Lebanese wines: high-altitude reds and whites from the Bekaa
9 bottles, from Deir el Ahmar to ChtauraWine has been made in Lebanon since Antiquity: in Baalbek, in the north of the Bekaa, the temple of Bacchus still bears witness to it. The valley stretches between Mount Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon, at over 900 metres above sea level. Days there are hot and dry, nights cool, and the grapes ripen while keeping their freshness.
Here you will find two houses from the Bekaa. Couvent Rouge, in Deir el Ahmar, ranges from an easy-drinking white to a pétillant naturel and a barrel-aged Viognier. Domaine des Tourelles, in Chtaura, makes an organically farmed red. All are sold individually.
Domaine des Tourelles - Marquis des Beys 2020
The prestige cuvée of Domaine des Tourelles, syrah and cabernet from the Bekaa with aromas of cedar.
Domaine des Tourelles - Vieilles Vignes Carignan 2023
A concrete-aged old-vine carignan from the Bekaa, lively, spicy and full of red fruit.
Domaine des Tourelles - Vieilles Vignes Cinsault 2023
A Lebanese cinsault from vines over 50 years old, supple, fragrant and true to the Bekaa.
Couvent Rouge - Racine Blanc 2022
A high-altitude Lebanese Viognier, floral and generous. The freshness of the Bekaa meets a fine touch of oak.
Couvent Rouge - Pet Nat Gold 2022
A fresh, airy Lebanese pétillant naturel, between white flowers and lemon.
Couvent Rouge - Couvent Rouge 2017
A high-altitude Lebanese red, structured and generous. An original blend of freshness, fruit and spice.
Couvent Rouge - Couvent Blanc 2024
A fresh, floral Lebanese white, carried by the altitude of the Bekaa.
Couvent Rouge - Petit Couvent Rouge 2020
A generous Lebanese red, between black fruit, violet and spice. A frank, gourmand cuvée from the Bekaa.
Couvent Rouge - Petit Couvent Blanc 2024
A fresh, floral Lebanese white, carried by the pairing of Sauvignon and Obeidi.
From Petit Couvent to Racine, reading the range
Lebanese wines often blend French grape varieties, which arrived in the 19th century, with local varieties such as Obeidi. Here is the range, from the simplest to the most ambitious.
| Wine | Blend | In the glass | At our place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petit Couvent Blanc 2024 Couvent Rouge | Sauvignon Blanc and Obeidi | Lemon, yuzu, elderflower, light and lively | Petit Couvent Blanc 2024€11.90 a bottle, sold individually |
| Petit Couvent Rouge 2020 Couvent Rouge | Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo | Blueberry, blackcurrant, cinnamon, firm tannins | Petit Couvent Rouge 2020€12.90 a bottle, sold individually |
| Couvent Blanc 2024 Couvent Rouge | Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier | Orange blossom, white peach, supple | Couvent Blanc 2024€14.90 a bottle, sold individually |
| Rouge 2022 Tourelles Estate | Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan | Cherry, cedar, rosemary, organic | Domaine des Tourelles Red 2022€15.50 per bottle, sold individually |
| Couvent Rouge 2017 Couvent Rouge | Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo | Red fruit, tobacco, smoke, full-bodied | Couvent Rouge 2017€18.90 a bottle, sold individually |
| Pet Nat Gold 2022 Couvent Rouge | Sauvignon Blanc and Obeidi | Pétillant naturel, lemon, brioche | Pet Nat Gold 2022€22 per bottle, individually |
| Racine Blanc 2022 Couvent Rouge | Viognier | Apricot, jasmine, honey, six months in barrel | Racine Blanc 2022€33.90 a bottle, sold individually |
Every wine is also available by the case of 6, at the same price per bottle.
Which Lebanese wine with which dish
Lebanese food is for sharing: cold and hot mezze, grilled meats, fish. A lively white and a supple red cover most of the table.
| Dish | Recommended wine | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Tabbouleh, hummus, fattoush | Petit Couvent Blanc€11.90 a bottle, sold individually | The wine's citrus answers the lemon and fresh herbs |
| Aperitif, fritters, falafel | Pet Nat Gold€22 per bottle, individually | The fine bubbles cut through the frying, the dry finish whets the appetite |
| Kibbeh, hot mezze | Petit Couvent Rouge€12.90 a bottle, sold individually | The black fruit and cinnamon match the spices of the meat |
| Grilled lamb, kofta | Domaine des Tourelles Rouge€15.50 per bottle, sold individually | The wine's rosemary and cedar meet the embers |
| Baked fish, samke harra | Racine Blanc€33.90 a bottle, sold individually | A full, creamy Viognier, rich enough for tahini and spices |
| Slow-cooked meats, aged cheeses | Couvent Rouge€18.90 a bottle, sold individually | A 2017 with notes of tobacco and smoke, its tannins softened by age |
Serve the whites at around 10 °C, the Racine Blanc a little less chilled, and the reds at around 16 °C: in the sun, a red that is too warm loses its freshness.
