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Lebanese wine

Lebanon is among the oldest sites of wine production in the world.[1] The Israelite prophet Hosea (780–725 BC) is said to have urged his followers to return to God so that "they will blossom as the vine and fame be like the wine of Lebanon, [and] their fragrance will be like that of Lebanon".[2] The Phoenicians of the coastal strip were instrumental in spreading wine and viticulture throughout the Mediterranean in ancient times.

Lebanon Map: Vitis vinifera evidence from ancient Rome shows wine was cultivated and then domesticated in Lebanon, at least two thousand years before Alexander the Great

During the Ottoman period, wine production in Lebanon was restricted for four hundred years, except for religious purposes, which allowed Lebanese Christians to maintain viticulture. In 1857, the Jesuits founded La Maison Ksara near Zahle. The late 19th century witnessed further growth with wineries like Domaine des Tourelles and Domaine Wardy. The arrival of the French Mandate (1920–1946) spurred another period of expansion. French soldiers and diplomats created a significant local market and introduced new grape varieties. This period saw the founding of renowned wineries like Domaine Nakad, Château Musar, and Clos Saint Thomas. Following independence in 1943, the wine industry faced challenges due to the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990). However, a few wineries, like Château Kefraya, were founded.[3]

A significant revival in Lebanese wine making began in the late 1990s. As of 2014, Lebanon has over 43 wineries, with nearly half in the Beqaa Valley.[4] Despite the many conflicts of the region, the country has an annual production of about 12,000,000 bottles of wine.[citation needed]

History

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Antiquity

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See also: History of ancient Lebanon and Phoenicians and wine

Vitis vinifera may have been domesticated in Lebanon, although it probably arrived from the South Caucasus via Mesopotamia or the Black Sea trade routes. Vines grew readily in the land of Canaan, the coastal strip of today's Lebanon, and the wines of Byblos were exported to Egypt during the Old Kingdom (2686 BC–2134 BC). The wines of Tyre and Sidon were famous throughout the ancient Mediterranean, although not all the cargoes reached their destination; Robert Ballard of Titanic fame found the wrecks of two Phoenician ships from 750 BC, whose cargo of wine was still intact.[5] As the first great traders of wine ('Cherem'), the Phoenicians seem to have protected it from oxidation with a layer of olive oil, followed by a seal of pinewood and resin—this may well be the origin of the Greek taste for retsina. The philosophers Zeno of Citium and Chrysippus of Soli are both said to have enjoyed their wine, in fact the latter died from overindulgence.

Wine played an important part in Phoenician religion, and the Greek/Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus may have originated in the wine rituals of Canaan. Certainly the great temple at Heliopolis (Baalbek) has many depictions of vines and winedrinking, most famously captured by David Roberts in pictures such as 'Baalbec - Ruins of the Temple of Bacchus'.[6][7] Such rituals may also have influenced the Greek Bacchae, the Jewish Passover Seder feast and the Christian Eucharist. The Bacchus temple in Baalbek outlines the instrumental role that the Phoenician played in the development of the Ancient World around the Mediterranean sea.[8] through the widespread peaceful settlements that reached Spain. Genesis 14:18 mentions that the Phoenician King Melchizedek gave bread and wine (yayin) to Abraham, and Hosea 14:8 suggests "his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon".[citation needed]

Under Muslim rule

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Once Lebanon became part of the Caliphate, wine production declined, although under the millet system it was tolerated among the Christian population for religious purposes. The Christians also developed Arak, an ouzo-like spirit flavored with aniseed.

 
The wine making headquarters of Château Ksara, in Bekaa, Lebanon

The first winemaker in Lebanon was Chateau Joseph Spath (Chateau Chbat) in 1847 at aaramoun kesrouan, later following of winemaker at Château Ksara in 1857 when Jesuits planted Cinsaut vines from Algeria at Château Ksara near Zahlé in the central Beqaa Valley.[9] In 1868 a French engineer, Eugène François Brun, set up Domaine des Tourelles.[citation needed] In 1893, Domaine Wardy was founded.[3]

Under French rule

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The French influence between the World Wars promoted a culture of wine drinking, as did the sophisticated Mediterranean culture of Beirut at that time. During this period, a few wineries were founded, including Domaine Nakad in 1923, Gaston Hochar's Chateau Musar in 1930, and Clos Saint Thomas in 1937.[3]

Independent Lebanon

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Bottle of Château Musar 1999

Frenchman Yves Morard of Chateau Kefraya was arrested as a spy during the Israeli invasion, and was only released when he proved to the Israelis that he knew how to make wine.[10]

The end of the conflict in the 1990s brought a new momentum to the viticulture and we could track the renaissance of the Lebanese wines to the set up of Domaine Wardy in 1997 and Massaya in 1998 that marked the active involvement of French wine dynasties in the Bekaa Valley.[11] Back then, the number of producers was around 5 and at present more than 50[12] wineries are active in Lebanon.

