News from Berlin
Embassy of Lebanon Hosts Lebanese Wine Day
April 28th, 2014
News from Berlin - The Lebanese Embassy in Berlin, alongside the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture and the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is hosting the Lebanese Wine Day next week on Monday, May 5th. The event, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, is a great opportunity for over 30 wine producers from all over Lebanon to showcase their produce and for participants and the media to discover an exciting range of wines from some of the world’s oldest wine producing countries. Lebanon produces over 8 million bottles of wine a year, and although the industry may be small, the emphasis has always been on quality, allowing the nation to compete internationally by producing in-demand, premium quality wines.
These come from the Bekaa Valley, the renowned heartland of wine production, as well as more recently discovered regions such as Batroun (northern Lebanon), Jezzine (southern Lebanon), and Mount Lebanon. After the success of the first Lebanese Wine Day in Paris last year, the event will showcase over 25 international and local grapes, from serious Bordeaux-Rhone style reds such as Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, to fruitier varieties such as Grenache, Tempranillo and Cinsault. Furthermore, Lebanon has a rich heritage of indigenous grapes which have been attracting attention recently, used for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Semillon and Muscat. The local Obeideh and Merwah varieties are also growing in popularity.
The Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, H.E.M Akram Chehayeb, has said that “Wine lovers are always impressed by the quality and versatility of our wines, as well as our wine heritage”. The Minister is confident that the event in Berlin, a major cultural hub in Europe, will impart to Germany and also to the wider European wine industry the sense of quality, consistency and cohesion that Lebanon seeks through all their wines. The Lebanese wine industry is appreciating a bout of unprecedented growth and interest both locally and globally. The event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, on May 5th.