Wine in Lebanon – more stable than the politics

Prior to venturing into Lebanon from neighbouring Syria, I had written to Gaston Hochar, from the esteemed Château Musar, to get an honest opinion as to whether or not it was a good time politically to visit. The travel advisory posted by the Canadian government states that non-essential travel should be avoided (and I was fairly certain that winery visits would not fall into the 'essential' category).

Gaston sent a very level-headed reply to my concerns: 'Regarding the current situation in Lebanon, it is stable in its...