The National Institute of Vine and Wine inaugurated its official headquarters in Hazmieh, Beirut, in the presence of Eng. Louis Lahoud, director general of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture; Dany Gedeon, director general of the Lebanese Ministry of Industry; Zafer Chaoui , chairman of the board of directors of the National Institute for Vine and Wine; Mounir Al-Bassat, president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists; Salim Al-Zayni , president of the Syndicate of Food Industry Owners; George Nasrawi, dean of Lebanese Food Industries, as well as affluent members of the Lebanese community, board members and ambassadors.
In his speech, Chaoui gave an overview of the establishment of the National Institute of Vine and Wine and summarized its objectives within the strategic action plan for the years 2022-2024. Gedeon detailed the role of the Ministry of Industry within the wine sector, praising the efforts of wine producers for their high-quality wines and competitiveness. He also thanked farmers for their dedication and efforts to uphold food security standards and invited all the entities to work together for the development and success of the sector.
Lahoud emphasized the strong ties between the Ministry of Agriculture and the wine sector, and he detailed the ministry’s constant support through controlling the quality of wine production, organizing conferences and opening new markets, which in return increase productivity and job opportunities. He also mentioned the ministry’s joint wine tourism initiative with the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, which culminated with the establishment of the National Institute of Vine and Wine (INVV).
The purpose of INVV is to:
• Study and propose ways to develop the vine and wine sectors in Lebanon and improve their quality and specifications;
• Study the influence and effect of terroir on the various kinds of vines;
• Supervise the implementation of geographical, qualitative, and numerical vine criteria in cooperation with other entities (the Ministry of Agriculture’s directorate of studies and coordination, the Agricultural Research Institute and the Institute of Industrial Research)
• Identify specific geographic areas of wine production (AOC) and production conditions;
• Establish rules for wine classification and certification;
• Propose regulations for wine production and sale (import-export);
• Develop marketing policies for the local and international markets;
• Deliver comprehensive guidelines and support for the Lebanese wine industry and vine sector
• Create specialized tasting centers.
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Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
