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Said Touma had the dream of producing great wines for the international market after the end of the Lebanese civil war. Doing this by follwoing the ancient wine-growing traditions of his home country. The wine enthusiast began planting the first "Noble Grapes" on the slopes of the Lebanon Mountains at an altitude of over 1,000 metres in 1993. He initially cultivated 20 hectares after 40 years of experience including his long stays in France and Italy.
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He founded the winery on a slope looking over the majestically Beqaa-Valley in 1997 together with his five children Nadia, Nathalie, Claudine, Micheline & Joe Assaad (left) and named it Clos St. Thomas (Arab Mar Touma) after his surname. Assaad, an oenologist who studied in France, is now in charge of the winemaking. Their investment was around 4 million dollars and enabled them to vinify and bottle the first vintage in 1998. 1999 the first wines wines were released on to the market.
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Les Gourmets Rouge, Blanc and Rosé are their uncomplicated entry-level wines. The full-bodied and flavoured Château St. Thomas, which is made from Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah, matures in new French barriques. One world class wine.
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This was also confirmed by the English wine critic Oz Clarke: "Clos St.Thomas makes amazing red wines". White wines too - these are extremely balanced and with harmonious acidity. Made in a natural wine cellar, which was drilled into (up to 20 meters deep) the rocks of the mountain. These wines are stored at constant 16°C and in ideal natural conditions.
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They have currently planted 65 hectares with grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir, Merlot, Muscat de Hamburg, Syrah and Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano). "Even better than organic", says Joe Assad, and therefore no certification is needed.
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The annual production is 1 million bottles. 70% of which are exported. The main customers are Europe, Canada, but also Japan and some Arab countries. Importantly, St. Thomas is known for its long family tradition regarding a first-class Arak
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