Atibaia White 2023

Seven months in French oak unite Chardonnay’s breadth with Viognier’s aromatic character.

This blend of Chardonnay and Viognier brings together two complementary expressions: Chardonnay’s texture and structure, and Viognier’s floral character and stone-fruit aromas. The result is a white with more breadth and presence than one built around freshness alone.

Seven months in French oak barrels help bring these elements together, adding texture and a subtle woody dimension to the aromatic profile. Peach, apricot and white flowers are the markers of the cuvée, while its palate weight and lingering finish make it well suited to the table rather than simply as an aperitif.

Its texture takes it beyond the usual pairings for delicate fish. It works particularly well with roast poultry, golden oven-roasted vegetables or Lebanese mezzes in which herbs, lemon and gentle spices meet the fruit.

Atibaia is a family-run winery in Smar Jbeil, in the mountains of Batroun, northern Lebanon. Its cellar occupies a traditional 17th-century house, set among historic villages, agricultural terraces and traces of the region’s past. The estate’s five hectares of vineyards lie at elevations of 400 to 600 metres, across varied sites ranging from alluvial plateaus to gravelly, clay-rich terraces and clay-limestone soils. Hand harvesting and careful grape selection underpin an approach that combines international varieties with the conditions of Lebanon’s Mediterranean climate. Stainless-steel fermentation tanks with temperature control are used in the cellar. Atibaia’s wines reflect the character of the vineyards scattered around Batroun, shaped by an artisanal approach attentive to the details of each wine.