New business H&K Wine Agencies is building a portfolio from along the ancient Phoenician trade routes. Andrew Catchpole has an exclusive chat about their plans.
Read more...
It’s been a decade since Georgian wine hit UK lists. Michael Karam charts the hype, the reality and the what next?
Read more...
Inviting curious trade palates to taste and discuss Lebanese wines for the UK market, co-hosts Andrew Catchpole and Harpers Lebanon Report author Michael Karam unearthed a wealth of enthusiasm for the country’s engaging offer.
Read more...
In a Harpers exclusive, Lebanese expert Michael Karam shares his new, in-depth report on his native Lebanon’s wine industry, with a scene-setting introduction here and the full content published online at Harpers.co.uk
Read more...
In a Harpers exclusive, Lebanese authority Michael Karam has released his 2023 Lebanon report, available to read for free on the Harpers website.
Read more...
A new documentary film entitled ‘Wine & War: The Untold Story of Wine in the Middle East’ is to focus on the resilience of Lebanese winemaking as seen “through the lens of war and instability”.
Read more...
Perched on the eastern end of the Mediterranean, yet with vineyards at altitudes of 1,000m and above, Lebanon offers a promising mix of conditions for the production of great wines. Of course, the first wave of Lebanese wines to make their mark internationally were largely blends based on Bordeaux varieties, with some notable successes, gaining a niche but loyal following. However, in tune with the country’s location and viticultural history, a second wave of indigenous and Mediterranean varieties are now emerging as winemakers realise the potential for varieties that carry more of an indigenous signature.
Read more...
Lebanon is going back to its roots - in every sense.
Read more...
Michael Karam, acclaimed journalist, ambassador for Lebanese wine and author of Wines of Lebanon remembers, Serge Hochar, the charismatic and buccaneering owner of Lebanon's Château Musar, who died at the age of 74, while on holiday with his family in Mexico over the new year.
Read more...
Lebanon really should to be the sexiest wine-producing country in the world. No I'm not having one of those moments of misty-eyed sentimentality to which we Lebanese are often prone.
Read more...
Wine has been made in Lebanon for thousands of years, but for many it remains a great unknown. Richard Siddle, Natasha Hughes and Michael Karam draw back the veil on its glories
Read more...
Harpers' clarion call to support Lebanese wines in September was heeded by at least one retailer. Slurp in Banbury is promoting 30 Lebanese wines from five producers: Massaya, Chateau Ksara, Domaines des Tourelles, the EU-backed Coteaux Heliopolis and of course the mighty Chateau Musar.
Read more...
"It makes me very sad that I can't go there," says French oenologist consultant Stephane Derenoncourt speaking from Beirut yesterday. "You have no idea what is like to make wines by [looking at] photographs, and emails and receiving grapes [samples] by taxi. This is not how it is supposed to be done, but this is our baby. We started from scratch and now we are working with exciting terroir that will one day be famous all over the world. I know these wines can age and I want to be able to taste the war vintage in 15 years."
Read more...
For some reason my radio in London is tuned to LBC, the capital's talk radio station. I really should twiddle the knob along to Radio 4 but there something comforting about the "I say get rid of the lot of 'em, I do" right-wing cabbie rants, don't you think?
Read more...
Syrian winery, Domaine Bargylus, continues to go to extraordinary lengths to get its wines from a war zone to the elite wine lists of Europe.
Read more...
Greetings from Lebanon, where I can report that Levantine innovation has rekindled its affair with all forms of...
Read more...
