Bekaa Valley
Dating back 5,000 years, Lebanon is among the oldest sites of wine production in the world. The Phoenicians along the coast were instrumental in spreading viticulture techniques throughout the Mediterranean, making and trading wines long before the Greeks and Romans. Today, the majority of the vines are grown in Baalbeck, the ancient Greek city in the Bekaa Valley where all the major wineries are based, including Chateau Ksara (Lebanon’s largest winery with over 60% of the country's production), Château Kefraya, Cave Kouroum, Château Musar and the boutique winery of Château Massaya. Harvesting of fruit is typically in the middle of September. A French influence is most evident in Bekaa Valley with varietals including, Cinsaut, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah.