Near and Middle Eastern Wines: an exciting conference about a neglected vineyard.

A conference about near and Middle Eastern Wines was held at the Cité Mondiale in Bordeaux on Sunday May 29th 2011, i.e. on the second day of the international competition Les Citadelles du Vin which was organised on 28, 29 and 30 May 2011 at Bourg (Bordeaux-France). Wines honoured this year by the Special Award FIJEV (Federation of Wine and Spirit Journalists and Writers) were the topic of the conference. Close on eighty people accepted the invitation by Mr Bernard Donèche, the President, and Mrs Fabienne Cortadi, the Director of the CDV, the association organising this high standard competition, first created in 2000.

The Citadelles du Vin team asked two experts of the vineyards from near and Middle Eastern countries to take part in the conference as speakers. The first contributor was Mr Yotam Sharon, an oenologist from Barkan Wine Cellars (Israel) and the second one was Mr Elie Maamari, an oenologist and export manager for Château Ksara (Lebanon). Both experts were also jury members for the competition. Vineyard history and characteristics, climate, production and export of wines, and the main wine producers of Israel and Lebanon were dealt with during the conference, for the greatest pleasure of wine professionals and wine lovers who attended the event.

The guests then met up for a cocktail party during which wines from Israel and Lebanon given by the contributors were tasted. Papillae of people present at the cocktail were delighted about enjoying these various wines which are quite unknown in France so far.

Wines from Lebanon by Mr Elie Maamari, an oenologist and export manager for Château Ksara.
Wines from Israel by Mr Yotam Sharon, an oenologist from Barkan Wine Cellars.