Chateau Musar 2018

Chateau Musar Red, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, 2018     

Grapes: An equal blend of hand-harvested, organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault, produced originally by master winemaker Serge Hochar.

Producer Tasting Note:

The 2018 vintage has a deep garnet colour 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 liquorice undertones and at 6 years of age upon release, it is already developed and mature. 

Musar has 130ha of vineyards with 40 year old vines grown on gravelly/limestone soil at 1000m altitude. Natural yeast fermentation in concrete vats. The wine spent a year in French Nevers oak barrels before being bottled, unfined & unfiltered, with minimal sulphur additions. Only released around seven years after the harvest. The property is currently run by Serge's sons, Gaston and Mark Hochar.

Critic's Tasting Note:

"Transparent bright ruby shading to a water-white rim. Super-exotic and warmly Mediterranean. Gamey but not bretty. The elements are very nicely melded and the nose, palate and (dry) finish all seem really fresh. Not sure it’s a very long distance runner. But I love the combination of ripeness and freshness. Couldn’t possibly be from anywhere other than Lebanon, maybe only from Ch Musar! Long and hugely pleasurable. Widens the range of flavours available in an admirable way."  Drink 2023-2029

17/20 points, Jancis Robinson, October 2025

Also awarded 96/100 points, WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE (USA), October 2022 and 94/100 points, Miquel Hudin, Hudin.com (Spain), March 2025

Food Match: Serve at 18°C with roasts, grills (especially lamb), casseroles, game, and mature cheeses.