Wine Regions : Lebanon
Lebanon is one of the oldest sites of wine production in the world. Early inhabitants of the region, the Phoenicians,
were instrumental in spreading wine and viticulture throughout the Mediterranean in ancient times. The country
has an annual production of about 600,000 cases of wine, mostly influenced by French wines of Bordeaux and the Rhone.
Lebanese winemakers have favored French grapes, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Rhone varietals such as
Cinsaut, Carignan and Grenache. However Lebanon has a rich heritage of indigenous grapes which are attracting more
attention — for instance Musar White is made from a blend of Obaideh and Merwah. The Lebanese claim that
Obaideh is an ancestral form of Chardonnay.
All the major wineries have their vineyards in the southern Beqaa Valley. Chateau Ksara remains much the largest,
with 70% of all the country's production.
Production Regions
