Chateau Ksara Rouge, 2019 75cl

BODEGA TOP PICK!!

🍷 CHÂTEAU KSARA CHÂTEAU ROUGE 2019 – BEKAA VALLEY, LEBANON

This is a fascinating wine with an extraordinary history. It’s one of Lebanon’s most iconic reds, and there are some brilliant stories behind it.

🔥 10 exciting facts about this wine

1. 🍷 Lebanon’s oldest winery – founded in 1857

Château Ksara was established by Jesuit monks in 1857, making it Lebanon’s oldest winery still operating today.

That’s 169 years of winemaking history!

2. 🦊 A fox accidentally helped discover its ancient wine cellars!

This is my favourite fact.

In 1898, monks were trying to smoke out a fox that had been killing their chickens.

Instead, they accidentally discovered an extraordinary network of ancient Roman-era caves beneath the estate!

Those caves are still used for ageing wine today. 

3. 🏛️ This wine is aged in ancient Roman caves

The winery has approximately 2 kilometres of underground tunnels.

The caves maintain naturally cool, stable conditions, making them ideal for maturing premium wines.

The 2019 Château Rouge spends approximately two years ageing in these historic caves after its oak maturation. 

4. 🍇 It’s effectively a Lebanese Bordeaux

The 2019 vintage contains:

• 60% Cabernet Sauvignon – structure, blackcurrant and power.
• 30% Merlot – softness, richness and ripe fruit.
• 10% Petit Verdot – colour, spice and complexity.

These are classic Bordeaux varieties, but Lebanon’s warmer climate gives the wine a distinctive personality.

5. ⛰️ The grapes grow around 1,000 metres above sea level

The Bekaa Valley enjoys hot Mediterranean days and much cooler nights.

This combination helps produce ripe, concentrated grapes while preserving freshness and acidity.

6. 🪵 Matured in French oak

The 2019 spends approximately 12 months in French oak barrels, around half of which are new.

This contributes notes of vanilla, spice and complexity.

7. 🍷 The wine has been made for over 100 years

Château Ksara’s iconic Château Rouge celebrated its centenary in 2021.

It’s a genuine Lebanese wine classic.

8. 🌍 Lebanon has an ancient wine heritage

Lebanon’s winemaking history stretches back thousands of years.

The ancient Phoenicians, who inhabited parts of modern-day Lebanon, were among the Mediterranean’s great wine traders.

9. 🥩 A fantastic wine for steak and lamb

Expect:

🍒 Ripe raspberry
🫐 Blackcurrant
🌶️ Sweet spice
🍦 Vanilla
🍂 Leather and savoury complexity

Full-bodied, structured and elegant, with a long finish.

10. ⭐ The 2019 is drinking beautifully now

At seven years old, this vintage is entering an appealing stage of maturity.

It has the structure to continue developing, but there’s no need to wait.

I’d recommend decanting for approximately 45–60 minutes and serving at 16–18°C.

The 2019 blend, maturation and tasting characteristics are documented in the vintage’s technical information.