Historical Wines of Eastern Mediterranean
Chavyesh Acharya via Unsplash
Eastern Mediterranean wine and the stories behind them give a rare sip of history
The Eastern Mediterranean is considered to be the original source of winemaking with many stories to tell. The vineyards of Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, and others are the amphitheater surrounding this vital body of water that boasts histories as far back as Biblical times—and then some.
Sometimes wine is much more than a chuggable bottle of alcoholic goodness, though we like those too. Some are important cornerstones of history and encapsulate generations of family drama, weather, politics, a dash of mythology, religious adversity, and even throw it back to Lord of The Rings-esque sagas of yore.
While wine shopping, all of this history glares back at you in an unassuming package via electronic screens (or in-store, if you’re lucky), and it should tempt you to click “add to cart”. It’s a geeky journey not far out of reach, and with no shortage of nerdy historical facts, either.
Try some of these historical wines along with some modern favorites
Serge Hochar
Lebanon
Primitive viticulture in Lebanon began with The Phoenicians but its modern industry has been shaped in the last 250 years by legendary producers like Chateau Ksara, Domaine des Tourelles, and Chateau Musar. In the 19th century, French influence took over winemaking there, even amid The World Wars, making Beirut an epicenter for an upscale Mediterranean lifestyle, increasing wine production and consumption. The Lebanese Civil War gripped the country for 15 years through 1975 -1990, but, the country recovered and re-established itself as a wine-producing go-getter. However, the August 2020 explosion in Beirut’s port shook the country once again. The pandemic-stricken global wine community stood by Lebanon’s side by setting up everything from local to global fundraisers. And by drinking Lebanese wine, you’re helping. Broadbent Selections is donating 2% of Chateau Musar sales until the end of the year to help relief efforts.
Chateau Musar Hochar Père et Fils 2016 - Bekaa Valley ($30)
Gaston Hochar planted Chateau Musar’s first vines in Lebanon in 1930 and international acclaim followed. Serge Hochar, Gaston’s son, became the winemaker in 1959 and spent years perfecting the wines. Serge and his fierce determination led him to make wine during the Lebanese Civil War even when there were times it took days to transport the grapes from vineyard to winery. Serge described the 1982 vintage as “a pure wine of war”. Production morphed over time into many styles including this approachable, concentrated blend of cinsault, cabernet, and grenache from the Père et Fils (Father and Sons) label. To learn more about Chateau Musar, a book chronicling their story can be found here. To donate further to the people of Lebanon, Serge’s son, Marc, asks to send contributions via the non-profit, www.seal-usa.org.
Domaine des Tourelles Vielle Vignes Cinsault 2017 - Bekaa Valley ($20-$24)
François-Eugène Brun founded Domaine Des Tourelles in 1868—and it’s still alive and well today. Located in Nahlé in the Bekaa Valley, the winery stays true to its environmentally conscious roots and implements green farming, recycling, and social sustainability. This high-elevation, old-vine rouge is all cinsault (a grape brought to Lebanon by Jesuit Monks in the 1800s) bursting with freshness and a melodic mix of spicy red fruits.
Drying grapes for Commanderia, via Keo St John.
Cyprus
The island nation is right smack dab in the middle of the Eastern Mediterranean and has been producing wine here since 6000 BCE. The country’s sticky-sweet Commandaria wine is the oldest in the world that’s still in production. It was once referred to as “Cypriot Nama” and used for celebrations including Holy Communion in Jesus’ time. “Commandaria” as it is still known, got the name during The Crusades when the region in the Troodos Mountains was renamed “The Great Commandery” by the Knights of St. John. The “king of wines and the wines of kings” (as Richard the Lionheart referred to it) is made from sun-dried mavrodaphne (red) and xynisteri (white) grapes—pretty easy since Cyprus sees nearly 3,500 hours of sun per year! Exceptional Cypriot dry wines are a shoo-in for the history books, too.
This widely-known bottling of the aromatic amber-colored wine comes from the legally enforced boundaries (the only one on the island) of Commandaria and the 14 villages within it. Keo St. John’s is a blend of different vintages made through a solera system a la Sherry production. Consistent, decadent, delicious. And hello, that price!
Tsiakkis Xynisteri - Pitsilia ($23)
Dry wines are a thing here, too. Tsaiakkis’ zesty, grapefruity wine is made from Xynisteri, the white grape of Commandaria.
barrels at Carmel winery
Israel
The land of milk and honey is also a land of great wine with a burgeoning industry to match. Vine cultivation in Israel is well-documented in the world’s earliest texts, including The Book of Genesis—where Noah (of The Ark fame) made wine and got drunk and where Jesus turned water into wine. Modern Israel has funneled a rocky past into an optimistic future, especially when it comes to wine. Carmel Winery (the largest producer in the country) and its seductive cabernet blends kicked off in the 19th Century with a heavy Bordelaise influence. But Israeli winemakers, such as Victor Schoenfeld of Golan Heights Winery, who excel in local interpretations of international wines, today also sometimes forego the use of international grapes in favor of native grapes with promising results.
