Lebanese Wine

Lebanon's Bekaa Valley Delivers a Red Blend of Remarkable Depth and Character

Chateau Kefraya is one of Lebanon's most storied estates, farming the high-altitude vineyards of the Bekaa Valley — a region with one of the oldest winemaking histories in the world. The 2020 Chateau Kefraya is a Bordeaux-inspired blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre: a wine of genuine complexity, Mediterranean character, and elegant structure that consistently overdelivers for its price.

Winemaker Notes

Deep ruby in color with garnet reflections. The nose is remarkably powerful and elegant — an harmonious blend of fresh red fruits, spicy and floral notes, woody and roasted nuances. The second nose reveals cigar box, menthol, licorice, spices, and garrigue through a palette of ripe and slightly candied red fruits. Full-bodied and structured on the palate with a long, layered finish.

Vineyard & Provenance

• Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cinsault, Mourvèdre
• Appellation: Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
• Producer: Chateau Kefraya
• Vintage: 2020
• Farming: Vegan
• Size: 750ml

Food Pairings

A natural match for Eastern Mediterranean cuisine — exceptional with grilled lamb, kibbeh, slow-roasted beef, aged cheeses, and herb-crusted rack of lamb.

Winemaker Description 

GRAPES: Cinsault (100%). 

Cinsault has been farmed in the Bekaa Valley since the mid-19th century before ceding the way to new imported varieties. In 2014, Domaine des Tourelles decided to revive this grape by searching out very old Cinsault vines, over 50 years of age, and fermenting the wines in concrete tanks using wild yeasts and nothing else to offer the purest expression of that grape. The result is a supple wine that beautifully reflects the terroir of the Bekaa Valley, with an aging potential of several years.

Published by Jancis Robinson

There is not much I can say about Bekaa-born Faouzi Issa co-owner and winemaker of Domaine des Tourelles in the Bekaa Valley, that has not already been said by Jancis and Tam but in a week in which Lebanon has again been in the news because of death and destruction, I wanted to celebrate the life that continues to be created every year at Domaine des Tourelles in the most challenging circumstances imaginable. (See Michael Karam’s Lessons in wine-region survival.)

Issa told me on Wednesday that the nearest pager explosion to them was 1 km away from the winery.

In 2018, the year Domaine des Tourelles celebrated its 150th anniversary, Jancis’s articles Lebanon and the new Serge Hochar? and Lebanon’s oldest winery told of Issa’s journey into wine, via Bordeaux’s Château Margaux and René Rostaing in the Rhône, as well as giving a brief history of Domaine des Tourelles, Lebanese wine more generally and the arrival of Cinsault in the country in the 19th century along with Carignan and Grenache.

Tam continued the story in 2022 in more personal terms in Old-vine wines – part 1 Lebanon, describing Issa as ‘that mesmeric combination of scientist, engineer and romantic’, at the same time highlighting Issa’s commitment to old vines.

The first vintage of this wine was 2014, which was when Issa realised that the old vines offered something special and deserved to be bottled separately (they now have four wines in their Old Vine Collection). He explains, ‘Cinsault has been farmed in the Bekaa Valley since the mid 19th century before ceding the way to new imported varieties.’ For many a year, it was the most widely planted variety in the country but it is now much less popular than it once was.

Memo Serving Suggestions

Food Pairings: The perfect match for Levantine and Mediterranean cuisine. It pairs excellently with lamb chops, beef tagine, grilled vegetables (ratatouille), or a classic Mezze platter.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Attractive ruby hue of medium depth. A nose of fresh scrubland with a hint of jujube, while its finesse and elegance are clear as soon it touches the palate.

Warehouse stored item - please allow three to five business days to fulfill.

The Musar Jeune (formally known as Cuvée Rouge) is the second wine of Château Musar. This red has some spicy Syrah added to the regular mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. Great dark cherry fruit on the palate with palpable yet approachable tannins.