Chateau Kefraya

Chateau Kefraya is a wine producer located in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. The estate's property has been in the Bustros family for generations, but it was not until 1950 that the estate's hillsides began to be converted into vineyards. The first vines were planted in 1951 with initial wines produced in 1979. The chateau today exports to more than 40 countries and is recognized for the quality of its wines, especially its red blend, Comte de M.

The vineyards span over 300 hectares (741 acres) on the foothills of Mount Barouk in the Bekaa Valley. These are mainly situated on terraced slopes reaching as much as 3300ft (1000m) above sea level, with soils composed of clay-limestone, clay-chalk and gravel. Varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cinsaut, Carmenere, Marselan and Muscat à Petits Grains.

Grapes are hand harvested and sorted with an optical sorting table before vinification. Wines are aged in French oak and are almost always bottled as a blend of several grape varieties.

The chateau's wine portfolio is composed of red, white, and rosé wines, sweet wines from Ugni Blanc and Clairette, and Arak de Kefraya – an aniseed-based eau de vie produced from grape juice that has been distilled four times. The estate's top wine, Comte de M, is made from carefully selected Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from a 9-ha (22-acre) plot. The red blend is aged two years in French oak barrels before release.