The 2006 conflict, did not really change the trend even if some wineries were on the edge of missing the harvest (Ksara) and got collateral damages (Massaya). However, the media coverage translated into surge in demand during the fighting as British buyers in particular bought Lebanese wine as a mark of solidarity.[13]

Grape varieties

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Wine producing areas in Lebanon (red)

There are grapes that are specific and indigenous to Lebanon such as Obaideh and Merwah.[14][15]

Wineries

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Visitors at the chateau, on a wine-tasting visit.

Most of the major wineries have their vineyards in the southern Beqaa Valley. Château Ksara remained the biggest as of 2005, with 70% of all the country's production.[16] It is no longer connected with the Jesuit house of Tanail, it was sold in 1972 and suffered considerably during the Lebanese Civil War, but has now bounced back.

Next biggest is Château Kefraya, whose majority of shares were bought by Druze politician Walid Jumblat from the De Bustros family in the late 1980s.

Musar achieved international recognition at the Bristol Wine Fair of 1979 [17] and for a long time was the only Lebanese wine widely available in the United Kingdom. Chateau Musar is known for transporting the grapes across the front line during the Lebanese Civil War.

List of Lebanese wines

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Wine Name Date of Production Origin Founder
Karam Wines [1] 2002 Jezzine Captain Habib Karam
Château Héritage 1888 Qabb Ilyas Touma Family (la Famille Touma)
Domaine Wardy 1997 Beqaa Valley Managed and Owned by the Wardy Family
Château Kefraya 1951 N/A
Château Khoury N/A N/A
Château Marsyas 2007 Beqaa Valley Johnny R.Saadé family
Château Musar 1930 Beqaa Valley Gaston Hochar
Château Nakad in Jdita N/A N/A
Château Qanafar 2010 Beqaa Valley Naim family
Couvent St. Sauveur N/A N/A
Domaine des Tourelles 1868 Beqaa Valley, Chtaura François-Eugène Brun
Château St Thomas 1995 Beqaa Valley, Qabb Elias Touma Family
Cave du monastère st. Jean 1720 (Renovated 2006) Khenchara
RIACHI [2] 1839 Khenchara Moussa Riachi
Cave Kouroum 1998 Kefraiya Bassim Rahhal
Clos de Cana N/A N/A
Domaine de Baal 1995 Zahle - Bekaa Valley Sebastien Khoury
IXSIR 2008 Batroun Gabriel Rivero
Château Ksara 1857 Beqaa Valley Zafer Chaoui
Massaya N/A N/A
Nabise Mont Liban N/A N/A N/A
Terre Joie [3] 2011 West Beqaa Joe Saade
V Divino N/A Beqaa Valley Vanessa Srouji
St. George 2010 N/A Kabalan Abou Jaoude

See also

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References

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  • Karam, Michael (2005) "The Wines of Lebanon" Saqi Books - reference book on Lebanese wine
  1. ^ McGovern, Patrick E. 2003. Ancient wine: the search for the origins of viniculture. Princeton University Press
  2. ^ quoted from McGovern, Patrick E. 2003. op. cit., p. 202
  3. ^ a b c Antoun, Layal Bou (2014). "Wine Industry in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon: Food-Processing Industry as a Basis for Community Dynamics and Local Socio-Economic Development" (PDF). 1st Mediterranean Interdisciplinary Froum on Social Sciences and Humanities, MIFS 2014: 355.
  4. ^ Antoun, Layal Bou (2014). "Wine Industry in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon: Food-Processing Industry as a Basis for Community Dynamics and Local Socio-Economic Development" (PDF). 1st Mediterranean Interdisciplinary Froum on Social Sciences and Humanities, MIFS 2014: 355.
  5. ^ MIT technology helps map ancient Phoenician shipwrecks MIT press release
  6. ^ Baalbec - Ruins of the Temple of Bacchus Liverpool Museums
  7. ^ Roberts prints of Baalbek Medina Arts
  8. ^ The origins of wine and wine making
  9. ^ Scruton, Roger (13 March 2006). "Roger Scruton falls for Lebanese wine". New Statesman.
  10. ^ Kassman, L Lebanon's Wine Industry: New Face for Country Once Known for War Archived 15 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine Voice of America, 2 December 2004
  11. ^ "Lebanese Wine - Prestige Magazine". Prestige Magazine. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  12. ^ Wine, 209 Lebanese. "Lebanese Wineries - Discover All Lebanese Wine Makers". 209 Lebanese Wine.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Adrian Blomfield and Ramsay Short Women rescue Lebanon's wine after fighting threatens to ruin harvest Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2006
  14. ^ "Obaideh Wine Information". Wine-Searcher.
  15. ^ Musallam, Raya (20 January 2018). "Global Dynamics of the Wine Industry Winter 2018: Lebanon's Native Grapes: Obaideh and Merwah".
  16. ^ Speetjens, Peter Lebanese wine looks to make a comeback Communicate October 2005
  17. ^ A Reason interview with Lebanese wine writer Michael Karam Reason.com

Jean-Pierre BEL, Les paysages viticoles de la Bekaa (Liban), Paris : BoD, 2009, 232 p

Jean-Pierre BEL, Vignes et vins au Liban : 4 000 ans de succès, Paris : BoD, 2014, 416 p

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