BEHIND THE WINE LIST
We caught up with General Manager, Steve, to go behind our wine list, and unearth some hidden gems that go beyond classic grapes and winemaking styles.
THE LIST
Our wines are designed to complement the smoky, rich food from our open charcoal grill, and to marry up the flavours and spices of the Levant. We love to go off the beaten track with our list and bring some lesser-known grapes and styles to people. I’m also really passionate about making wine accessible to everyone – great wine doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Grapes are actually the most planted fruit in the world and there over 10,000 varieties of them – so get exploring and don’t just stick to the classics!
I’m also particularly into wines from Lebanon at the moment and you’ll see a quite a few of those in my recommendations below. The country is known for high altitude wine cultivation, hand harvesting and the use of native grape varieties – which is huge point of difference for those who are adventurous with their wine choices.
THE WHITES
Rabl Grüner Veltliner | Kamptal, Austria
Grüner veltliner is a wine that’s made for food, and if you love a pinot grigio, this should be next on your hit list. This one from the award-winning Rabl (founded in 1750), has spicy grapefruit and vibrant lime cordial aromas, with lots of apple notes and a zesty, refreshing finish.
BABA food match: BABA ganoush
Ixsir Altitudes White | Batroun, Lebanon
Ixsir is one of the highest vineyards in the northern hemisphere at 1,800m – high altitude wines get more sun during the day and cool winds at night, so it means the final flavour is more intense. The winery is actually one of the greenest buildings in the world too, using 75% less energy than a standard winery – pretty impressive! Their Altitudes white is a great balancing act between three grapes: obeideh (a local variety), muscat and viognier. You’ll find rose and jasmine on the nose with a palate of citrus fruits.
BABA food match: yoghurt-marinated whole grilled sea bream with harissa, fennel and orange
THE ROSÉ
Chateau Oumsiyat Soupir | Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
The Bekkaa Valley is probably the best-known wine region of Lebanon, where the star winery, Chateau Musar, are based. Chateau Oumsiyat is run by the Bou Sleiman family, who’ve been making wine for four generations and blend local traditions with modern techniques. The Soupir rosé is a blend of syrah, tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon – it’s a stylish dry rosé, with notes of wild red berries, with a refreshing finish.
BABA food match: hot-smoked sea trout with burnt lemon yoghurt and charred guindillas
THE REDS
Vachnadziani Kakheti Saperavi | Kakheti, Georgia
Georgia has been making wine for 8,000 years – so unsurprisingly, they’re pretty good at it! We’re a bit closer to sea level here, with the altitude at 320m. The low-lying terrain means the local saperavi grapes (similar to cabernet sauvignon) have less acidity due to the higher temperatures. This particular wine has smoky ripe plum flavours with earthy undertones, along with notes of spices and wild berry, and a smooth, elegant finish.
BABA food match: slow-cooked lamb shoulder with ptitim
Chateau Oumsiyat Mount Lebanon Merlot | Mount Lebanon, Lebanon
This is my second wine from Chateau Oumsiyat, but this one’s from a different region of Lebanon—Mount Lebanon—which happens to be home to the capital, Beirut. This fruit-forward Merlot is smoother than Barry White on Valentine’s Day, and it’s full of black plum flavours with notes of chocolate and vanilla.
BABA food match: chuck-eye steak with burnt chilli butter, lettuce and white onion
So now you know a bit about our wines, try something new the next time you’re in the restaurant. And don’t be shy about asking for a recommendation – we’re always happy to have a wee chat through the list!