Clos Saint Thomas
Clos Saint-Thomas. A very old name, well known in the Lebanese vineyard circle but that, until recently, specialised solely in the Arak: a specialty that goes back to 1888 and to which the Touma family added grape plant varieties in 1990. A decade later, the Clos Saint-Thomas wines made their appearance and reaped some great prizes in Brussels, Paris and in other places. To be pointed out from the list: the Gourmet Blanc 2006, a blend of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc and the Emirs 2003 and 2004 blends, with cabernet sauvignon, syrah and grenache, aged for 12 months in oak barrels. During your visit of the cellars, do not miss out on the discovery cave that was recently refurbished and is now entirely dedicated to Saint-Thomas!
Clos Saint-Thomas, Kab-Elias, Main Road, Bekaa, Lebanon -Tel.: +961 8 500 812, www.closstthomas.com
Domaine Kefraya
Kefraya Estate. A superb 430 hectare estate that looks its best on a beautiful spring day during a walk through its three parks: the Rossini, Puccini and Verdi. In summer you can shelter from the sun by popping into the estate’s beautiful house. Château Kefraya is a magnificent vineyard with many aspects to it: cellars, vineyards, a restaurant serving foods and wines that are in season. Add to that Michel de Bustros, the estate owner’s real passion for opera and you’ll immediately understand why the atmosphere here is so peaceful. The Blanc de Blanc wines are each named after a different opera and the bottles of red wine are adorned with an original painting by a local artist. A nice philanthropic gesture that goes a long way.
Château Kefraya, Bekaa Ouest, Tel.: +961 8 645 333, www.chateaukefraya.com
