Vinifest

Every October, the Hippodrome du Parc de Beyrouth transforms into the setting for Vinifest, Lebanon's premier wine festival. Organised by the Union Vinicole du Liban, the event brings together more than 30 producers from across the country's key winemaking regions — the Bekaa Valley, Batroun, Mount Lebanon and the south — for what functions as both a public tasting and a trade showcase in one.

What sets Vinifest apart is its educational dimension: alongside the tastings, live music and mezze that give the festival its atmosphere, seminars explore Lebanon's winemaking history, which stretches back some 5,000 years to the Phoenicians. For a country whose wine industry has weathered enormous instability in recent decades, the festival has become an important platform for producers to reach an enthusiastic domestic audience directly.

Held over three days, Vinifest draws thousands of visitors to sample the full range of Lebanon's wine renaissance — from established names to newer producers experimenting with the country's ancient winemaking terroir.