Lebanon is among the oldest sites of wine production in the world. The Israelite prophet Hosea 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". The Phoenicians of the coastal strip were instrumental in spreading wine and viticulture throughout the Mediterranean in ancient times. Despite the many conflicts of the region, the country has an annual production of about 12,000,000 bottles of wine.
The wine making headquarters of Château Ksara, in Bekaa, Lebanon
Bottle of Château Musar 1999
Wine producing areas in Lebanon (red)
Visitors at the chateau, on a wine-tasting visit.
Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria, Lebanon, and Morocco. It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and Carignan to add softness and bouquet.
Cinsaut in Viala & Vermorel
Cinsaut growing in the Côtes du Luberon
Cinsaut vines.