In the late 1990s, Naji Boutros and his wife Jill decided to leave his businesses in London and New York and return to his family’s ancestral home in Bhamdoun Village. Long the playground of the well-to-do in Lebanon and nearby Arab states, with thousands of luxury hotel rooms and gardens, Bhamdoun had been largely abandoned during the internecine wars that plagued Lebanon and the whole area was in disrepair. Thanks to the Boutros’ work and commitment, the area is again welcoming tourists from around the world, and the village is a bustling, idyllic family place. The carefully-planted, organically-farmed vineyards are dry farmed, which is especially challenging as there is little to no rain during the summer growing season. However, this extra stress, while significantly reducing yields, leads to wines of supreme quality and structure. With 120 plots in the valleys around the village, there are plenty of excitingly different terroirs to choose from when making their final blends. Focusing on French varieties and using biodynamic principles, Chateau Belle-Vue’s small production has Old World, classic European sensibilities as well as that wonderful exotic spiciness that seem to be the hallmark of Lebanese wines.