Wines made from Assyrtiko grapes of Bekaa Valley
Discover the best wines made with Assyrtiko as a single variety or as a blend of Bekaa Valley.
This is a very old grape variety grown in Greece, particularly in the southern Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea, and more specifically in the Santorini archipelago. It is related to gaidouria and platani. In this country, it is quite often "associated" with other grape varieties such as aïdani, athiri, malagousia, ... . Assyrtiko can be found in Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, the United States, Mexico, South Africa, etc. Little known in France, it is nevertheless registered in the Official Catalogue of wine grape varieties, list A.
The Bekaa Valley is the heartland of modern Lebanese wine. Almost 90 percent of Lebanon's wine is made here, as is a respectable proportion of its Arak, the anise-flavored spirit that remains the nation's favorite alcoholic drink. The original Bekaa Valley Vineyards were planted with Cinsaut, which was subsequently joined by other French vine varieties. Most of these remain in Lebanon’s vinicultural makeup today: red Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and white Ugni Blanc, Clairette and Chardonnay.