International experts at wine conference

Lebanese Wine Day planned in Germany, China

The Ministry of Agriculture held a Lebanese Wine Conference during the first three days of October 2013 to showcase the quality and variety of national wine to representatives of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV).

The event was organized in partnership with the newly-formed Institute of Vine and Wine, made up of representatives from the private and public sector.

Zafer Chaoui, Chairman of the Union of Wine and Vine and of Château Ksara, said: “The International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) visited Lebanon to inspect local wineries and make sure they are implementing international production standards.”

The OIV called for enhanced collaboration with the Institute of Vine and Wine on matters of production standards and quality control. It recommended carrying out and publishing more research on grape growing and wine production. It also recommended using geographic appellations for wines.

The Lebanese Wine Conference is part of the Institute’s plan to support the sector. The conference and other promotional events aim to increase the size of exports to various markets worldwide. A Lebanese Wine Day was held earlier in France, the next event is scheduled for Germany, and negotiations are underway to hold another one in China.

Local wine producers will ask the Ministry to allocate an annual budget to promote local wines through ad campaigns.