Handford Wines

Surprisingly to many, wine making in Lebanon is nothing new. The cultivation of the vine goes back to the Phoenicians who traded their wines along the Mediterranean trade routes, introducing viniculture into many parts of southern Europe. Some centuries later, the Romans chose Baalbek in the east of Lebanon as the site to build the Temple of Bacchus as their tribute to the god of wine, a Temple which still stands today. Chateau Musar, founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar in an 18th century castle, is located in Ghazir, 15 miles north of Beirut. Following an expansion of the cellar in the late 1950's, Chateau Musar is now able to store more than one million bottles of wine. Still a family concern, Chateau Musar is owned by Gaston Hochar's two sons, Serge and Ronald. While taking over the role of wine maker in 1959, the eldest son, Serge, studied oenology at the University of Bordeaux. Ronald, the younger of the two brothers, has degrees in Law and Political Science. He is in charge of the marketing and finances of Chateau Musar. During the war years in Lebanon, Chateau Musar managed to consistently produce high quality wine, leading the "Wine Spectator" magazine to use headlines such as: "Chateau Musar makes great, ageworthy reds amid the chaos of Lebanon's civil war". Chateau Musar attained international notoriety during the wine fair of Bristol in England in 1979, where a specialized press named it the "find of the fair". Following this event, Chateau Musar's reputation reconfirmed itself in most other European countries, as well as in the United States, Canada, and in some Asian Countries. Decanter Magazine paid tribute to Serge Hochar's achievements by nominating him "Decanter Man of the Year" in 1984. Today, thanks to the audience Chateau Musar has attracted and its reputation in the international press, Lebanese wine has become known throughout the world as a wine of upstanding quality, thus opening the way for Lebanon to become member of the OIV (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin). Chateau Musar is constantly promoting its wines by encouraging all amateurs and professionals to visit the Chateau for a tour and wine tasting. Chateau musar exports more than 90% of its total annual production throughout the world. The vineyards of Chateau Musar are located at an altitude of over 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) in the Bekaa Valley where the vines are sheltered by the surrounding mountains running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. They cover 130 hectares, produce a limited yield of about 25 hl/ha, resulting in approximately 20,000 cases of the "Chateau Musar" wine, and a production of different other wines. The Bekaa Valley is almost frost and disease free, with long mild summers, rainy winters, and an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The red wines are made from a blend of different grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvedre. The vines are grown on a gravely soil with a limestone base. The composition varies from one year to the next, giving Chateau Musar each year a different character and identity. The white wines are made from a blend of Obaideh (the native Chardonnay) and Merwah (close to the Semillon), which are local grapes grown in the Bekaa Valley and on Mount Lebanon. Chateau Musar makes every effort at producing totally natural wines, letting each one develop its own character.

The Wine

The new release from Musar, the 1998 is dense, lush and has a forward charm all of its own. Already showing more fruit and appeal than the 1997, which is starting to close up and sleep a little. Great drinking!

Single Bottle: £26.95

In a case of 12: £25.60