Château Kefraya

Château Kefraya's story begins with the vision of Michel de Bustros, who recognized the viticultural potential of the West Bekaa Valley in the 1940s. Construction of the château began in 1946 on an artificial hill used by the Romans centuries earlier as a military observation point. The first vines were planted in 1951, and in 1979, despite Lebanon's devastating civil war, the estate began producing its own wine from its own grapes in its own cellar. That act of defiance set the tone for an estate defined by resilience. In the early 1980s, the Les Coteaux de Kefraya 1982 and 1983 vintages won the estate's first international medals, launching exports to France. Michel de Bustros, who lived from 1929 to 2016, left behind two guiding principles: the vision 'A Terroir, A Soul, A Great Wine' and the Latin motto Semper Ultra, meaning 'Always Higher.'

• Castle construction began 1946 on a Roman-era artificial observation hill; first vines planted 1951 by founder Michel de Bustros
• Commercial wine production launched 1979 in the midst of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), using only estate-grown fruit
• Les Coteaux de Kefraya 1982 and 1983 won first international medals; France exports began in the early 1980s
• Michel de Bustros (1929-2016) established the estate motto Semper Ultra and the philosophy that blending is the highest winemaking art

The 300-hectare Château Kefraya vineyard spreads across terraced slopes on the foothills of Mount Barouk in the West Bekaa Valley, approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Beirut. The vineyards sit at roughly 1,000 to 1,100 meters above the Mediterranean, and they cross the Yammouneh tectonic rift, which creates extraordinary geological diversity with soils dating from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Clay-limestone, clay-chalk, sandy, and gravelly soils form a mosaic of micro-terroirs that is vinified parcel by parcel. Exceptional sun exposure, significant diurnal temperature swings, and a strict no-irrigation policy combine to produce naturally concentrated fruit while retaining freshness and structure. Alongside international varieties, the estate cultivates indigenous Lebanese whites such as Obeidi, Merwah, and Mekssessé, and has revived the ancient red varieties Assouad Karech and Asmi Noir.

• West Bekaa Valley location at 1,000-1,100 meters elevation on Mount Barouk foothills, approximately 60 km southeast of Beirut
• Yammouneh tectonic rift crosses the vineyard, producing Jurassic and Cretaceous geologies with clay-limestone, clay-chalk, sandy, and gravelly soils
• 4,000 vines per hectare planting density; yields limited to 35 hl/ha; no irrigation, relying on natural rainfall
• Indigenous varieties Obeidi, Merwah, Mekssessé (white) and revived ancient reds Assouad Karech and Asmi Noir grown alongside international grapes

Every Château Kefraya wine is a blend of multiple grape varieties, honoring founder Michel de Bustros's conviction that the work of art results from the art of blending. The flagship Comte de M draws Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from a dedicated 9-hectare parcel at 1,100 meters, aged up to 24 months in French oak for complexity and cellaring potential. The Château Kefraya Red, the estate's very first wine, sources Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mourvèdre from 22 hectares of mature vines, aged 18 to 24 months in oak. The entry-level Les Coteaux red, named after the estate's first-ever bottling from 1979, blends Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Tempranillo, and Marselan. Les Bretèches, named after a defensive architectural feature of the château, offers a Syrah-led rosé and a fresh white of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscat blanc. The estate also produces a Blanc de Blancs, a Comtesse de M white counterpart to Comte de M, and an arak distilled four times from estate grapes.

• Comte de M: Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from a 9-hectare parcel at 1,100 meters; aged up to 24 months in French oak; rated 91/100 by Robert Parker for the 1996 vintage
• Château Kefraya Red: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mourvèdre from 22 hectares of mature vines; 18-24 months oak aging
• Les Bretèches Rosé: Syrah-led blend with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault; Les Bretèches Blanc: Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscat blanc
• Les Coteaux: entry-level red named after the estate's 1979 inaugural bottling; blends Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Tempranillo, and Marselan

Château Kefraya harvests all grapes exclusively by hand, followed by individual berry selection on an optical sorting table. Each micro-parcel is vinified separately to preserve terroir expression before blending. Wines are aged in a 1,000-barrel capacity cellar of French oak and, perpetuating Phoenician and Roman winemaking traditions, in clay amphora jars. The estate's winemaker is Fabrice Guiberteau, whose approach balances tradition and modern precision. Château Kefraya has been certified organic and vegan since 2022, formalizing a long-standing sustainable viticulture program that avoids irrigation and encourages biodiversity among the vines. The estate also produces Arak de Kefraya, an aniseed-based eau de vie distilled four times from estate grapes.

• 100% manual harvest followed by optical berry sorting; each micro-parcel vinified separately for precision blending
• French oak aging in a 1,000-barrel capacity cellar; clay amphora aging perpetuating Phoenician and Roman traditions
• Winemaker Fabrice Guiberteau; organic and vegan certified since 2022; sustainable viticulture with no irrigation
• Arak de Kefraya produced on-site from estate grapes, distilled four times in the estate's Alembic room

Château Kefraya first attracted international attention in the early 1980s when Les Coteaux de Kefraya 1982 and 1983 won international medals and the estate began exporting to France. The defining moment came in 1997, when American wine critic Robert Parker awarded the Comte de M 1996 a score of 91/100, calling it an 'amazing accomplishment in Lebanon.' That recognition placed Lebanon firmly on the global fine wine map. Parker later scored the Comte de M 2012 at 93 points. The estate now exports to more than 40 countries across five continents. Château Kefraya is widely recognized as one of Lebanon's benchmark producers, and the estate's label artwork for Comte de M pays tribute to the Phoenicians, who traded wine from the Bekaa Valley across the Mediterranean over 4,000 years ago.

• Les Coteaux de Kefraya 1982 and 1983 won first international medals; France exports began in the early 1980s
• Comte de M 1996 received 91/100 from Robert Parker in 1997; the 2012 vintage received 93 points
• Exports to 40-plus countries across five continents; one of Lebanon's most internationally recognized estates
• Comte de M label artwork pays tribute to Phoenician ancestors who traded Bekaa Valley wine around the Mediterranean

Château Kefraya welcomes visitors to its estate in the West Bekaa Valley, offering guided tours and tastings. Guided tours take visitors by a small train that passes by Roman ruins on the estate before reaching a panoramic observation point. The tour continues through the winery and into the Alembic room, where arak is produced. The estate's restaurant, Le Relais de Dionysos, serves local Lebanese dishes with panoramic views of the vineyards and surrounding mountains, and offers the opportunity to taste older vintages from the cellar. The estate's parks and gardens, interspersed with olive, cypress, pine, and cedar trees, reflect the ecological diversity the Bustros family has cultivated alongside the vines.

• Guided vineyard tours by small train pass Roman ruins on the estate, reaching a panoramic viewpoint over Mount Barouk
• Winery and Alembic room visits included; tasting sessions cover the full portfolio from Les Bretèches to Comte de M
• Restaurant Le Relais de Dionysos offers Lebanese cuisine, panoramic vineyard views, and access to older vintages
• Estate grounds include parks, gardens, and arboreta with olive, cypress, pine, and cedar trees alongside the vines