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Thursday, May 6, 2021

Mezze Platter with Lebanese Wines #WinePW

The Lebanese Mezze Table: Much More Than Food, A Social Gathering! Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served to accompany alcoholic drinks in the Near East, the Balkans, and parts of Central Asia. In Levantine, Caucasian, and Balkan cuisines, meze is often served at the beginning of multi-course meals. (Source: https://www.nogarlicnoonions.com/)

Mezze Platter with Lebanese Wines

Join us today as we explore Middle Eastern Food and Wine Pairings.......
I am hosting the Wine Pairing Weekend this month.  I asked the others to join me on an exploration of Middle Eastern Foods and Wines.  Some of us are sharing the wines.  Some the cuisine.  And some of us are sharing both.  We will be meeting up on Saturday morning, May 8th, at 11 AM ET on Twitter to chat about our findings.  We would love to have you join us.  You will find us by following #WinePW.  Here are the topics we will be discussing......


Lebanese Wines

I wanted to make Lebanese Food so I went on a search for Lebanese wines.  Easier said than done.  I finally found these two bottles at Woods Wholesale Wine in Detroit.  

2013 Chateau Musar 'Gaston Hochar', Bekaa Valley, Lebanon retails for $46.96.  Here are the winemakers notes as listed on the store's website.  
A dense deep red with our characteristic sweet/savoury/spicy blend of Cinsault, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon.

I don't know if I got a bad bottle or what.  It didn't smell as if it had turned, however it was extremely tart.  I took one sip and gave the rest of my glass to Frank who finished it but also did not care for it.  When our guests arrived, my friend Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures, also tried a glass of this wine. She said that after the first two sips it was okay.  She switched to the black box wine I had on the counter after her first glass.  

Needless to say I was very disappointed in this wine and pairing with food did not help it.  I've noted that several others are sharing their thoughts on this wine as well.  I'm anxious to see what they thought. It will help me to determine whether I just don't care for this wine or if I just got a bad bottle.


Shish Tawook, Beef Kafta and Lebanese Rice.

The 2018 Chateau Musar 'Musar Jeune' Blanc, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, on the other hand, was a steal at an RSP of $20.99.  I enjoyed this wine thoroughly.  It was smooth and fruity.  Hints of lemon and very balanced.  I enjoyed a glass with the Mezza Platter and another with dinner of Shish Tawook, Beef Kafta and Lebanese Rice.

Mezze Platter

We were celebrating Frank's 70th birthday and had gorgeous weather making it possible to enjoy it outside on our deck.  I put together a Mezze Platter and set out hummus, baba ghanouj and garlic paste that I had bought from the Lebanese Grill.  I love that restaurant.

I hope that you will join us on Saturday, May 8,  at 11 AM ET for Twitter Chat.  You will find us by following #WinePW.  


18 comments:

  1. Oh no!! You definitely got a bad bottle. I've had that wine several times and it's nice. Such a pity. Thanks for hosting this month!

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    1. I was afraid of that....it was turning into vinegar I think. I should have corked it, saved it and returned it to the store.

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  2. That’s such a shame. I’d certainly let your retailer know. Thanks for hosting. It spread my wings to try a wine from Israel.

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  3. What an amazing topic! Sorry about that turned wine, especially at that price point. But I'm glad you were able to celebrate Frank's birthday with Amy and family. Cheers.

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  4. It's so sad when you get a bad bottle. The Blanc sounds wonderful though and what an amazing spread!

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    1. Thanks it was very disappointing but we still had a good time.

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  5. Wendy - Thank you for hosting this great topic. Your food looks wonderful and I am glad you enjoyed one of those wines. I have had bottles of Chateau Musar I loved and a couple that disappointed me. They are organic I believe and there is more variation between their wines then in conventional farming. That said, whatever the reason, it's disappointing and at that price point even more so. So glad Frank had a great birthday, I know these had been difficult period for you.

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    1. Thanks so much. We are getting by. It will get easier but it will never be easy.

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  6. Too bad about the Chateau Musar red! I've had that or very similar and it was very good. Thanks for hosting!

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    1. I don't think I will be trying it again. That is kind of a high price point for me to take another chance on it.

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  7. Sorry to hear about the bad bottle. Maybe you could talk to the wine shop and get some store credits for next purchases. They need that feedback too as the next customer may run into the same problem with the wine. Your mezza platter looks picture perfect and seemed to be a great match with the 'Musar Jeune' Blanc. Your post inspired me to try Lebanese wines, which I still haven't had a chance.

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    1. Thanks Pinny. I think I will just call them and let them know. They are an hour away from me and I will forget if I wait until I am down that way again.

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  8. Your mezze platter looks like the perfect spread for celebrating Frank's birthday. Thank you for hosting such a fun and flavorful topic, I love Middle Eastern cuisine! High time I get to tasting some Middle Eastern wines. Cheers!

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  9. Thanks for choosing this topic -- it was a lot of fun and gave me a chance to further explore the history of one of the countries in my background. Ch. Musar can be tricky and the bottles vary A LOT by vintage. I'm sorry you got a rough one, but glad the white was good! And a belated happy birthday to Frank!

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I enjoy getting comments and feedback from my audience. Please let me know what you think, keeping in mind that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and opinions. I am happy to hear yours as long as they are stated nicely.