Chillable reds are — forgive the pun — hot right now, and Mersel’s Red Velvet is a great one. Mersel itself is a winery focused on making natural, high-altitude, cool-climate wines in Lebanon. Mersel’s wines have a wonderful drinkability about them — they are fresh, refreshing, and delicious. Their 2021 Red Velvet is a prime example. Made of 100% Merwah, an indigenous Lebanese grape, it is the perfect wine to see through the last days of summer. Whole cluster fermentation yields notes of fresh raspberries, strawberries, and plum, all balanced by zippy acidity and a well-integrated 13% alcohol. Serve chilled, on its own or with lighter fare.
Mersel, Bekaa Valley (Lebanon) Merwah 2021
By John McDermott