Touriga Nacional Red Wine

Karam - Touriga Nacional Red Wine

Why Les Raretés?

From the womb of our efforts to diversify the taste of Lebanese wine, the selection of Les Raretés was born. It comprises varietals that are solely planted in Lebanon by Karam Wines; undoubtedly others will follow suit. Their scarcity earned them their name: Les Raretés. –Captain Habib Karam

Wine Content-type: Red wine
Grape Variety: Touriga Nacional (Portugal)
Appellation: Jezzine, Southern Lebanon
Fermentation: 100% in stainless steel

Maturation: Aged in oak barrels for 6 months
100% new French oak
Serving: Best served at 15 - 17°C
Decanting: Decant for a half hour prior to savoring

Why Touriga Nacional?

In Captain Karam’s endless educational travels to winemaking countries and its different regions,he discovered Touriga Nacional. He found this varietal to be quite singular and thought it would thrive in the Jezzine terroir. Years after planting Touriga in Lebanon, numerous tastings confirmed the Captain’s gut feeling.

Winemaking & Tasting Notes

Expressiveness, aromatic diversity and good ageing potential drove us to plant the Touriga Nacional. Grown on 1,100-meter plots facing the Mediterranean, this low yield Touriga was vinified and aged in oak barrels for only six
months to create a good balance of fruit, oak and to maintain soft tannins. In Lebanon Jezzine’s terroir, it produces violet floral aromas, supported by blackcurrant, cherry, dark chocolate and spice in the background. Silkiness on entry to the palate, noticeable structure and a burst of dark fruit culminating with rounded acidity and
long lasting minerality.

Food Pairing: Cured meat, medium steak, pastrami, pasta with red sauce and roast beef

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.

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 Blanc De L'Observatoire is intensely aromatic on the nose, with soft rich fruit, a zesty palate and a long, very fresh finish. This wine seduces with its finesse, elegance and floral aroma.

Chateau Ksara Blanc De L'Observatoire is an interesting blend of aromatic white grapes: 45% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Muscat and 20% Clairette. The Sauvignon Blanc gives this wine its finesse and elegance, the Muscat its subtle flowery aroma and the Clairette its fruitiness, roundness and rich taste. Each wine is matured separately for three months in French oak casks, before being blended and bottled.

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.

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.

Almaza Pilsner Beer includes delicate aromas of grain and corn waft from the glass. And that’s not really surprising, when you discover that the brewery states “corn makes up to 25%” of the grain bill. But give the beer a few vigorous swirls to bring some of its head back. And you’ll soon discover that it also brings light notes of honey and flora, with grassy hints.

That light, delicate character also carries into Almaza Pilsener Beer’s flavor.