Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 By: Talia Abbas Source: The Daily Star BEIRUT: The eighth-annual Vinifest, an extravaganza of local wines and performances, will occupy Beirut Hippodrome Oct. 7-10. At a press conference at La Table D’Alfred on Sursock Street, Ashrafieh last week, Neda Farah, founder and director-general of event management company Eventions, spoke briefly about this year’s theme of wine and tasting, and eagerly introduced Russia as the festival’s guest of honor. In a speech, Zafer Chaoui, president of Lebanon’s official wine association, the Union Vinicole du Liban, and chairman of Château Ksara, said that “wine is our national pride and its reputation has been established beyond the shadow of doubt.” Chaoui implored the citizens of Lebanon and the owners