Château Khoury is a family-run winery in Dhour Zahlé, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, founded in 2004 by Raymond and Brigitte El Khoury and now run by their son Jean-Paul. It was the first Lebanese estate to plant Alsatian varieties such as Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer alongside classic Bordeaux grapes, and its vineyards sit at 1,200 to 1,260 meters on limestone-clay soil. Swiss wine lovers can order five Château Khoury wines online through VinoLibano, a Lebanese wine shop in Switzerland offering home delivery and self-collection.

Lebanon's wine story stretches back roughly 6,000 years, and few estates capture its modern chapter as well as Château Khoury. Perched high in the eastern foothills of Mount Lebanon, this small, family-owned vineyard has spent two decades proving that Bekaa Valley altitude and Lebanese resilience can produce wines that hold their own next to Europe's best. For wine drinkers in Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, or Lausanne curious about what Lebanese terroir actually tastes like, Château Khoury is one of the most rewarding places to start.

The Story Behind Château Khoury

The estate was founded in 2004, but its roots run deeper. Raymond and Brigitte El Khoury bought the land in 1992, in the final years of Lebanon's civil war, and by 1995 had planted their first vines on ground that had sat fallow through years of conflict. What began as an act of restoration turned into one of the country's most quietly influential wineries. Today, their son, Jean-Paul El Khoury, who graduated as an oenologist in Reims, in the heart of Champagne, and trained further across other wine regions of France, oversees winemaking. His European training shows in the wines' precision, while the family's commitment remains rooted in Lebanese soil.

Château Khoury holds a distinct place in Lebanon's wine history as the first estate in the country to plant Alsatian grape varieties, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, alongside the Bordeaux varieties that dominate the Bekaa Valley. That decision to look toward Alsace rather than only Bordeaux has given the estate a lineup that feels genuinely distinct from its neighbors.

 The Terroir: Why Dhour Zahlé Grapes Taste Different

Terroir is the word every wine list uses, but at Château Khoury it is easy to see why it matters. The vineyards sit between 1,200 and 1,260 meters above sea level on the eastern slopes facing south and southeast toward the Bekaa Valley, one of the highest and coolest vineyard zones in Lebanon.

Altitude and Soil

The clay-limestone soils drain well and force the vines to work for every drop of water, concentrating flavor in the grapes. The altitude brings a wide swing between hot days and cool nights, which slows ripening and preserves the acidity that gives these wines their freshness, something warmer, lower-altitude Mediterranean wines often lack.

Old Vines and Low Yields

Several of the red-wine plots carry vines that are close to thirty years old, and yields are deliberately kept low, in some cases as little as 20 hectoliters per hectare for the top cuvées. Lower yields mean the vine channels its energy into fewer bunches, producing more concentrated, structured wine.

Organic Farming

The entire estate is certified organic, and every Château Khoury wine is made from organically farmed grapes. A few labels don't state this explicitly, either because those wines were produced before the estate's organic certification came through or by choice, to avoid the extensive paperwork and delays that come with listing certification on every label. That matters increasingly to Swiss consumers, who tend to research a bottle's farming practices before they order.

The Château Khoury Range: Five Wines Worth Knowing

VinoLibano currently lists five Château Khoury wines for the Swiss market, four reds and one white, each expressing a different side of the estate.

Château Symphonie (2010)

A Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah in equal parts, grown on 28-year-old vines at 1,250 meters. Deep garnet in the glass, with juicy red fruit on the nose, supple tannins, and a long finish. It spends twelve months in oak, 40 percent in one-year barrels and 60 percent in two- to three-year French oak, and can age for up to 25 years. Pair it with red meat, braised dishes, or a classic Lebanese lamb stew.

Cuvée St Thérèse (2019)

An organic blend of Caladoc and Pinot Noir from a two-hectare plot at 1,220 meters, named after what the estate describes as a small miracle on the property. Strawberry aromas give way to subtle earthy undertones, with a fresh, precise finish. The estate makes only 10,000 bottles for each vintage. It pairs easily with grilled meats, kebab, mezze, and lamb kofta, making it one of the more versatile bottles for a Swiss dinner table.

Perséides (2012)

The estate's prestige cuvée, a Syrah-led blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, sourced from the best 4.5 hectares of 28-year-old, organically farmed vines yielding just 20 hectoliters per hectare. Eighteen months in oak and over a decade of bottle ageing before release give it real complexity: layered fruit, spice, and measured wood, with silky tannins and remarkable length. Only 7,200 bottles are produced. Decanting is strongly recommended, and it rewards patience with red meat, game, or a well-aged raw-milk cheese.

