Syria: a wine of hope blows at the Bargylus estate

Pliny the Elder spoke already in the 1st century AD. B.C.. of a mountain in present-day Syria called Mount Bargylus between the ancient cities of Antioch and Emesa. This mountain would be the place where the alphabet, the currency and the cultivation of the vine would have been revealed to men 3 years ago’000 years already. The hillsides of Bargylus were a hotbed of wine culture during the Greco-Roman Empire. The last vestiges of crosses and the famous Saladin are near the current locality of Deir Touma.

The Saadé family, an important and ancient family of Greek Orthodox owners in Syria and Lebanon, lost their land in 1960 when the Egyptian regime of Nasser expropriated them during the brief merger of Egypt and Syria. With the support of French oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt, Sandro and his brother Karim founded the Domaine de Bargylus on Mount Bargylus, now called Jebel Al-Ansariyé. The two Saadé brothers also founded the Château Marsyas in Lebanon., a vineyard of 65 hectares in La Plaine de la Bekaa.

In this highly unstable region where many businesses have been ruined by the conflict, the Saadé were not spared by the war. Last august, fights took place only 500 meters from the vineyard, and bullet holes are still visible on the walls of the estate. Fortunately, this situation did not last and the conflict moved a little further.

Regularly, "Some bombs fall on the vineyard. We don't know where they come from, but it is certainly a nearby village where there are extremists ", explains Sandro Saadé. The brothers are not sure their vines are being deliberately targeted. "We shouldn't imagine the worst", specifies Sandro. Karim Saadé doubts more. " Sadly, in the actual world, the worst is always possible. The first thing targeted would be the vine because wine is prohibited by these people ”, he specifies. This wine has become much more than a beverage, it is a symbol of perseverance and pride in the face of adversity, a form of resistance to extremism.

The wine of this domain, now known to be the most dangerous to produce, is also economically complicated to sell. The war is accompanied by various difficulties for the field. It is now very difficult for them to import the bottles and caps.

For fear of kidnapping, the two brothers took refuge in Lebanon and trust the courage of 35 employees who have taken care of the vines since the creation of the Estate. When it is necessary to perform tests, the team of workers sends the bunches in ice by taxi to Beirut and gives their briefing by videoconference. When the wine is ready, he travels during 45 days until Belgium to be stored.

This transport has a cost, which varies between 50 cents and 1 additional euro per bottle. But this additional cost is covered on the domain's margins to guarantee a stable price to consumers.. Finally, wine is three times more expensive to produce than in regions like Bordeaux.

"Good wine is each time a beautiful concertante symphony in four movements, performed to the rhythm of the seasons. Ensemble, ground, terroir, the climate and the grape varieties modulate the work, while the winegrower, as a soloist, prints its cadence. "

Philippe Margot

Today, geopolitics plays dissonance in this musical work.

Over the years, the aesthetic of Bargylus red has evolved. The first vintage in 2006, was a blend of 1/3 of Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 of Syrah and 1/3 of Merlot. With the well-known success of Syrah, they decided to change the blend of their wine. Le Bargylus 2010 is now composed of 2/3 of Syrah and 1/3 of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This wine is characterized by a very Mediterranean character. With time, Syrah forgets its aromas of black fruits and pepper to develop floral aromas with a note of peony. The balance in the mouth seems accomplished with fruitiness and round and elegant tannins.

The white wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc is well balanced with a mastered bitterness and with good length.. With aromas of white peach and passion fruit, this wine shows rather discreet buttery notes.