Lebanon’s winemakers struggle as war and drought devastate Bekaa Valley vineyards

Elias Maalouf, a sixth-generation winemaker in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, is facing some of the toughest challenges of his career as war and drought threaten the survival of his family business. In the fields near Riyak, Maalouf inspects grapevines that are struggling under the region’s worst drought on record. The lack of rain has already cut his expected harvest by more than two-thirds this year.

Last year, Maalouf’s vineyard was caught in the crossfire when Israeli air strikes targeted areas in eastern Lebanon during peak grape-picking season. On September 23, a nearby building was hit by a missile, shattering 6,800 bottles of wine and blowing off the roof of his winery. The sudden exposure to sunlight ruined another 12,000 bottles, while 20,000 liters of wine were lost when fermentation tanks burst open from the force of the blast. Maalouf had prepared 40,000 bottles for export before the attack. “Then, boom. You look left and right, and everything is broken,” he said.

The Israeli military campaign targeted Hezbollah positions across Lebanon’s south, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s suburbs. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, more than 4,000 hectares of crops and vineyards were affected in Lebanon, with Baalbek and Zahle—two districts known for their wines—suffering significant damage. Some local farmers have expressed concern that Israel’s use of white phosphorus could have lasting effects on soil quality.

Maalouf estimates that 60 metric tons of grapes went unpicked last year because of the bombardment. He puts his total losses at $375,000 and says he has received no compensation. “More than 32 strikes hit Riyak during last year’s war—and we’re not on the border, we’re not involved in politics,” he said.

Tourism in the Bekaa Valley has also suffered as ongoing strikes keep visitors away from what was once a thriving wine region. For Maalouf and other winemakers in Lebanon, these recent events are only the latest in a long history of hardship. His great-grandfather fled famine during Ottoman rule; his father left during Lebanon’s civil war in 1975; and after returning to take over the business two decades ago, Elias faced new challenges when Lebanon’s economy collapsed in 2019. During that crisis, thieves stole iron stakes from his vineyard to sell as scrap metal, uprooting grapevines in the process.

Now climate change is compounding these difficulties. Weather experts say this year’s drought is unprecedented for Lebanon. Maalouf says poor rainfall has left him with just 20 tons of grapes so far—far short of his usual target of 80 tons.

To keep his business afloat amid these setbacks, Maalouf has diversified his operations. He now allows wine enthusiasts and restaurants to create their own blends using his grapes or rent equipment to make arak, a traditional Lebanese spirit distilled from grapes.

Despite everything—the war damage, economic turmoil, thefts, and now drought—Maalouf remains committed to his land and legacy. “So much has happened to us over the last five years to the point that even the land is telling you to leave,” he said. “But we’re staying.”