Château Musar White 2014, Lebanon

The winery was established by Gaston Hochar in 1930 after returning from Bordeaux. Gaston Hochar was succeeded by his sons, Ronald and Serge Hochar, with the latter managing the estate from 1959 till his death in 2014, and Ronald Hochar assuming marketing and finance department responsibilities from 1962 Serge Hochar’s sons have succeeded him at the winery. Gaston Hochar is now in charge of the day-to-day running of the winery, and Marc Hochar is in charge of the winery’s commercial aspects.

In the 1930s and 1940s when Lebanon was under French control, the winery was an important customer for local French Army troops stationed in Lebanon. A French officer named Ronald Barton(whom Gaston named his second son after), and was stationed in Lebanon, was highly influential to the early development of Chateau Musar’s wines, as Barton was affiliated with the Bordeaux wineries Château Langoa-Barton and Château Léoville Barton.

In 1959, Serge Hochar becomes Chateau Musar winemaker, while completing his winemaking studies at the University of Oenology in Bordeaux, under the tutorage of Jean Riberau and Emile Peynaud.

Before the Lebanese Civil war (1975-1990), the Chateau Musar wines were mostly sold to domestic markets, however the war changed that. Gaston Hochar’s son Ronald Hochar helped market the wine abroad and from the late 1970s and early 1980s the wine became more popular abroad.

Wholly unique, the style has been described as resembling ‘dry Sauternes’ or mature white Graves. Chateau Musar Whites develop tawny hues and mellow spicy characters as they age. The cellars at Ghazir holds bottles of this wine dating as far back as 1954. About the Winery The Lebanon-based family winery, Chateau Musar was established in 1930.

A blend of Obaideh (related to Chardonnay) 60% and Merwah (related to Semillon) 40% grapes with the Merwah bring fermented and aged in new Nevers oak barrels for 9 months on the lees and the Obaideh fermented in stainless steel vats, these two different fermentation methods are used to match the two different grape characteristics. Fermentation temperatures for both ranged from 19-23°C with malolactic fermentation taking place. It was blended in June 2015, bottled in the August after cold stabilisation and the vintage released in 2021 after 7 years of ageing.

Golden-yellow colour with a complex aroma of beeswax, orange peel and a delicate savoury character. Its bursting with flavour, ranging from herb-scented runny honey, to ripe peach, banana, fresh almonds and hazelnuts. A full-bodied white despite having fresh acidity and a saline edge which results in an attractive textural balanced wine. Good length and if cellared well, will keep for decades.

This wine excels with pâtés, rillettes, seafood dishes and will match spicy food as the wine has such intense flavours