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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2021 and 2027 (based on 15 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 36 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Ed B on 4/20/2024 & rated 93 points: Splash decanted and drank over 2+ hours. No detailed notes. Semi-translucent ruby color. Medium minus body. As with most great wine, the flavors morphed. At 2+ hours it is cranberry, with cherry and strawberry hints, and significant, pleasant spice. I recall earlier more cherry and strawberry, and some dark berries. Excellent wine. (181 views) | | | Tasted by Ashdene on 12/15/2022 & rated 93 points: Glorious wine this one. When I got it out there was quite a gap below the cork and I was a bit concerned but no need to, this was really lovely. Bouquet of rose petal, raspberry and cherry with spice, cinnamon, clove and a hint of pepper. On the palate it was beautifully balanced with mixed fruit flavours, and spice. It is like Christmas in a glass. Lingering aftertaste. Sells for about £19 which is amazing value. Probably got a couple of years at this level (1857 views) | | | Tasted by garlicgrapes on 11/4/2022: This has some VA which gets in the way but overall is an insane wine for the price. Rose, mocha, and juniper round out this mid-weight structured red. Really punching above its weight here and fans of Chateau Musar will enjoy this younger sibling. I bought a 6 pack and will likely exercise some restraint and put down 4 of them for another 2-3 years to see how they evolve. (1838 views) | | | Tasted by WineKnurd on 9/14/2022 & rated 89 points: Very aromatic, earthy red fruits and cedar, very secondary thanks to the oak and tannin. I do like THESTERNOWL's 5/31/2022 note. Has good acidity but there is a clear DMZ on the palate where acid and tannin do not cross, and age isn't helping, though I would say spring for the Chateau bottling if you want more balance and elegance. Not complaining I picked this up at $22. Keeping the B+ (89) evaluation. (2012 views) | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 5/31/2022 & rated 93 points: Popped and poured; consumed over three days. The 2017 Musar “Hochar Pere et Fils” presents a deep garnet color with a near opaque core. Moderate staining of the tears. On the nose the wine is funky cherry accompanied by desiccated strawberry, leather, damp earth, espresso, baking chocolate, and some exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the fruit characteristics and non-fruit characteristics whilst adding a licorice, prunes and a woody note reminiscent of a hollowed out log. I have to say…after some time (Day 3), it’s just the slightest bit mousy...showing some volatility too…but well within my acceptable range for it. Finishes long, lasting well over a minute. Savory. A tremendous wine with a very Old World (Ancient) sensibility. The best vintage of “Hochar” I have had to date? To my taste, yes. (2379 views) | | | Tasted by kristen.jomas on 1/21/2022 & rated 90 points: Mørk rødsvart, plomme og vanilje. Fin tydelig+ snerp, god lengde og fylde. (2508 views) | | | Tasted by streethawk on 1/8/2022: Mid crimson. Dark red and black fruits, spice, leather, smoke. Very appetizing. Palate shows good structure and is still a little tightly wound, but there is lots of promise with some more time in bottle. Very correct. Needs a decant right now. I’m interested to see how the first wine will be from the 2017 vintage - if this is any clue, it could be a great one. (1420 views) | | | Tasted by Elycohn on 12/19/2021 & rated 92 points: My first Musar Rouge outside of the Jeune line is a step up in complexity. It's the aromatic push of acetone and greasy fruit roll-up that hits the upper registers of my nose. I love that. And its the structure too. Young, textured with pulp, grip of an iron fist. A little bit abrasive but something that can work its way through in a few years. Flavors of cedar, pencil shavings, graphite, and iron rich bloody cherry juice. Worth stashing a few to see how this evolves. (1266 views) | | | Tasted by rikipedia on 12/19/2021 & rated 88 points: 55% Cinsault, 35% Grenache and 10% CS; Mid to deep purple ruby, the bouquet displays dried earth, baked fruits, and aromas of warmth Mediterranean scrub. Fairly intense; there is raisin, date and dried blackcurrant.
A mid-full-bodied wine with lively acidity shows earthy and has a rustic charm. Packed with dry, firm tannins, this has a classic old-school stylistic. With savoury edges and gritty tannins, the wine hasn’t much complexity but still is powerful. Flavours of leather armchair, liquorice, spice and dried black fruits. Fairly long in length, the fruits compete with the drying tannins and vibrant acid, and the finish is a little extracted with a shoe polish veneer. (383 views) | | | Tasted by beatles on 10/4/2021 & rated 90 points: Much too young, could be interesting in a couple of years - or five, rather. Smoky, tight, pronounced acidity, decent depth, some quite insistent tannin. It's a country wine, but wait for this ..
#podcast (2140 views) | | | Tasted by WineTally on 9/7/2021: 55% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
from single vineyard near the village of Aana in the Bekaa Valley
with deep gravelly soil over a limestone base at 1000 m.
Old Vines with low yield of 25-30 hl/ha.
Fermentation at 27-29*C with 15-20 days maceration in cement vats.
Aged 6 months in French Nevers oak barrels.
14% Abv.
History: Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930.
Son Serge (1939-2014) took charge as winemaker from 1959.
Contemporary Management: Ronald (second son of Gaston),
Gaston and Marc (sons of Serge), Ralph (son of Ronald)
A(ccuray)=2: Med ruby/garnet. Refined fruity blend.
B(alance)=2: Ripe fruit with adequate structure.
C(omplexity)=2: Red berries, cinnamon, earth, smoke.
