Wine producers discuss domestic consumption

Sipping on a glass of Lebanese wine has value beyond the drinker’s enjoyment. As Edouard Kosremelli, general manager of Château Kefraya, puts it, drinking Lebanese wine supports the economy since thousands  of people are either directly or indirectly employed by the wine sector. Lebanese wine encompasses three industries (agriculture, industry, and hospitality and tourism), and is among the country’s most successful exports, distributed in more than 36 countries, according to the wineries with which Executive spoke. When sipping on homegrown wine, you are also getting a taste of a long history dating all the way back to the Phoenicians, who were the first civilization to trade wine. Many also believe that Lebanon’s Qana, in the south, is the biblical town where Jesus Christ turned water into wine. In export markets, Lebanese wine is gaining market share every year and is appreciated for its history and quality. Locally, however, those in