College Ave.
Thursday, June 26th
5-7:30pm
Get ready for a tasting that rewrites everything you thought you knew about Lebanese wine. Featuring boundary-pushing bottles from both Heya Wines, a bold new collective led by Claudine Lteif and Michelle Chami spotlighting native grapes through experimental co-ferments and Mersel, the groundbreaking project of Eddie Chami, this lineup from the Terra Sancta Trading portfolio (distributed by Nomadic) celebrates Lebanon’s indigenous varieties reimagined through a vibrant, contemporary lens.
Born and raised in Australia to parents who fled the Lebanese Civil War, UC Davis alum Eddie Chami established Mersel as a way to reconnect with his ancestral home and honor the grapes that grow in its diverse landscape. He sources largely from old vineyards (some up to 150 years old) in the highest viticulture region in Lebanon, planted to native varieties like Merwah, Sabbaghieh, and Maghdouche, along with Cinsault and Sauvignon Blanc introduced by the French after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Simply put, Eddie tells the story of his family’s home through wines born of snow-capped peaks and impossibly old vines.
From pet-nats and skin-contact whites to co-ferments and avant-garde blends, this lineup is all about honoring tradition while embracing the edge. Expect bright acidity, raw energy, and a whole lot of soul.