'Wine Council' will boost local wineries

State will help sector expand its outreach

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has formed a regulatory committee to manage the wine sector. The ‘Wine Council’ comprises representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Industry, and Economy, as well as representatives from local wineries.

Louis Lahoud, General Director at the MoA said: “The council will follow up on all issues related to the sector, and will coordinate between administrations to tackle all possible problems.”

“The Wine Council marks the government’s first involvement in supporting the wine-production sector,” said Rhéa Semaan, Commercial Delegate at Château Kefraya. The council will establish the Lebanese Institute of Vines and Wine which will be in charge of regulating wineries' operation and grape cultivation, and increasing awareness about local wine.

According to Semaan, some 30 wineries have been established in the local market over the past ten years. “This number would increase if the government supported the sector,” she said.

Local wineries produce around eight million bottles per year. Semaan said this output is still relatively small: “The minimum annual production of each winery in Europe reaches 20 million bottles.”

The Wine Council will compose a database about the whole sector. It will collaborate with the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) to organize the Lebanese Wine day in France in May. The event will include around 20 participating local wineries so far. Some 5,000 people have been invited to attend, including journalists, ambassadors, professionals, and wine experts. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut has offered financial support for organizing the event.