Practically everything about Château Musar defies expectation. It was founded in the 1930s by Gaston Hochar, a native of the Bekaa Valley who’d made some trips to Bordeaux to explore the wines there. Though Lebanon has a suite of indigenous varieties, Hochar opted to plant Bordeaux’s Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside southern French reds like Cinsault and Carignan. For years, the Musar wines sold primarily to French troops stationed in the region. In fact, a French soldier named Ronald Barton – whose family owned the 2nd growth Saint-Julien estate Léoville-Barton – provided winemaking guidance for the first few vintages.
Gaston’s son Serge studied winemaking in Bordeaux with the legendary Emile Peynaud, and upon his return, elevated the château to new heights. He also oversaw its most turbulent period. For years, the Bekaa Valley was literally the frontline of the Lebanese Civil War. Shells rained in the vineyard and soldiers marched through. Nonetheless, Musar continued, their pickers hurrying into the vineyard to glean what fruit they could during breaks in fighting. Musar’s heady mix of deep, lush fruit, soft tannins, and woodsy structure are as much a representation of Lebanese history as they are the Lebanese land.
Why You’ll Love It
Musar’s and Lebanon’s histories are inextricable. It was during the Civil War that the house style came about, with logistical issues meaning wines had to rest in barrel longer than planned, or age in the cellar for years before they could be sold.
The nose of Musar is both undeniably great and hard to pin down. It sings with the blackcurrant fruit, granite, and mushroom tones of Left Bank Bordeaux. But there’s also a sandalwood and dried red fruit undercurrent, something that calls to mind Châteauneuf or even Rioja. It’s like nothing else; the only comparison to Musar is Musar.
On the palate, it’s silky and full-bodied, Dried black cherries and figs, layers of black tea, cigar box and a signature limestone minerality. At 24 years in the bottle, this wine is in its absolute sweet spot, stunning yet easy to drink.
Considering the wines Musar holds its own against, the value of a bottle is insane. We’d happily pour it alongside the greats of Bordeaux or Tuscany that cost two or three times as much.
How To Serve It
Serve slightly above cellar temperature, around 60 degrees. Don’t hesitate to pop this into a decanter and really let it unfurl.
Enjoy it now or over the next 3-5 years. Musar consistently displays a capacity to age almost unparalleled in the world of wine, you'll see it with this wine.
The pairing options are wide here, but maybe nothing would be better than some kafta, Lebanese spiced beef kebabs.
