Chateau Musar
The gentile world of fine wine can seem at times to be
far removed from the troubles and turmoil of the world at
large. The grand chateaux of Bordeaux may have survived
innumerable wars and even a revolution, but they have been
tranquil places for over half a century now, as have most,
if not all, of Europe’s wine regions.
Spare a thought, then, for the Hochar family, owners of
Chateau Musar in the Lebanon, who have long been producing
unique wines of considerable class and elegance whilst civil
war has raged all around them.
The vineyards, which are planted with a mixture of the
obvious (cabernet sauvignon, grenache), the less obvious (cinsaut,
mourvedre) and the downright obscure (carignan) are situated
in the Bekaa Valley, whose altitude and surrounding
mountains prevent the vines from experiencing the more
extreme conditions prevalent in this part of the world. The
soil is mainly gravely and well drained, with a limestone
base.
Although the estate produces a white and a second red
wine, the one in which we are interested is the showcase
Chateau Musar red, whose character precludes simple
comparisons to the great reds of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the
Rhone.
The exact composition of the wine varies with each year,
which means that there can be distinct differences in
flavours and textures between vintages. What does remain
constant, however, is Musar’s age-worthiness; the hefty
tannins and teeth crunching acidity mean that it needs at
least ten years in the bottle before drinking, and will
benefit from a great deal more.
The 1995, which is beginning to drink well now, but will
improve over the next twenty years, is a hefty beast of a
wine. The nose itself is a shocking (for the new Musar
drinker at least) combination of glue-like aromas combined
with a more typical scent of strawberries and summer fruit.
A sip reveals notes of ripe plum, liquorice and coffee, all
held together with strong tannins and ending with a very
powerful finish that does not fade for minutes.
There is real substance here, but not in the same way as
a great claret or Burgundy; it is of a more exotic kind that
is less reserved, and perhaps a little less constrained by
convention, but is certainly not showy or nouveau riche. It is
a wine that does not ape others and it does not need to,
because, as the Hochar family know, Musar is a singular
experience, and one easily worth the eminently affordable
price tag.
