When people talk about the wines of the Lebanon people like me think about Château Musar and Massaya — the latter being a personal favourite of mine. If, like me, you have never been to the Lebanon, you will probably be equally unaware of the country’s other wines and estates.

Happily, London was host to an inaugural Wines of Lebanon tasting, giving me a chance to get better acquainted.

Given Lebanon’s turbulent past it is not surprising that these wines have been on the periphery of our consciousness but things are changing and, with an increase in tourism, it seems certain that the wines will become better known to all of us.

For winemakers, the Bekaa Valley, where the majority of the vineyards are located, offers the perfect package. It has its own natural water table, courtesy of the melting snow running off the slopes of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges, and the climate is an ideal combination of summer daytime heat; fresh, cool nights and moderate autumn and winter rainfall.

Anyone can have the full tool kit but it does not necessarily follow that they will do the best job. As with all tastings, there was a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly. Where things fell apart for me was in some ill-judged use of oak (too much!) and some blends that seemed to be a bit of a hotchpotch of whatever was in the vineyard, leaving some wines lacking focus.

There were some magical moments and plenty of signs of quality, attentive winemaking and the promise of really great things to come. I was especially excited about the wines from Château Ka.

Like so many others, the Kassatly family who own the estate suffered during the civil war, the militia looting the winery and destroying the fermentation tanks.

The road to recovery was long and included a time when they were making not wine but syrups and liqueurs. In 2005, Akram Kassatly — who trained as a winemaker in Burgundy back in the 1960s — relaunched the winery, with the purchase of a four-acre vineyard site. In only five years the estate has grown significantly and is not short of producing 750,000 bottles a year.

The Ka Source Blanche 2008 was one of the best of the day’s whites. A blend of Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, it was a zippy, freshly-fruited white with more than a touch of Muscat’s generous floral and white spice personality. I enjoyed it very much.

The two reds on show were both a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

The first, the Source de Rouge 2007 is made from 15-year-old vines and is aged in oak for a comparatively short six-month period. I loved the fresh, lightly-spiced, liquorice-tinged red fruits and the well-integrated tannins. I am also very pleased to say that it is available in the UK with Waitrose Wine Direct for just £8.24 a bottle. I do think it represents excellent value for money.

The second of the reds, Fleur de Ka 2006 spends a more significant 18 months in new oak and you will not miss the extra opulence that brings to the wine. It is more cassis-driven and there is a lovely plushness to the palate. Very lovely.

If you are interested in trying the white or the Fleur de Ka, then contact Art and Wine (www.artandwine.co.uk 01926 496337), a company based in Warwick who can order the wines for anyone interested. Frustratingly I was not able to get a price before going to press.