Chateau Musar Rose Cinsault Obeideh Merwah 2018 Bekaa Valley Lebanon 75cl

Chateau Musar is Lebanon’s most celebrated winery, founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar and run for decades by his son Serge, whose wines earned a devoted following around the world. The estate sits in the Bekaa Valley, where old vineyards climb to almost 1,000 metres above sea level, cooled by mountain air on both sides of the valley.

The rosé is one of Musar’s more unusual creations. It is built mainly on Cinsault alongside the native white grapes Obeideh and Merwah, a combination you will find almost nowhere else. The estate has always gone its own way, and this pink is no exception, with the high altitude keeping the fruit fresh and giving the wine its lift.

The 2018 is pale and inviting in the glass, with aromas of raspberry, soft red fruits and a twist of tangerine citrus that carry a savoury, almost herbal note underneath.

This is a dry, food-friendly rosé rather than a simple poolside pink. It has real texture and a gently savoury edge, the mark of the unusual grapes and the estate’s hands-off approach, which makes it far more versatile at the table than most rosés you will meet.

Serve it well chilled with Mediterranean mezze, grilled fish, roast vegetables or a relaxed summer lunch. Like all Musar wines it rewards a little curiosity, and it makes an interesting talking point for anyone who thinks they have tried every style of rosé.