A bottle for every mood
From easy-drinking white to red with character, one way in for each moment.
Staying under €12
High-altitude Sauvignon and Obeidi: lemon, yuzu and white flowers, for cold mezze.
Petit Couvent Blanc 2024, €11.90 a bottle, sold individuallyAn everyday red
Cabernet and Tempranillo from 950 to 1,650 metres, black fruit and cinnamon, for grilled meats.
Petit Couvent Rouge 2020, €12.90 a bottle, sold individuallyAn organic red
Syrah, Cabernet and old Cinsault from one of the oldest estates in the Bekaa, cherry and rosemary.
Domaine des Tourelles Rouge 2022, €15.50 a bottle, sold individuallyA red with some age
A 2017 of Cabernet, Syrah and Tempranillo, tobacco, smoke and ripe red fruit, ready to drink.
Couvent Rouge 2017, €18.90 a bottle, sold individuallyBubbles for the aperitif
A pétillant naturel from organic vines, finished in bottle: lemon, brioche and a dry finish.
Pet Nat Gold 2022, €22 a bottle, sold individuallyA great white
A Viognier aged six months in oak barrels, apricot, jasmine and honey, full and creamy.
Racine Blanc 2022, €33.90 a bottle, sold individually
Two houses from the Bekaa, from the north to the centre
Couvent Rouge works in Deir el Ahmar, in the north of the Bekaa, with the growers of the Coteaux d'Héliopolis cooperative, named after the ancient Greek name of Baalbek. Their high-altitude vineyards climb as high as 1,800 metres. The range runs from Petit Couvent Blanc, at €11.90 a bottle, to Racine Blanc, a barrel-aged Viognier.
Further south, in Chtaura, Domaine des Tourelles is one of the oldest estates in the valley. It farms its vines organically, ferments with the grapes' own yeasts and blends Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and old Cinsault, the historic grape variety of Lebanese reds.
Obeidi, the local white
Obeidi is a white grape variety grown in Lebanon for centuries, long reserved for arak, the country's aniseed spirit. Today it is returning to wine: Couvent Rouge pairs it with Sauvignon Blanc in Petit Couvent Blanc and Pet Nat Gold.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Lebanese wines
Where are vines grown in Lebanon?
Mainly in the Bekaa Valley, a high plateau between Mount Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon, at over 900 metres above sea level. The mountains block the rain, summers are dry and sunny, and cool nights preserve the grapes' acidity. A few vineyards also exist on the slopes of Mount Lebanon and in the north, towards Batroun.
What are Lebanon's grape varieties?
The reds blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, and sometimes Tempranillo, as at Couvent Rouge. Cinsault, planted long ago, remains the signature of Lebanese reds. On the white side, there are Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, and two local varieties, Obeidi and Merwah.
Why does altitude matter so much?
The Bekaa gets very strong sunshine. At 1,000 metres and above, nights are cool: the grapes ripen slowly and keep their acidity. That is what gives Lebanese wines their freshness, from Petit Couvent Blanc to Racine Blanc.
Which Lebanese wine to serve with mezze?
For cold mezze, tabbouleh, hummus, fattoush, a lively white such as Petit Couvent Blanc. For hot mezze and grilled meats, a fruity red such as Petit Couvent Rouge. For the aperitif, Pet Nat Gold brings its bubbles.
What is a pet nat?
A pétillant naturel, made using the ancestral method: fermentation starts in tank and finishes in bottle, where it forms the bubbles. Couvent Rouge's Pet Nat Gold, unfiltered, keeps a light yeasty note. The other bubbles in the range are on the sparkling wines page.
Do Lebanese wines age well?
The whites in the range are drunk in their first years, for their fruit. The red blends of Cabernet and Syrah handle a few years in the cellar well: the Couvent Rouge in the range is a 2017, open and ready to drink today.