ice. Massaya now produces 40,000 litres per annum which is sold in distinctive blue bottles and has had notable success French partners The Brunier family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Hebrard family, formerly of Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, are partners in the winery. Hippolyte Brunier planted his first wine stocks on Plateau de la Crau, where grapes had been grown since the 14th century and where, in 1972, Claude Chappe, the inventor of the optical telegraph, built one of his signal towers. Hippolyte’s son, Jules, extended the estate to 42 acres and gave it its name "Vieux Télégraphe". Since the early 1980s, the family business has been run by Frédéric and Daniel, both of whom are partners in Massaya. After the sale of the Hebrard family enterprise, Dominic Hebrard established la Maison Hebrard, a new Chateau in Saint Emilion, and went into partnership with Massaya. Wines The grapes are harvested in September and October from Massaya's vineyards on the Tanaïl property as well as other areas of Massaya land around the Bekaa valley. Massaya bottles five wines per vintage: one white, one rosé and three reds – Classic, Silver Selection and Gold Reserve, made from varying blends of Grenache noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre, Syrah and Cinsault. Both the Gold Reserve and Silver Selection are aged in oak before release. The wines have won several awards. The winery produces 300,000 bottles per annum, 80% of which are exported. Its restaurant and tasting facilities are frequented by resident Lebanese and tourists alike. References External links Massaya official site Wineries of Lebanon 1998 establishments in Lebanon Food and drink companies established in 1998 Lebanese brands