Wine tasting stop at Chateau Ksara – in Lebanon
January 20, 2010 by admin
You may be surprised to learn that Lebanon is a source of world class wines – of course grapes have been grown and made into wine here for centuries, but it was mainly for local consumption. It was probably the influence of the French, who had a protectorate over Lebanon between two World Wars, that really took Lebanese wine-making into different league.
Wine tasting at Chateau Ksara in Lebanon
The Lebanese vineyards and wineries are concentrated in the Bekaa valley there the grapes are grown, and one of the most commercial wineries in this area is the Chateau Ksara. After our stay in Baalbek, we drove south through the Bekaa valley and stopped there for a spot of wine tasting. The Ksara winery is close to a busy road intersection and it was not quite setting of rolling vineyards that I’d had in mind, so close to all the traffic. But as you entered the drive, the elegant reception area and winery came into view, ideal for a quick stop off the highway and I suspect on the itinerary of many a coach tour.
Chateau Ksara in Lebanon
The whole operation was very slick with a 45 minute free tour. A pleasant lady on reception took us with a few others who arrived at the same time, and we sat and watched a video about the vineyard and winemaking here. Then she took us down into the cellars that were discovered in Roman times, where we could see some of the oldest bottles of the property being stored as well as the wine maturing in oak barrels. After that we went to a bar area and sat down to taste a few of the Ksara wines, which was very pleasant, but as it was a free tour, they were mainly everyday table wines and not of special quality. Lastly we were ushered into the shop where there was a wide selection of the different bottles to buy from the property. I bought a couple of half bottles, not being able to transport too much back to the UK.
It was a very enjoyable tour, but if you want to spend a lazy lunchtime surrounded by the vineyards in the countryside, there are probably other vineyards you could try, such as Kefraya or Massaya, that are a bit more off the beaten track. Or for a more personal style tour for wine enthusiasts make an appointment at Chateau Musar, in the hills close to Jeita near Beirut – you can read us about meeting the winemakers there.
Have you drunk any Lebanese wines? They’re often in the same style as a French claret and are usually a lot cheaper than a Bordeaux of similar quality. Seek them out in your local specialist wine shop and tell me what you think.
This article was posted as part of Wanderfood Wednesday hosted at Wanderlust and Lipstick – head over for some Indian Veggie burgers and other foodie delights.
Lebanon Wine Resources
Chateau Ksara website
Chateau Kefraya website
Chateau Massaya website
Chateau Musar website
Other Lebanon articles to enjoy
Meet the winemakers at Chateau Musar in Lebanon
Wine tasting in the Bekaa valley in Lebanon
Mezze memories in Lebanon
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Caitlin @ Roaming Tales on Wed, 20th Jan 2010 11:12 pm
I’m not surprised that Lebanon has traditionally been a centre for wine making – after all this is the Levant and known for the good life. However, I’m surprised to hear it’s currently world class given all the troubles in recent years.
jessiev on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 12:48 am
good to know – those photos sure make me want to go there. thanks!
arlene on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 1:08 am
You always have such wonderful pictures. I have never tried Lenabese wines. I am going to have to try some. The chateau looks awesome, but I think I would agree that a tour with lunch in the country would be a more satifying experience.
jen laceda on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 2:46 am
I will be looking for Lebanese wine in our local LCBO (liquor control board of ontario). Hope they’ll have some…
Dark Nomad on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 5:27 am
You know, when I think Lebanon, I don’t usually think of wine. Certainly something I’ll be looking up when I am there.
Keith on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 6:31 am
Yes … it did come as a surprise, but so did Tunisian wine. Both countries were under French influence for quite a while; I wonder if this has anything to do with it?
(I was also surprised to hear there’s some pretty good ski-ing in Lebanon, too)
Anil on Thu, 21st Jan 2010 2:05 pm
Was news to me but I’m not all together surprised. I think countries with mostly Muslim populations are assumed to be alcohol free but there are many great national drinks and wines in most of them.
Wanderluster on Fri, 22nd Jan 2010 1:26 pm
I had no idea. And your photos ARE fantastic!
Cecil Lee on Sat, 23rd Jan 2010 4:17 am
We couldn’t find any Lebanese wine here in Malaysia but it’s great to know that Lebanon does produce quality wine and didn’t expect from an Islamic country. Hopefully I could try it one day! Thanks for sharing.
Worldwide Travel Ideas on Sat, 23rd Jan 2010 6:44 pm
It’s always interesting to discover that wines are produced in some surprising places; we stumbled upon a winery in Myanmar our last trip there!
Joya on Wed, 27th Jan 2010 6:51 pm
This is great. I’m Lebanese American and didn’t even know about these places. I hope to visit family there soon and this will be on my to-do list.
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