Pinot Gris (2020)

The only white in the current Swiss lineup, and a genuinely historic bottling: this half-hectare plot holds the first Pinot Gris vines ever planted in Lebanon, in 1998. Fermented and aged entirely in steel with no malolactic conversion, it shows a pale lemon-gold color, flint and delicate floral aromas, and a saline, faintly iodine-tinged minerality that is unusual for the variety. Serve well chilled with seafood, oysters, or a Lebanese fish mezze.

Prélude (2020)

The most approachable entry point into the range blends Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon from organic vineyards at 1,200 to 1,250 meters. Bright ruby with violet highlights, fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit, and a touch of Mediterranean garrigue. Soft, well-integrated tannins make it easy to enjoy with mezze, grilled vegetables, poultry, or charcuterie, no decanting required.

Why Swiss Wine Lovers Are Discovering Château Khoury

Switzerland has a discerning, well-traveled wine audience, and Lebanese wine has been building a following here for years, largely thanks to estates like Château Khoury proving that quality and altitude-driven terroir matter more than geography. Buyers in Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne increasingly look for wines that offer something their regular Swiss, French, or Italian bottles don't: a different climate story, old vines, and grape varieties like Caladoc that are rarely seen outside Lebanon and the Rhône.

Ordering from a Lebanese wine shop in Switzerland also solves a real logistical problem. Importing directly from Lebanon is complicated for an individual buyer. Still, a Swiss-based importer already handles customs, storage, and delivery, so a bottle that grew at 1,250 meters near Dhour Zahlé can be on a table in Bern within a few days.

How to Buy Château Khoury Wine in Switzerland

VinoLibano stocks the full five-wine range and ships across Switzerland, with self-collection also available. A few practical notes for first-time buyers:

• Start light: if you have not tried Lebanese wine before, Prélude or Cuvée St Thérèse are the most food-friendly, easy-drinking entry points.
• Serve whites cold: the Pinot Gris is best at 6 to 8 degrees Celsius to preserve its mineral edge.
• Decant the age-worthy reds: Perséides in particular benefits from decanting given its structure and oak aging.
• Think about the meal first: mezze and grilled dishes pair naturally with Prélude or Cuvée St Thérèse, while richer, slow-cooked dishes call for Symphonie or Perséides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Château Khoury located?

Château Khoury is in Dhour Zahlé, on the eastern slopes of Mount Lebanon overlooking the Bekaa Valley, with vineyards between 1,200 and 1,260 meters above sea level.

What makes Château Khoury different from other Lebanese wineries?

It was the first Lebanese estate to plant Alsatian varieties, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, and its Pinot Gris plot, planted in 1998, was the first of that variety grown anywhere in Lebanon. Combined with high-altitude, organically farmed parcels, that gives the range a distinct character within Lebanese wine.

Can I buy Château Khoury wine in Switzerland?

Yes. VinoLibano, a Lebanese wine shop based in Switzerland, carries five Château Khoury wines: Château Symphonie, Cuvée St Thérèse, Perséides, Pinot Gris, and Prélude, with delivery across the country and self-collection available.

Are Château Khoury wines organic?

Yes. The estate's vineyards are certified organic and every wine is made from organically grown grapes. A few labels don't mention it explicitly, either because those wines were bottled before certification came through, or simply to avoid the extra paperwork and delays involved in stating it on every label.

What food pairs well with Château Khoury wines?

It depends on the bottle. The Pinot Gris suits seafood and fish mezze; Prélude and Cuvée St Thérèse pair well with grilled meats and mezze spreads; and the more structured Symphonie and Perséides pair best with red meat, game, or aged cheese.

How long can Château Khoury wines be aged?

Aging potential varies by wine: Prélude is made to drink within 5 to 8 years, Cuvée St Thérèse up to 15 years, Pinot Gris around 10 to 15 years, and both Symphonie and Perséides are built for decades-long cellaring.

Conclusion

Château Khoury tells a bigger story than any single bottle. It is proof that a vineyard replanted on fallow, post-war land can grow into one of Lebanon's most quietly respected estates, and that Bekaa Valley altitude, old vines, and a family's patience can produce wine worth seeking out on the other side of the Mediterranean. For wine drinkers across Switzerland, from Zürich to Lausanne, trying Château Khoury is an easy way to taste Lebanese terroir without leaving home, and a Swiss-based Lebanese wine shop makes getting a bottle to your table simpler than it has ever been.