Our choice of Lebanese Wine
Lebanon is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. In fact, Lebanon has been growing grapes for wine for so long that the Israelite prophet Hosea who was alive 780-725 BC was on record mentioning the quality of the wines of Lebanon. Of course, it was the Phoenicians who were the influential culture that was responsible for spreading wine and viticulture throughout the entire Mediterranean regions in ancient times.
Today Lebanon produces roughly over 7 million bottles of wine annually and the interest in these wines... Read More
Our choice of Lebanese Wine
Lebanon is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. In fact, Lebanon has been growing grapes for wine for so long that the Israelite prophet Hosea who was alive 780-725 BC was on record mentioning the quality of the wines of Lebanon. Of course, it was the Phoenicians who were the influential culture that was responsible for spreading wine and viticulture throughout the entire Mediterranean regions in ancient times.
Today Lebanon produces roughly over 7 million bottles of wine annually and the interest in these wines has been multiplying rapidly in the last couple of decades. In 1998 there were only 5 wineries in Lebanon, but today there are 33 running wineries producing very high-quality wines. The majority of the wine is made in the Western Bekaa Valley and in the hills above Zahle, but there are several producers that are planting with high expectations in new regions that have promising soils and microclimates. The most notable new regions being explored are Batroun and Jezzine, and also areas in the eastern part of Bekaa.
The most prized Lebanese wine region is the Bekaa Valley, which is a region supremely suited to growing wine grapes. It is a warm-weather region that has hot and dry summers but enjoys a nice diurnal temperature shift in the evenings. The Bekaa is also unique because it has its own natural water table that is supplied by melting snows coming off the slopes of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains. This is vital to their production because it ensures a long ripening season and a relatively low grape yield of 5 tons per hectare.
Lebanese winemakers have for a long time favoured using French grape varieties to produce their wines and in particular Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other Rhone varieties. However, today there are several producers reaching back to their heritage and making wines with indigenous grapes and finding success. The most iconic of the Lebanese grapes is the white grape called Obeideh.
Below is a list of a few producers to research and try out when seeking Lebanese wines of quality.
* Chateau Musar - This is definitely the best-known winery in all of Lebanon and produces wines very similar to those in Bordeaux. The winery is located in Ghazir, Lebanon, 24 kilometres north of the capital Beirut. Chateau Musar's grapes are located in the Bekaa Valley at an elevation of 1,000 metres, which is situated 40 km east of Beirut.
* Chateau Oumsiyat - Passion and heritage has been passed down through the Bou Sleiman family for four generations. When Joseph Bou Sleiman took over the reins at Château Oumsiyat, he blended respect for local tradition with modern techniques to craft contemporary wines. A passionate vine grower, Joseph also built a modern winery in the village of Mtein, where he creates wines that are a fusion of Old World and New World. The grapes are grown in the 78-hectare vineyard, situated at over 1,000 metres elevation in the beautiful Bekaa Valley, between Mount Lebanon to the west and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east. The altitude, microclimate and soils combine in this ancient terroir to produce fresh wines with a very Mediterranean “feel.”
* Chateau Ksara - Known as Lebanon's oldest winery, Chateau Ksara has a record of vine propagation that dates back to 1857. Not only is this winery the oldest, it also produces 2.8 million bottles a vintage and is the largest and most modern winery in the country. Even with this quantity of production, the wines produced are top quality selections that deliver exceptional depth and nuance.
* Domaine Wardy - This winery also has a deep history with roots back to 1891. They were also the first winery to produce a single varietal wine. Perhaps the most interesting is that they were the first to cultivate their grapes at higher altitudes. (1100 to 1400 meters)
