< Read Before: Fine Vines: Lebanese Wine
Lebanon has been home to modern wineries since 1857, with an annual production of about 9 million bottles and almost 50 wineries. Here are 20 reasons to toast one of the country’s major exports
ADYAR
Year established 2001
Yearly production 90,000
Awards Gilbert Et Gaillard / Or Expression Monastique 2013 + Rechmaya 2012; Organic Award – Gold International Organic Wine Award IOWA
Latest release Sangiovese 2016
adyar.org.lb
AURORA WINERY
Year established 2006
Yearly production 15,000
Awards 90 Points in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2018
aurorawinery.com
BATROUN MOUNTAINS ORGANIC WINES
Year established 2003
Yearly production 60,000
Awards “PAR International Organic Wine Competition” in Germany, 8 awards, Riesling 2017 Top Gold, Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Gold, and six silver medals for Ruby 2015, Patriarches 2015, Syrah 2015, Prestige 2015, Chardonnay 2017 and Seven 2017
Latest release Elite Magnum size 1.5L
“Elite is selected from our finest family reserve wines and matured for 15 months in French and American oak barrels, followed by two years of bottle aging.”
batrounmountains.com
BYBLOS WINE
Year established 2013
Yearly production 9000
Latest release Byblos Wine 2013
CAVE KOUROUM
Year established 1998
Yearly production 300,000
Awards International Wine Challenge (UK) Bronze Medal for Petit Noir 2017
Latest release Petit Noir 2012 (Gold Medal Winner At Citadelles Du Vin Bordeaux 2013)
cavekouroum.com
CHÂTEAU BIAC
Year established Circa 1500 though the vineyard was producing wine in Roman times
Yearly production approximately 40,000 bottles of red and 1,000 bottles of sweet wine in Bordeaux, France
Awards Château Biac 2009 won a silver award at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 and Secret de Château Biac 2012 won the Diamond Trophy at the Sakura Women’s Wine Awards in Tokyo, Japan in 2017
chateaubiac.com
CHÂTEAU KA
Year established 2005
Yearly production 300,000
Awards Fleur De Ka 2008 / IWC / Silver Medal / 91 Pts
Cadet De Ka 2015 / IWC / Bronze Medal / 86 Pts
Latest release Fleur De Ka 2007
chateauka.com
CHÂTEAU KEFRAYA
Year established 1951
Yearly production 1.3 million
Awards Château Kefraya 2013 was recently rated 91/100 by The Wine Advocate of Robert Parker.
Latest release Château Kefraya 2013
“A highly qualitative wine defined by its elegance and distinct character.” – Fabrice Guiberteau
chateaukefraya.com
CHÂTEAU KSARA
Year established 1857
Yearly production 3 million
Awards Two gold medals at the Berlin Wine Trophy for Reserve du Couvent Red 2016 and Château Ksara Red 2015 and the Gold Medal at the Mondial du Rosé 2017 – Cannes.
Latest release Merwah
“Merwah is an ancient white grape, which is given profound expression by Lebanon’s formidable terroir. Merwah is grown on 60-year-old vines at over 1,500 meters, an altitude that gives freshness and flavor to the wine’s fruity and floral aromas – James Palgé
chateauksara.com
CHÂTEAU MUSAR
Year established 1930
Yearly production 600,000
Awards 17th in Best International Wine brand 2018
Latest release Château Musar red 2011
“Full bodied, complex and elegant, authentic wine.” – Gaston Hochar
chateaumusar.com
CHÂTEAU NAKAD
Year established 1923
Yearly production 150,000
Latest release Château des Coteaux 2012
chateaunakad.com
CHÂTEAU TROIS COLLINES
Year established 2017
Yearly production 30,000
Latest release Nysa Red 2017, Nysa white 2017 and Nysa rose 2017
“These un-oaked, fruity wines, made from the fruit of youthful eastern north Bekaa hills vines, modern style designed to respond to new patterns of consumption .” – Rabih Sadaka, Oenologue
troiscollines.com
CLOS DU PHOENIX
Year established 2013
Yearly production 8000
Awards 2016 Decanter London Cuvée de la Citadelle 2012
closduphoenix.com
DOMAINE DE BAAL
Year established 2006
Yearly production 20,000
Awards Gold at New Orleans International Wine Award – Domaine De Baal Red 2013
Latest release Domaine De Baal 2013
“Organic, full-bodied with a complex nose of black fruits and red berries. Elegant on the palate with silky tannins and a mineral finish.” – Sébastien Khoury, Owner
facebook.com/domainedebaal
DOMAINE DES TOURELLES
Year established 1868
Yearly production 350,000
Awards A triple title at the International Wine Challenge competition 2018; Great Value Champion Red; Gold Medal; The Jury’s Trophy – Domaine des Tourelles Red 2014
Latest release Vieilles Vignes Cinsault
“This bottle truly represents the identity of the Lebanese terroir.” – Issa Faouzi, Oenologue
domainedestourelles.com
IXSIR
Year established 2008
Yearly production 350,000
Awards EL IXSIR Red 2012 92/100 The Wine Advocat
(Robert Parker)
Latest release New Vintage: EL IXSIR Red 2014
“Nice complexity of aromas with red fruits, blackberry liqueur, touches of incense, and notes of mint and cedar sap. The palate a continuation of the nose, suave and intense, with a nice mineral tension characteristic of great limestone terroirs. A fresh finish and an extended length, which reveals a great aging aptitude.” – Gabriel Rivero Macia, Oenologue
ixsir.com
LATOURBA
Year established 2006
Yearly production 100,000
Latest release Unique Sparkling Wine
latourba.com
LES VIGNES DU MARJE
Year established 2018
Four wines: Le Vin Du Marje rouge, blanc and rosé and the Red Château Couvent De M, have just been released by Les Vignes Du Marje.
Yearly production 8000
lesvignesdumarje.com
MUSE DU LIBAN
Year established 2015
Yearly production 30,000
Awards 2018, Medaille D’or (Mondial Des Vins Extremes, Cervim) Muse Le Rouge 2016
Latest Bottle Muse Le Rouge 2015 Edition Privée
Latest release “Joli fruit noir. Belle matière avec une bonne concentration. De la fraicheur, de la densité et de la longueur.” – Michel Rolland, Oenologue
museduliban.com
SEPT
Year established 2016
Yearly production 10,000
Latest release Obeideh 2017
“2017 was an amazing vintage the wines are balanced and elegant with a beautiful minerality.” – Maher Harb, Owner
levinsept.com
