I was invited to join a special secret wine tour with 209 Lebanese Wine in Batroun along with other wine enthusiasts.
About 209 Lebanese Wine
For those of you who don’t already know (shame on you), 209 Lebanese Wine is an online platform that delivers Lebanese wine from all over Lebanon right to your doorstep! Browse for any wine of your preference at your desired budget – it’s even categorized by meal category (i.e. fish, meat, etc.). A chat option is also available if you need any assistance selecting your wine 😉 Being a part of their “Wine Club” gives you the opportunity to join 209 Lebanese Wine on some of their organized wine tours and other special events in Lebanon.
Our Secret Wine Tour with 209 Lebanese Wine in Batroun
We all met up in Dbayeh to hop on our private bus for the day and we were off. We weren’t told our wine destinations for the day for a bit of mystery.
I’ll just reveal the secret for you since I know you’re on your toes dying to know where our first stop for wine in Batroun was 😉
Sept Winery was our first “secret” winery stop on our tour with 209 Lebanese Wine in Batroun ’s Village of “Nahla”.
Fun fact, “Nahla” in English is “bee”, which by the way is my least favourite insect. Even though these annoying (and slightly terrifying) buzzing insects make one of my favourite products: honey! Check out how I ran away like a girl on our beekeeping tour with Atelier du Miel.
Our group enjoyed a traditional Lebanese saj breakfast on the garden terrace before we were off to the winery.
Sept Winery is probably the first in Lebanon to produce biodynamic wine – meaning there is no intervention in the wine making process at all. So we were pretty intrigued and eager to be among the first to try it!
I personally love white wine. This Lebanese winery located in Batroun uses the oldest white grape in Lebanon called the “3abyade” – an indigenous Lebanese variety.
Maher, the founder of Sept Winery, also introduced us to his mistress, Syrah. Not his actual mistress – I’m talking about red red wine. This red wine comes from the terroir of Batroun – it has a very distinct flavour.
Because Sept Winery sources grapes from different terroirs in Lebanon, it’s described as “un vin de lieu”.
Tipsy and feeling a little more wine-ducated, it was time for stop number 2!
Our next stop was Aurora, named after the village “3awra”.
A picturesque picnic was prepared for us under the trees. During our second wine tasting of the day with 209 Lebanese Wine in Batroun, we learnt more about the family-owned brand passed down from generation to generation.
My favourite was the Chateau red wine, a medium to full bodied wine. We munched on some cheese, cold cuts, nuts, and dried fruit as we sipped our chilled wine and lounged about in the garden.
Our last stop was a newly opened seafood restaurant by the port of Batroun: Bistr’eau.
I loved the atmosphere by the sea and the contagious positive vibes. It could also be the wine talking. The food was delicious – don’t expect the standard Lebanese seafood spread! Each dish has been revamped and reinvented in taste and presentation.
My favourite was the seared fresh tuna salad with spicy sesame dressing as well as their absolutely delicious wedges. Yes, I’m praising their wedges because they were awesome and I love batata.
Moving on….
At Bistr’eau, we tasted wine from the third and final winery, Batroun Mountains.
This family-owned winery specializes in organic wine, since the family too eats organic. Our group sampled 3 different types of wine – the Chardonnay was my favourite of the lot.
So that’s the end of the 209 Lebanese Wine in Batroun tour guys – I hope you enjoyed the read! Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Lebanon and overseas travels by subscribing to the blog 🙂
Cheers!
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