Chateau Musar

History of Musar Wine

Lebanese viticulture was introduced 6000 years ago by the Phoenicians who whilst trading their wines throughout the Mediterranean planted vines in southern Europe.

In antiquity, wine was exported from the Lebanese ports of Byblos, Tyre and Saida to Egypt. Evidence of this can be found in countless Egyptian inscriptions and paintings. The Bible references the wine of Canaan which is located today in southern Lebanon. According one reference, the Hebrews brought home a bunch of grapes so big that it took the strength of two men to carry it.

The reputation of the wine of Canaan was such that Egyptians reported it to be "as abundant as flowing water" and this is believed to have inspired the Romans to choose Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley as the site of their largest temple ever. Several centuries later, another temple was built devoted to Bacchus.

Created in 1930 in the cellar of an old 17th century castle, Château Musar is not just the living testimony of all the civilisations that have tread its soil, but the work of one family. Gaston Hochar created the winery in the cellars of the old 'Mzar' castle in Ghazir, overlooking the Mediterranean sea, using the experience he had gained from time spent in the vineyards of rance.

What began as a hobby soon became a passion; inspired by an encounter with renowned viticulturist Ronald Barton while he was stationed in Lebanon during the Second World War. The family's love for wine grew, and in 1959, the eldest son, Serge, entered the business. Some call him the magician, the man behind this exceptional wine, to which his reply is that he only seeks is to translate what nature intended. Serge's younger brother Ronald, took over marketing and finance in 1962.

The vineyards are located at 1,000 meters in the Bekaa Valley where they are sheltered by the surrounding mountains running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. The 180 hectares produces a limited yield of about 35 hl/ha. The Bekaa Valley is almost frost and disease free, with long mild summers, rainy winters (500mm rainfall annually), and an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius perfect for growing the classic Musar Red vintages.

The red Lebanese wines are made from a blend of different grape varieties, principally Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The Bekaa valley provides a gravely soil with a limestone base. The composition of the Red wine varies from one year to the next, giving it a different character and identity each vintage.