tuesday night, so figured we’d better get a move on and opened it to try with Monday’s meal. On pop and pour, there’s not too much aroma. Maybe a hint of fruit, a tiny bit of pepper, but dominated by some astringency with some alcoholic heat. The alcohol on the nose was a bit surprising as the label states 13.5% abv.
The wine shows sour cherry and raspberry on the palate, with a slightly astringent finish with some nice tannins. After a few minutes in the glass, it becomes more “fruity” though still shows good acidity and that tannin on the finish. It is light to medium body, which isn’t usually our preference, but it did hold up very well with food (cholent and brisket), with the acidity cutting through some of the fatty beefiness. The heat on the nose has completely disappeared, so may have just been due to the recent transit and not really allowing the bottle to rest? Definitely more tart cherry, but still rather muted nose. After tasting and not discerning any oak, I did check to see that the wine was aged in concrete.
Since we tried it on Monday and had half a bottle left, we decided to try it with dinner tonight as well. Not too much different in my opinion. It was left out, on the table all day. It still has little nose, and the fruit is maybe a bit less and acid a bit more forward. Still has a long finish with tannin.
From Michelle, in so many words - Light pretty pink. A bit fruity with a slightly acidic on first sip. Not seeing much by way of legs. Not much tannin on the front. I like it more than I expected. And on the next day- Don’t like it today. It’s just acidic.
All in all, it seems to be a nice wine, even if not exactly to our usual preference.
Wha? Carignan & Cinsault from Lebanon?!? Don’t think I’ve ever seen that here before…or anywhere for that matter. Sounds like some fun stuff…in for two cases!
historic-enamored-scarf
2021 Domaine des Tourelles Carignan Vieilles Vignes
Quite happy to get the labrat email, especially since it’s been a minute! Bottle showed up on Monday midday and I initially saw it was a 2021 Carignan(e). Thinking it was a mediocre-at-best $12 bottle of French Vin de Pays, I took a closer look and was thrilled to see it was from Vallée de la Bekaa – Lebanese wine! My thoughts immediately went to Château Musar, which is usually roughly equal parts Carignan, Cinsaut, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and I wondered how this would compare.
We let the bottle sit upright on the table until tonight so that any fine sediment would have a chance to settle out.
Pop-n-pour:
Colour is a nice red-purple, clear edges, brilliantly clear wine although may be micro-sediment or tiny air bubbles. As one would expect for a young wine.
Aromas are a bit indistinct, but I’m getting a touch of red berry, eventually a distinct raspberry, lots of earth, a hint of leather, a touch of spice that rings as mint. It’s a bit heady and overwhelming at first, maybe a touch of heat.
Flavours are initially quite woodsy and astringent. Immediately dry on the tongue. There’s a hunt of underlying strawberry and maybe cherry, with the minty note carrying through from the nose as well. Definitely a young wine! Plenty of mouthwatering acidity, shortish finish that’s focused on the tannin, stems, and a hint of smoke.
An hour+ later:
With an hour plus of air, some of which was totally unplanned, this opened up brilliantly. The fruit was bolder and brighter while the astringency receded. The herbal/minty quality (which the tasting notes from the winery suggest could be liquorice) stayed there and intensified a bit on the finish. The savoury qualities also came out more and the gained some depth.
End of the bottle:
Some of the astringency is creeping back in. Otherwise this is continuing on the trajectory it had been on - more fruit and complexity and depth.
This is a nice wine, especially for the CM price. It would go well with a variety of foods. We had it with an array of bread, cheeses, meats, and caesar salad. It didn’t mesh well with the acidity in the salad dressing, but played nicely with everything else.
molarchae liked it as well, but declines to provide more detailed notes.
@jasisk @klezman
I’d be curious to know what the tasting temp for these was
We did not chill, so about 68F