It was in 1930 that Gaston Hochar, of Lebanon’s Chateau Musar, planted his first vineyards, after returning from Bordeaux. Major Ronald Barton (of Chateau Langoa-Barton), who was stationed in Lebanon during World War II, befriended Gaston Hochar, strengthening links with Bordeaux and influencing the Musar style.

Gaston’s first son, Serge, became Chateau Musars winemaker in 1959, while completing his winemaking studies at the University of Oenology in Bordeaux, under the tutorage of Jean Riberau and Emile Peynaud. 3 years later, Ronald Hochar (Gaston’s second son) takes over the financial and marketing aspects of the winery.

It wasn’t until 1977 that Serge Hochar finalised the formula for Chateau Musar Reds. 2 years later, Michael Broadbent discovers’ Chateau Musar at the Bristol Wine Fair, hailing the 1967 vintage as the “Find of the Fair”. Chateau Musar opens its UK Company to develop its sales into the UK market and thereafter into Europe.

In 1984, Decanter magazine nominates Serge Hochar as their first Man of the Year’, recognising his dedication to producing superb wines throughout Lebanon’s Civil War (1975-1990).

The family tradition continued in 1994 when Gaston Hochar, Serge’s son joins the winery, to later become its managing director and again in 2003 when Ralph Hochar, Ronald’s son joins the UK office in charge of sales in the on-trade.

2006 saw Chateau Musar obtains its first official, Organic certification for some of its vineyards.

Most recently in 2010, Serge Hochar receives the lifetime achievement award from the German magazine Der FeinSchmeker. Also Marc Hochar, Serge’s second son, joins his brother Gaston to help run and expand the winery’s activities.

The Chateau Musar’s range of wines are this houses most famous range of wines. These are their Grands Vins’, each with their unique signature and imprint in the world of wine. Since 1930, every aspect of production, grape sourcing, fermentation, oak-ageing and bottle maturation, has been trialled to achieve the ultimate expression of Musar’s specific terroirs’ (site-specific interactions of soil, vine, climate and time).

Vineyards

Musar Jeune red vines are from our organically certified vineyards in the western Bekaa Valley and the 2020 vintage was harvested during the last week of August. In January we had rainy and snowy weather, making pruning difficult, rain continued through February and into the spring months of March and April. This led to the best possible flowering season in late May and early June. July was ideal, with temperature averaging 27 degrees and we forecast that 2020 could become a record production year should the climatic conditions continue but unfortunately due to the September heatwave, we recorded a loss of 40% from our forecast quantities earlier on in the year. The red wines of 2020 are wines of taste and concentration, tannins and depth rather than aromatic fragrances.

Vinification

Cinsault (50%), Syrah (35%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%).

The grapes were fermented in concrete vats with temperatures between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius. It was a race against the clock to have the wine fermented and racked, and to release fermentation vats for the grapes that needed saving from the heatwave but we managed. The Musar Jeune Red was blended in March 2021 and then rested in the vats until being bottled during the summer of 2021 and released in the spring of 2022. Musar Jeune Red is unfiltered and made according to our non interventionist wine-making philosophy.

Tasting Notes

The nose is full with blackcurrants, blueberries prunes and strawberries with a hint of violets.A richly fruited wine the palate bursts with an explosion of red cherries, strawberries, blackberries with a little black pepper and spice with a beautiful soft texture.