Château Musar
Musar was founded in 1930, although wine has been made in Lebanon for at least six thousand years. Winemaker Serge Hochar was Decanter magazine's first 'Man of the Year' in 1984, for his dedication to producing wines of uncompromising quality throughout Lebanon's civil war. The low-yielding, organically-tended vineyards were planted over 40 years ago in the foothills of Mount Lebanon. At around 1,000m above sea level, relatively moderate temperatures allow grapes to mature slowly. Varied soil types and aspects contribute to wine complexity, and allow for the creation of blends that reflect the strengths of any given vintage. The wine is released on the market with the mellow flavours of maturity, the red being aged for a total of 7 years, including 12 months in French oak barrels, but it will continue to develop in bottle.