Revisiting Lebanese Wines: Chateau Kefraya Les Exceptions Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

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Name: Chateau Kefraya Les Exceptions Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
Year: 2016
Country: Lebanon
Region: Bekaa Valley
Date Consumed: September 5, 2026

Every time we visit Château Kefraya, we try at least one bottle from their Les Exceptions series. The main reason is simple: we can’t find Les Exceptions bottles anywhere else. So this time, and for a second time, we tried the single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from 2016, and my first impression was just… wow. Last time we had it was back in 2024.

In the glass, the wine has a deep ruby color, with brick-red tinges around the rim and a noticeable amount of sediment. The first sip introduces a harmony of dark fruit, licorice, cedarwood, and tobacco. The finish is long, leaving behind secondary notes of leather and black pepper.

After my wife and I emptied the bottle, I spent a moment wondering whether I should take one home. But our energetic 18-month-old toddler and restless dog made me forget all about it.

A Day at the Pool

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Sun in my eye
as I try
to catch a happy toddler,
my son,
jumping into the cold water
I’m in.
He doesn’t know how to swim, but
he loves the water.
He jumps into the pool bravely
once, twice, thrice,
and many more times.

Sun on my shoulders
as I stand behind him.
My shadow becomes the shade
he plays in
for a while.
The rays of the hot summer sun
sting my shoulders.
I feel the burn,
but
I don’t mind it.

I look up, and my eyes meet
his mother’s eyes,
my wife,
my lovely, lovely wife.
She’s over there
on a chaise longue by the pool.
I smile, and I nod,
which means she can sunbathe
for a little while longer,
just a little while longer,
until our son starts looking for her.

I close my eyes for a second and
try to register our day at the pool
in my mind.
I want this to be
a memory I come back to.

I take a sip of warm beer.
I’m happy.

Side Notes on Paul Klee’s May Picture

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What is Paul Klee’s May Picture if not a patchwork? It’s not an aerial shot of beautifully arranged fields of flowers. No. I see pieces of cloth sewn together. And when my eyes hover over the upper center-right, I see that (most of the) lighter-colored pieces of cloth were used there… Something is unbalanced there. Although it could be just the wind that’s blowing, there’s something behind the patchwork. Is that the profile of a dog in a scarf? It could be, but it also doesn’t have to be. What is it? I can’t tell, and I’m not sure if I really want to know. I like the shades of red on the bottom left of the canvas. Together, they form the anchor of the whole piece.