2014 Château Cana – Jardin Secret

This wine’s unique bouquet can be attributed to its 100% tenor in a traditional Lebanese grape ‘Sabbaghieh’.

Grown in villagers’ gardens, ‘Sabbaghieh’ grapes deliver a wine that is dense and deep, offering the specific taste of sunny grapes. The vines are planted on terraces; and consequently the grapes are handpicked during the harvest season, which is softer on the vines and helps with the quality control, such as dismissing under ripe or rotten grapes. The sorted grapes are quickly de-stemmed and crushed. With our minimal intervention model of wine making, the must (or juice) can begin fermenting naturally within 6-12 hours. After around 5 weeks of fermentation, maturing of Jardin Secret takes place naturally by allowing the wine to rest in stainless tanks to undergo the malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged in oak barrels to add complexity, reduce the acidity and round the tannins.

Technical Information

• Year: 2014

• Grape variety: 100% Sobbaghieh

• Fermentation: In stainless steel tanks

• Maturing: 6 months in second use oak barrels of 225 Liters

• Alcohol content: 14%

• Serving temperature: 12-18°C

• Altitude: The vines are located 900 meters above sea levels. They are hand picked and sorted on the spot.

• Yield: The average yield per vine doesn’t exceed 2 kilograms. The majority of our vines stretch over ancient terraced slopes and enjoy 300 days of sunshine a year.

• Talking points: Sobbaghie is a Lebanese grape.

The name comes from the word “Sabbagha” which means dye/tint. In Lebanon back in the days, they used to use this grape to color vinegar or as a natural dye. Why? Because it is a grape that not only is red from the outside but is also red from the inside unlike other regular red grapes. So it is very dense in color. Till this day we are the only winery that uses this grape to produce wine. It has a very interesting bouquet and it really is something special.

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.

Arak Kefraya is a white Anise liqueur.

Its process goes through 4 distillations and is made by Chateau Kefraya.

And it is the best fresh anise traditionally from Lebanon, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif with water and ice cubes.

Distilled three times and aged in clay jugs, It is smooth on the palate, with a delicate scent of the quality aniseed with a slight sweet and refreshing finish.

It is a pure delight and a gem to drink if you are an anise-lover.

Arak Fakra is an extra special baladi Arak, distilled in keeping with the ancestral Lebanese traditions with a selection of clusters of grapes and top-quality aniseed. It is then aged until maturity in baked clay jars which gives it a taste unlike any other.

Arak is the national Lebanese beverage. Today, over 100 years later, this family's descendants perpetuate the traditions of the Lebanese mountain by producing with the same method and according to the same formula that rare arak bearing the name of Arak Fakra, a name inspired by a prestigious site of that mountain situated at an altitude of more then 1500 meters. Already long before our era, the Romans had chosen this area to raise temples devoted to their divinities among which that of Venus and monuments honoring emperor Claudius (10AC - 54AD) whose name was Baalgalassos. The shadow of these temples' ruins still hands today over the cellars where Arak Fakra comes to maturity.

Chateau Ksara Sunset Rose, an intense pink colour with an aroma of red berries and a hint of spiciness, with an initial roundness in the mouth, and finishing with a fresh and vivid taste. Winemaking & maturing Selected from the best vats of red grapes, this wine is obtained by bleeding. After 10 to 14 hours of maceration, fermentation is done at a low temperature (18°C). Once the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the wine is racked-off and sulphured to avoid malolactic fermentation. Once it has stabilised, SUNSET is bottled in the spring, to preserve its ripe fruit flavours. Ageing Better appreciated the first year; it can be kept for up to 2 years in a good cellar. Serving This fresh robust wine, with its slightly spicy aroma, is the ideal accompaniment to Mediterranean or Oriental cuisine. It also complements raw vegetables and cold meat. It should be served chilled (8-10°C) in order to reveal its spicy flavour, freshness and balance.

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.

Said Touma came from a family with a long history in the alcohol business and founded Clos St. Thomas in 1997. The winery was named after the chapel of St. Thomas, found in the heart of the vineyards.

Arak Touma is distilled four times using a variety of grapes and quality aniseed.