Chateau Kefraya : Comte de M 2011

A Complex and Juicy Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah

The Chateau Kefraya estate, founded by the visionary Michel de Bustros, extends over 300 hectares of terraced vineyards planted on the slopes of Mount Barouk in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Home to a wide range of varietals grown in a diverse mosaic of micro-terroirs, the vineyards are managed using principles of sustainable viticulture with minimal intervention. Following the core philosophy of its founder, the estate specializes in the production of varietal blends as a way to offer a complex expression of terroir. The Comte de M 2011 from Chateau Kefraya blends around 82% Cabernet Sauvignon with 18% Syrah, harvested from a 9-hectare area located at 1,100 meters above sea level. The blend is aged in new French oak barrels for 24 months.

The Comte de M 2011 by Chateau Kefraya is a very elegant refined wine, offering fresh aromas of red fruits and plum on the nose. The palate is tense, fresh and juicy with a hint of spice and fine acidity, while the mid-palate is quite tight, suggesting great evolution after some time in the bottle. Over time, the oak promises to integrate nicely with the fruit to deliver a complex, generous and pronounced finish.

Wine Advocate-Parker :
The 2011 Comte de M has become quite a nice value, showing consistently fine quality at a reasonable price point. It is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with 17.8% Syrah added in; aged for 24 months in new French oak of various toasts. This is a much more elegant and refined vintage than some we have seen in the past, with fine acidity. Where some seemed like blockbusters (the 2009 was a Big Boy), this has more grace. It won't be as obvious, perhaps, but in many respects I liked it about as well. Tightly wound, it shows subtle concentration, never seeming either thin or jammy. It isn't shy on power, though. It finishes very tight, with fine fruit. That tightly wound mid-palate is attractive and the wine promises that there will be complexity to come. The main problem is that the oak is a bit intrusive just now, but that should change. Overall, it is beautiful, even if different. Sourced from Cabernet vines planted in 1995 and Syrah vines planted in 2002, there were 44,000 bottles produced.