Description

French in origin, the Hochar family arrived in Lebanon in the 12th century and settled in the Bekka Valley, about 30 kilometers southeast of modern day Beirut. Gaston Hochar planted vineyards in 1930 and established a winemaking legend that his son Serge expanded upon, bringing Chateau Musar much-deserved international notoriety. Sadly, Serge passed away, and now his sons are at the helm, continuing the proud legacy started by their grandfather.

The Bekka Valley is further south than any part of Spain or Italy, but the Musar vineyards are situated at about 1,000 feet above sea level, and at that altitude, enjoy cool nights (and often snow in the winter months) to cool down the vines after the hot days. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan make up the red grapes planted in the vineyards, which are organically certified. They are vinified separately and blended together and bottled three years after harvest and aged an additional four years before release. The finished wine is a uniquely beautiful thing, a Bordeaux-style blend that expresses its terroir with character and finesse. And that's pretty much the Kochars' objective in making this truly special wine. This is a wine every wine enthusiast, regardless of budget or expertise, should experience.

Each varietal was fermented with its natural yeasts in concrete vats, then aged for 12 months in French Nevers oak barrels before blending in January 2021. It was bottled, without fining or filtration, during the summer months of July and August 2021. The 2018 vintage has a deep garnet color in the glass with dried cherries and mature red fruits on the nose. The palate is rich and concentrated with cranberries, raisins, and dates; there is good acidity with fine tannins. It has an enticing smoky, dusty fruit with soft licorice undertones, and with several years of age upon release, it is already developed and mature.