Recanati Reserve Marawi 2016 - Judean Hills ($28-$35)
This golden-hued wine is made from one of Israeli’s many homegrown grapes, Marawi, which is believed to have existed over 2,000 years ago. The wine pays tribute to Israel’s past and its present by including both Hebrew and Arabic on the label. Round, luscious, and with bright minerality, this white wine underpromises and over-delivers.
Carmel Winery Private Collection Winemaker’s Red Blend - Galilee ($15)
Edmund de Rothschild of Chateau Lafite recognized that Israel had the “je ne sais quoi” to make delicious wine when he started Carmel Winery in 1882. The brand has grown tremendously since then and offers a wide range of styles from every day to the ultra-luxurious—and Kosher.
Retsina, photo Agnee via Flickr
Greece
Where do we even begin with Greece? Philosophy, mythology, astronomy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and of course, wine. Greeks spread the vine over ancient Europe and gifted the world with many techniques—including vine trellising, dilution (to stop excessive drunkenness), and amphorae aging—way before the use of barrels. When wine was stored, the vessels were sealed with Aleppo pine resin to prevent oxygen from spoiling the batch. Over time the pine aromas infused itself into the wine—and (sometimes) it was surprisingly enjoyable. Ta-da! Retsina was born. Retsina as a style hit its prime in the mid 20th century, but overproduction and poor examples sent to export markets had consumers distancing themselves from not just Retsina, but most Greek wine. By the 1980s, the wine was deemed unpalatable for some consumers and their attention moved elsewhere—mostly to the oaky chards and burly cabs of California. However, with successful marketing strategies and quality-minded producers, Greek wines have sparked renewed interests today, namely island wines like Assyrtiko from Santorini (try Artemis Karamolegos or Domaine Sigalas) or Limnio from Lemnos, which is a wine that fascinated Aristotle. And yes, eyes (and palates) are back on Retsina, too. Intentionally infused today, winemakers are making good on the classic Retsina style and others have a few razzle-dazzle tricks up their sleeves.
Georgas Family Traditional Retsina 2017- Spata, Attica ($20-$23)
This traditional (as the name suggests) is made from the Savatiano grape - the main grape of Retsina production and hails from the town of Spata - the historical center of Retsina production. Herbaceous and citrusy, this lively amber-hued dry wine is organic, biodynamic, and of course, infused with some local pine resin.
Garalis Retsina of Lemnos Rosé - Lemnos ($15)
Innovative and fresh, this modern take on the classic Retsina is a blend of Muscat of Alexandria and Limnio and the resulting wine has an alluring pinkish-orange color. You can bet that both Aristotle and Dionysis would be first in line for a swig.
Turkey
Grape growing in Turkey goes back to nearly 9,000 BCE with some historians concluding that central Turkey, near the Euphrates River, was where the first cultivation of the grapevine occurred. Turkey has been inhabited by many civilizations and formed parts of the Ottoman, Roman, and Byzantine empires. Winemaking continued but was forbidden at times. Today, Turkey rounds out the top five grape growing countries in the world with nearly three million acres and 1,000 native varieties—but not all of these end up as wine. Turkey’s anise-flavored grape spirit, Raki, has become quite successful and sometimes outshines Turkish wine in sales. But, experimentation continues and stellar wines are still popping up every vintage.
Pașaeli Seahorse Rose 2019 - Aegean Region ($13)
This stunning salmon-colored rosé is made from çalkarasi, one of Turkey’s native grapes. Pașaeli was founded in 2000 by Seyit Karagözoğlu and works with Turkey’s native grapes, as well as international ones. Karagözoğlu is just one producer contributing to Turkey’s “wine renaissance” and bringing the history of the region to the world stage.
Kavaklidere Selection Ӧküzgözü-Boğaskere Blend 2016 - Eastern Anatolia ($17)
This indigenous duo of red grapes originally sprouted near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (remember them from World History class?). Established in 1929, Kavaklidere is one of the most iconic Turkish producers today. This Selection bottling solidifies what Turkey’s native grapes can do in the right hands. The intense, deeply-colored red has some Bordeaux-like yumminess that aches for beef stew or Halloumi cheese.
Jordan
Ancient grape presses and cave paintings found in Petra suggest that winemaking in Jordan dates back to 30 BC. Some research even indicates that Jesus drank Jordanian wine at The Last Supper. However, the modern industry today is small and the whereabouts of its native grapes are unknown. Jordanian wine owes most of its success to the Haddad Family of Jordan River Wines (Jordan Winery of the Year, 2018 NY International Wine Competition) who have acclimated French and Italian grapes to the landscape.
JR Jordan River Wines Pinot Noir Reserve 2016 - ($15)
Garnet-colored, with aromas of ripe strawberries and tea leaf, make this pinot noir come alive on the palate.