Chateau Musar: background notes
In 1930 (at the age of just 20), after a lengthy stay in Bordeaux, Chateau Musar founder Gaston Hochar established his first vineyards (with backing from his mother) in Ghazir, north of Beirut, and in the Western Bekaa Valley. This fertile strip, running between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges, has been home to the vine for 6,000 years. Vineyards were commercially exploited here by the sea-faring ancestors of the modern Lebanese, who introduced viticulture to Greece, Egypt and Italy. The Greeks named them ‘Phoenicians’ after the purple dye (‘phoinikèia’) they made from seashells. Famed for being able to revive their cities rapidly after destruction, the Phoenicians inspired the legend of the Phoenix. The region’s wines are mentioned many times in the Bible, and Cana, where Christ turned water into wine, is near the southern port of Tyre. Baalbek, originally devoted to Phoenician fertility god Baal, is also the site of a vast Roman temple to wine god Bacchus. French in origin, the Hochar (‘Hoshar’) family arrived in the 15th century as crusading ‘Preux Chevaliers’ (Gallant Knights).
Bordeaux vigneron Major Ronald Barton, stationed in Lebanon during WW2, was a great influence on Gaston, who planted claret grape Cabernet Sauvignon and named his second son Ronald. In 1959, when eldest son Serge (a civil engineer) studied winemaking at the University of Bordeaux, he stayed at Château Langoa-Barton. ‘Decanter’ magazine made the philosophical humanitarian Serge their first ‘Man of the Year’ in 1984 for producing superb wines throughout Lebanon’s Civil War (1975-1990). The war sent Serge in search of other markets: Michael Broadbent championed the winery having tasted 1967 Musar Red at the Bristol Wine Fair in 1979. Only 2 vintages were lost: 1976 and 1984, when the grapes could not be transported to the winery.
After every harvest the grapes have to be driven 70 rugged kilometres to the family’s 18th century castle / winery in Ghazir, near the Mediterranean coast north of Beirut. Home to millions of uninsurable bottles, it fully deserves the Arabic name M’zar - ‘place of remarkable beauty’. Serge’s thoughtful methods, developed over decades - blending single vineyard wines to reflect each vintage’s strengths, fermentation in cement vats, no fining, little filtration, low sulphite use, 7 years’ vinification (including 12 months in French Nevers oak barrels) for the top wines (ensuring great longevity) - are now entrusted to Lafite-Rothschild-trained Tarek Sakr. Apprenticed to Serge since 1991, he is increasing the number of vineyards being cultivated organically.
Chateau Musar’s red vineyards - Carignan, Cinsault, and Cabernet Sauvignon - lie near the villages of Ammiq, Aana and Kefraya, on gravelly soils over limestone. At 1000m above sea level, the climate is relatively mild - 25°C on average (encompassing snowy winters and searing summers). The vines, mostly trained as ‘goblets’ (the Rhône grapes), some as ‘Guyot double’ (the Cabernet) are over 50 years old, and yields are low: 3500 litres per hectare.
Planted between 50-90 years ago to ancient Lebanese varieties Obaideh and Merwah (the ancestors of Chardonnay and Semillon), Musar’s white vineyards are in the foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountains near Ain Arab on stony, chalky soils, and on the seaward side of Mount Lebanon in Baqaâta, on calcareous gravels. Again, yields are low for these untrained bushvines: 2500 litres per hectare. High altitude (around 1400m) has helped to keep the vines phylloxera-free: they are still on their own roots and are among the very few vineyards left in the world of this calibre. All the grapes are hand-harvested by Bedouin tribespeople.
1986 was a challenging year, with drought conditions in the Bekaa Valley. |
Tasting notes
All the wines at the tasting are available from Nickolls and Perks by the bottle or dozen.
Wines – all from the Bekaa Valley
2003 Chateau Musar White 12% ABV
A fascinating blend of indigenous Lebanese grapes Obaideh and Merwah (the ancestors of Chardonnay and Semillon), fermented in French barrels for 9 months, then blended and bottled at the end of its first year. Flavours were concentrated in this hot, rain-free summer, and the Merwah dominant, as if to compensate for its hail-induced absence in 2002 (when no White was made). Toasty, nutty and honeyed, yet fresh, the style has been likened to ‘dry Sauternes’ or mature white Graves such as Haut-Brion, which it has beaten in tastings. Decant and ‘serve cellar cool’ (15°C) with pâtés, seafood, fresh fruit or desserts.
2006 Chateau Musar Rosé 12% ABV
Serge enjoys the classic ‘blended’ rosés of Champagne. This complex still wine is his tribute to the style. A blend of 60% Obaideh and 35% Merwah (white varieties), the rest Cinsault (the red southern Rhône grape, for colour), it spent 9 months in Nevers barrels. Decant and serve ‘cellar cool’ (15°C) with salmon, canapés, seafood, olives, Lebanese ‘mezze’ or Provençal dishes.
2003 Hochar Père et Fils Red 13% ABV
Cinsault-based, plus Cabernet, Carignan and Grenache, this robust red hails from a 35-year-old single vineyard near Aana, with deep soils over limestone. Concentration of flavour was enhanced in 2003 by a hot, sunny, rain-free summer; in May, when flowering started, a 10-day heatwave reduced the quantity of grapes by 30%. Five years in the making, this wine was fermented in cement vats, with 6-9 months in Nevers oak. Decant and serve at 18°C.
2002 Chateau Musar Red 14% ABV
After a long, cold winter lasting until June, a mild July and hot August, ripening took longer than average and the vintage began a week later than usual. Against the odds, fermentation was slow, and the wines riper and fuller than expected: this is a year of ‘pleasant surprises’. As is customary, the wine was 7 years in the making. Fermented in temperature-controlled cement vats, it spent 12 months in Nevers oak before blending and bottling. Decanting is beneficial; allow the wine to breathe for several hours before serving at 18°C with roasts, grills, game or mature cheeses.
1999 Chateau Musar Red 14% ABV
Grapes ripened slowly to optimum maturity through a hot September. “If the 1997 was Bordeaux-style, this gives more of a nod to the Rhône. An enticing, dangerous scent of violets, game and incense, with dense, full-throttle fruit flavours.” – Andrew Jefford, ‘Decanter’, January 2004.
1997 Chateau Musar Red 14% ABV
An Indian summer allowed all Musar’s red grapes to achieve maturity at an unprecedentedly gentle pace. Fermentation was likewise thorough. “Exotic, smoky nose; redcurrant, cinnamon and spice flavours and fresh acidity.” – Rose Murray-Brown, ‘The Scotsman’, June 2008.
1986 Chateau Musar Red 14% ABV
1986 was a challenging year, with drought conditions in the Bekaa Valley. The winemaking provided great experience. "Mature looking, almost chocolate scented, delicious 1986." Michael Broadbent, April 2000. "It's warm and cedary, typically sweet with lingering chocolate and cherry characters. Extraordinarily drinkable." Andrew Jefford WINE, January 2004.
1981 Chateau Musar Red 14% ABV
"This venerable Lebanese producer has earned the right to be considered on its own terms and not to be saddled with comparisons to other "great" wine regions" Slightly cloudy rusty garnet in colour, with cedar, leather and beetroot character, this is very smotth, harmonious and absolutely delicious. Perfectly mature in every way; beyond that, words fail to describe this beauty." - George Heritier. www.gangofpour.com, February 2009 |
