A prime selection from Lebanon’s vineyards

ENAR

Michael Karam, award winning author of Wines of Lebanon and Michael Karam’s Lebanese Wines 2011: A Comprehensive Guide, and associate editor-in-chief for executive, selects his favorite full-bodied Lebanese wines. Note: These wines are not for what people like to call easy drinking. They can be drunk now but most won’t have reached their best for at least seven to 10 years after vintage if allowed to age properly. Aging allows the tannins to soften and give a silky structure to ‘carry’ the fruit and spices which the wines have in abundance. They should also be decanted at least three hours before serving. This gives them time to settle and breathe. Château Belle-Vue 2006 A blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine has a reddish purple hue with notes of bell peppers, leather and stewed fruit, with a whiff of pork sausage. In the mouth, there is