Fine wining

ENAR

May 2013 was a decisive moment for the Lebanese wine industry. For the first time, the state put its hand in its pocket to support the burgeoning sector by hosting a Lebanese wine day at the George V Hotel in Paris. In 2014, the ministry stumped up again by hosting another bumper event, this time in Berlin. In 2015, it plans to take Lebanon’s road show to New York. Meanwhile, there have also been mini tastings at various Lebanese embassies and legations. It seems everyone wants a bit of our wines. But that was not always the case. For years, successive governments, presumably because they didn’t want to offend religious sensibilities, were reluctant to either promote wine or offer significant financial assistance to Lebanon’s wine producers. But the ever increasing quality of Lebanese wine and the game changing moment that saw members of the Union Vinicole du Liban (UVL), Lebanon’s