Most Common Red and White Grapes of Lebanon

From ancient vines to modern wines, Lebanon's grape tapestry unfolds across a diverse landscape. With sun-soaked summers and cool nights, Lebanon offers the perfect stage for both international and native grape varieties to shine. Let's take a stroll through Lebanon's vineyards and discover the stars of its wine scene.

Most Common Red Grapes

• Cabernet Sauvignon: This globe-trotting grape feels right at home in Lebanon's warm, sunny spots. It loves to climb, thriving in higher altitudes where cool nights keep it fresh and zippy. Give it well-drained, gravelly soil, and it'll reward you with rich, complex wines.
• Merlot: Merlot's the easygoing friend who gets along with everyone. It's not picky about soil, happily setting up shop in clay or limestone. In the Bekaa Valley, it soaks up the moderate rainfall and warm summers, ripening earlier than its buddy Cabernet.
• Syrah: Syrah is a sun-worshipper who can't get enough of Lebanon's heat. It's like that friend who's always first to the beach. Plant it in stony, well-drained soil, and it'll soak up the long sunny days and cool nights, producing bold, flavorful wines.
• Cinsault: Tough as nails, Cinsault laughs in the face of heat and drought. It's the grape equivalent of a cactus, thriving in Lebanon's hot summers and lighter soils. When other grapes wilt, Cinsault keeps on trucking.
• Grenache: Another heat-loving variety, Grenache is like a camel - it can go ages without water. It thrives in Lebanon's sandy or stony soils, basking in the abundant sunshine and dry conditions.
• Carignan: Carignan is the rock climber of grapes. It loves scrambling over hot, dry, rocky terrain. Give it plenty of sunshine and minimal rain, and it'll produce wines with character to spare.
• Sabbaghieh: This homegrown Lebanese grape is a true mountain dweller. It thrives in the country's high, dry, warm spots, loving the dramatic day-to-night temperature swings and rocky soils.
• Aswad Karech: Another local hero, Aswad Karech, feels right at home in Lebanon's warm, dry Bekaa Valley. It's not afraid of a little altitude either, producing great wines in cooler highland areas.
• Asmi Noir: Tough and adaptable, Asmi Noir is built for Lebanon's warm, dry regions. It's like a hardy desert plant, thriving in stony soils where water is scarce.

Most Common White Grapes

• Chardonnay: This grape is a bit of a diva, but give it the right stage, and it'll shine. In Lebanon, it loves high-altitude vineyards, where cool nights keep it crisp and lively. Limestone soils are its favourite backdrop.
• Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc prefers to keep its cool, so it heads for the hills in Lebanon. The country's higher altitudes and well-drained soils let it develop its signature zing, while dry summers concentrate its flavours.
• Viognier: Viognier is a sun-seeker who loves Lebanon's warm, bright climate. Plant it in stony, well-drained soil, and it'll soak up the summer heat, producing aromatic wines with a rich texture.
• Semillon: Semillon is the introvert of the bunch, preferring cooler or shadier spots in Lebanon. It thrives in well-drained soils, quietly soaking up the warm, dry summers to produce elegant, subtle wines.
• Obaideh: A true Lebanon native, Obaideh feels right at home in the warm, dry Bekaa Valley. It's tough as old boots, laughing off drought and thriving in rocky, well-drained soils.
• Merwah: Another local star, Merwah, loves the high life in Lebanon's mountains. It thrives on the rollercoaster of warm days and cool nights, putting down roots in stony soils to produce unique, characterful wines.

From sun-baked valleys to cool mountain slopes, Lebanon's varied terrain creates a perfect playground for these grapes, as well as for smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc. Whether they're globe-trotting varieties or homegrown heroes, they all find their sweet spot in this ancient wine land.