Name: Atibaia Red 2017
Type: Red Wine
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah
Year: 2017
Country: Lebanon
Region: North Lebanon
Date Consumed: November 16, 2025

Atibaia Red 2017 opens with a soft nose. We get dried fruits, warm spices, and a touch of tobacco. On the palate, the wine is smooth and composed. It is medium-to-full bodied, and we get notes of wood and a gentle velvet texture. It’s balanced, almost refined, and undeniably enjoyable. I think I’d enjoy it even more if I were smoking a medium-bodied Dominican cigar…

But here’s the tension: The Atibaia Red 2017 is priced above its weight.

Lebanon has no shortage of excellent reds in this style, many offering more complexity and character at half the cost. The Atibaia Red is a good (almost great) wine, but it doesn’t fully justify the premium it asks for. It’s the kind of bottle you buy when you’re invited to lunch or dinner and want to show up with something polished to impress the host. It’s not the wine you casually uncork at home on a Wednesday (or even a Sunday) night without thinking twice.

Why the high price? Perhaps the winemaking leans heavily on tradition, or perhaps they’re targeting a specific niche. Whatever the reason, it raises the question more than it answers it.

Would I drink it again? Absolutely… but under the right circumstances. With its current price tag, it competes with dozens of Lebanese bottles that offer more depth, and frankly, better value.

The Atibaia Red 2017 is a lovely wine. A costly one. And one I’d revisit… occasionally.