Wine and Arak Tour

I have recently watched a beautifully made film about Lebanon on YouTube that ends with that phrase “Lebanon is too diverse to visit only once”. How true that is! Our small country holds a surprise for you anytime and each time you visit. Throughout the seasons, the historical places, the charming towns and the stunning landscape change in colours and shades becoming even more gorgeous and attractive than the last time you have seen them. One constant that will never ever deceive you is the excellent Lebanese cuisine. Whether street or restaurant food, it will always satisfy your taste buds and arouse your curiosity for more culinary adventures.

Food is not the only culinary adventure in the country of the Cedars however; wine and arak are an essential component of the Lebanese cuisine. This summer I went on an arak and wine tour with Vamos Todos, a company that offers hiking and guided tours to all the major sightseeing attractions around the country.

With my children and niece on my side, I did some excellent arak and wine tasting in three different wineries in the Bekaa valley. We started off in Beirut driving about two hours to our first destination, Le Domaine des Tourelles in the town of Chtaura where we tasted the excellent arak brand “Brun” named after Francois-Eugène Brun, a Frenchman and founder of the winery in 1868. Wonderful White and Rosé accompanied a generous breakfast that consisted of man’oushe bi zaatar and jibneh (Lebanese kind of Pizza with Thyme or cheese topping) and of raw liver and meat cubes.

We also loved the red wine we tried at Nakad, a family owned business in third generation. We actually loved everything, the warm welcome of the junior owner, the informative tour and the red wine in the shade of their family home terrace.

Our final tour in the more modern and newer winery Masaya, established in 1998 in Taanayel, was extremely interesting. And finally, our lunch, a rich meza and delicious regional food, in the garden of the famous Hotel Massabki, was indeed an added bonus.

That’s the beauty of Lebanon!