Domaine des Tourelles

When Frenchman François-Eugène Brun laid the foundation stone of Domaine des Tourelles in Chtaura back in 1868, he couldn’t have known that he had just begun to write the marvelous story of Lebanese wine. Pioneer of what was to become one of the greatest ambassadors of the land of the Cedars, the winery is more than ever on Lebanon’s top list delivering one of the most exciting wines of the Middle-East.

François-Eugène Brun was born in the 19th century in Chézery (Ain – France). At an early age he moved from his village to Marseille where he settled. A young man, he was hired by an Ottoman company in charge of building the Beirut-Damascus road which lead François-Eugène to Lebanon and more precisely to a village called Chtaura in the Bekaa Valley. Captivated by the plain’s landscape that reminded him of his homeland, he decided to settle in Chtaura where he founded in 1868 Domaine des Tourelles. Hence, his winery became the first commercial cellar in Lebanon producing wines, arak (Lebanon’s traditional alcoholic beverage) and other spirits. Soon after, the distillery prospered and flourished with high demands on the cellar’s products. Brun’s passion for wine lead his reputation beyond Lebanon as Domaine des Tourelles won, as of the 19th century, gold, silver and bronze medals in various prestigious international wine contests. Carrying on the ancestral tradition, François-Eugène Brun’s descendants preserved, in turn, the notoriety of the property. The last of them all, Pierre Louis Brun (3rd generation) died in 2000. Domaine des Tourelles was then bought by Nayla Kanaan Issa-el-Khoury and Elie F. Issa. The new owners closely preserved the golden rule launched more than a century ago. Today, Domaine des Tourelles has conquered new international admirers and has been classified as the “most seductive” winery in Lebanon by the Financial Times. In 2011, the property launched a premiere by opening its own boutique-cellar in the heart of Beirut at 250 Monnot Street. Available in more than 8 countries around the world, Domaine des Tourelles is one of the most successful adventures of Lebanese wines. Nothing but a visit to this winery-museum will unveil you its mystery.