Château Ksara

The wine making headquarters of Château Ksara, in Bekaa, Lebanon

Château Ksara is a wine company in Beqaa Valley Lebanon. Founded in 1857 by Jesuit Priests,.^[1] Château Ksara developed the first dry wine in Lebanon. Château Ksara wine is most popular in Lebanon, but due to a large Lebanese diaspora all over the world, it can be found and purchased in many different countries. Château Ksara produces approximately 3 million bottles annually. Its wines are exported to over 40 countries. Main export markets include Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brazil, Africa, Australia and Arab Countries.^[2]

Over the past decade, Château Ksara has seen the introduction of new grape varieties that have grown into vines the Bekaa valley has blissfully nurtured. Château Ksara has also seen developments in technique such as vines cultivation on wires and the attentive application of advanced science by French oenologists, who watch over the vinification, fermentation and decanting processes.

Today, the wines of Château Ksara have a specific character, described as a “rare balance of dry fruitiness, of delicacy and coarseness, and of freshness and vigour.” They are the new image of a deliberately international vineyard, classified today as one of the largest. Wines that leave an imprint on the memory which is as long as their history.

The Story

Lebanese wine tradition dates back to 5,000 years, when the ancient inhabitants of Lebanon, the Phoenicians, first began tending vineyards. The Phoenicians exported wine to ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece and Carthage; introducing the world to viticulture and oenology. Lebanon is also said to be the place where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine. Château Ksara has preserved Lebanon's rich wine making heritage for over 150 years, laying down the foundation for Lebanon's modern wine making industry. Founded in 1857 by Jesuit Priests who produced the country's first dry red wine.

Château Ksara is Lebanon's oldest, largest and most visited winery, attracting some 70,000 visitors per year.

As Lebanese vintners increasingly attract international acclaim, and wine tourism begins to flourish, Château Ksara leads the wine making industry with its respect for tradition and commitment to modernity.

Vineyards

All of Château Ksara’s vineyards are located in the central and western Bekaa Valley: Ksara Estate, Tanail, Mansoura, Tal el Der, Tal Dnoub, and Kanafar. At an average altitude of 1,000 meters, the Bekaa enjoys dry summers and has the added bonus of its own natural water table, courtesy of the melting snow that runs off the slopes of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.

The soil ranges from chalk, to clay and chalk, to clay and lime, but it is always stony. The Bekaa enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with heavy rains and snow in the winter, a mild spring and a dry – in some cases very dry – hot summer. The slope on either side of the valley and the valley itself create a unique micro-climate in which the cool nights compensate for the hot summer days.

Products

Red Wines

Le Souverain Le Prieuré Réserve du Couvent Cuvée De Printemps Cuvée IIIème Millénaire Château Ksara Cabernet Sauvignon

Rose Wines

Sunset Gris de Gris Rosé de Ksara

White Wines

Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Blanc de L'Observatoire

Sweet Fortified Wines

Moscatel

Arak

Ksarak

Eau-de-Vie

Vieille Eau-de-Vie

Visitors at the Chateau, on a Wine-tasting visit.

International Awards

Ksara wine has been featured at wine tasting competitions all over the world.

2013: Berliner Wein Trophy 2013 (Berlin Gold) Château Ksara Red 2010 2013: Berliner Wein Trophy 2013 (Berlin Gold) Reserve du Couvent 2011 2013: Vinalies d'Argent Château Ksara Chardonnay 2012 2013: Vinalies d'Argent Château Ksara Le Prieuré Rouge 2011 2013: Vinalies d'Or Château Ksara Reserve du Couvent Rouge 2011 2013: Vinalies d'Argent Château Ksara Le Souverain Cent Cinquantenaire 1857-2007 Rouge 2009 2012: The Pan Arab Web Awards Academy awarded Château Ksara’s official website www.ksara.com.lb the Golden Award for 2012 out of 450 companies for the beverage category. 2012: Silver Medal for Réserve du Couvent 2010 in 2012 X Concurso International de Vinos - Spain
2012: Commended for Réserve du Couvent 2010 in 2012 International Wine Challenge^[3]
2012: Silver Medal for Le Prieuré, 2010 in 2012 International Wine Challenge^[4]
2010-2011: Lebanese Excellence Award 2004: Two gold medals at the Vinalies Internationales Paris in France^[1]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Chateau Ksara". Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
2. ↑ "Château Ksara". Retrieved 17 February 2013. 
3. ↑ "Réserve Du Couvent, 2010". Retrieved 21 January 2013. 
4. ↑ "Le Prieuré, 2010". Retrieved 21 January 2013. 

External links

• Chateau Ksara official site

Coordinates: 33°49′34″N 35°53′31″E / 33.82611°N 35.89194°E / 33.82611; 35.89194