Lebanon’s wine heritage dates back thousands of years. In the second millennium BC, wine made and traded by the Phoenicians was regarded as the finest in the world. The Romans loved it so much they built a temple to Bacchus in the Beqaa Valley. From the dawn of time until the present day – despite regional turmoil, civil conflicts and religious intolerance – Lebanon has consistently produced world-class wines.
Michael Karam and Norbert Schiller take us on a journey through the vineyards and wineries of Lebanon, telling the story of Lebanese winemakers and their traditions. Lavishly illustrated, Lebanese Wine features profiles of the fifty wineries operating in the country today – their produce, grapes, and techniques – as well as interviews with the most exciting winemakers.
At once a guide and cultural history, this tribute to one of the world’s oldest winemaking regions is an invaluable reference for wine lovers, travellers and casual readers alike.
Foreword by Tom Stevenson (500 words)
Introduction (1,000 words, 1-2 images)
Part 1: Heritage and History (25-30,000 words, 65 images)
A cultural snapshot
• Noah’s Tomb
• Early Man
• The Phoenicians
• Bacchus
• Arak
The Modern era
• The Jesuits 1857-1918
• The French Experience 1920-1943
• Independence and optimism 1943-1975
• Years of upheaval 1975-90
• Peace and Growth 1990-Present day
Part 2: Winemakers, wines and wineries (25-30,000 words, 65 images)
• A glimpse of Beirut
• The road to Damascus
• The Bekaa Valley
• Central Bekaa
• West Bekaa
• North Bekaa
• Mount Lebanon and the South
• Batroun
Part 3: Wine terms, grapes and out-takes (1,000-1,500 words 10 images)
Michael Karam is Lebanon's leading wine writer. Dividing his time between business journalism and wine writing, he is a contributor to the award-winning Wine Report and Jancis Robinson's Oxford Wine Companion. Norbert Schiller is one of the most prolific Middle East news photographers. His work is featured regularly in the New York Times and Der Spiegel.
Wine expert Henry Jeffreys is the author
of Empire of Booze: British History through
the Bottom of a Glass (Winner of Fortnum
& Mason’s 2017 Best Debut Drink Award).
and writes for The Spectator, The Guardian
and Financial Times, among others.