D(epth)=1: Lifted mouthfeel. Average length and finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,1]= 7/10
Distinctive, food friendly cuvée.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CTtn2-eseQR/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a unique multimedia resource, see
[https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette] (1253 views) | | | Tasted by Henhaa on 8/19/2021 & rated 89 points: Oak, closed fruit and leather On the nose. Good rich fruit, Nice smooth sweetnes, tight and a little bit closed. Cant wait to open this in a few years. (946 views) | | | Tasted by Paul852 on 8/11/2021 & rated 89 points: Briefly, as others have noted, this really needs at least a couple of hours in a decanter to come together. Then it's a very decent wine - definitely Musar-esque, but rather different in style from the first wine, and more straightforward.
After 3 hours in the decanter the nose is rich dark red fruit. The palate starts with spicy fruit, a little acidity; the mid-palate is full and rich and the finish has very smooth mouth-coating tannins. It's a very pleasant and versatile red wine - neither heavy or light, but somehow with the oomph to pair with moderately spiced foods.
Very reasonable QPR at the ~US$19 that I can buy it for. (1040 views) | | | Tasted by WineKnurd on 7/18/2021 & rated 89 points: Gave it a serious extended decant this time and boy was that necessary to calm down the tannin, allowed more of the plum and red currant fruit to show and more herbal notes were teased out of the cedar-spice. Structure is still very tannic, but displays much more complexity with air. Bumping up to a B- (89), can't go higher until the tannin plays nice with the acidity. (1062 views) | | | Tasted by Deer and pigeon on 6/18/2021 & rated 91 points: Very enjoyable. Black currant, mint, cedar and savoury on the nose. Med+ tannin that integrated well after 2.5 hour decant. Med+ mouth feel with more wood and savoury than fruit on the palate. Spicy notes that complimented the cherry and dark fruit. (755 views) | | | Tasted by johnrm on 6/11/2021 & rated 90 points: Uncorked and lightly re-corked 24h before tasting. Good ruby colour - quite dense but not as deep as the Chateau red. An unusually complex, fragrant, heavy, persistent nose. The almost perfumed palate showed good (plum and cherry) fruit, fruit esters - a short-lived hint of pear drops (not meant in a derogatory way), lovely balancing acidity, and very soft tannins. Layers of complexity emerged over time. This is not a heavy red wine and is still young (we are currently drinking the 2011/2012 vintages) but it is very attractive. It has lots of life and development ahead and my personal rating reflects this.
Another day later (24h after uncorking) this was superb. Lots of spice and fruit on the nose and palate. Plenty of acidity to accompany grilled steak and yet, strangely, very soft and attractive afterwards. It has a real future and should not be rushed - either to open or to drink, once opened. I have added a point. (672 views) | | | Tasted by m4rk on 5/24/2021: Mid ruby . Smokey and farmyard, plums, fennel, herbs (bay perhaps), a bit of acetone, quite a heavy nose that goes to the head. Very dry acidity in the mouth, yet sweetness on the finish, tannins that grip a little. At first, not wanting to give much away, like it's asking for something to bring it to life. With some air its opening up, a lovely rich acidity, long finish, intense. Very much Musar in style, absolutely lovely (643 views) | | | Tasted by WineKnurd on 4/10/2021 & rated 87 points: Blend of French varietals, mostly Greanche though. Decanted before serving. Interesting wine, was expecting it to be more easy drinking for some reason and it definitely took to decanting. Red currants and cedar "oak" dominate the nose, though some aeration helps to bring out more red cherries and blackberry hints plus a "Bordeaux" like quality. Palate is very cedar spice driven, both with the woodsy tannin and the cedar aromatics retro-nasally; reminded me of all the ancient Mesopotamian stories that describe cedar from Lebanon as being a sought after commodity. I got a bit of an iron like component in the palate that reminded me of Chinon. As alluded to with all of the oak references, the structure is all tannin, fine-grained oak tannin to be precise. They are shorter and "sweeter" than grape tanning but dominate the palate: much of the cedar notes start to fade into chewing tobacco, woodsy bark, then finally a leathery component. Very long and very green and very drying with no acidity able to compete with this level of tannin. Nicely aromatic and relatively inexpensive at $22 / bottle but its so oak driven and out of balance with the acid that it drives the score down for me; overall evaluation B+ (87). (837 views) | | | Tasted by Henri-st on 4/5/2021 & rated 92 points: This! More elegant than some other Musar - Bordeaux quality! Spices and tannins well balanced. Fruity - dark cherries, blackberry. Hints of Cloves, oak and cinnamon. Fabulous match to sirloin steak with pepper sauce. Curious how awesome this will be 5 years from now. Will buy more to follow development. 92p (829 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Cooper on 3/19/2021 & rated 89 points: Zoom tasting of Musar wines, hosted by Auriol Wine, Hampshire, UK with wines introduced by Elliott O'Mara of Chateau Musar UK. This is predominantly grenache. Medium cherry colour. Deep hedgerow fruit on the nose. Dry palate, rich, spicy, warming, dark fruit. Went well with venison. (789 views) | | | Tasted by VinRune on 2/13/2021 & rated 90 points: Mørke bær, plomme og vanilje. Gi den noen år! (838 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 2/11/2021: That smells horsey. And tight on the palate. Super engaging, if you want to be engagued. (948 views) | | | Tasted by Chris@77 on 11/8/2020 & rated 90 points: Read Movikk's review from May 6 captured it although now the wine is actually a little better, shockingly good the 2d day for the 2d 'half', much to my surprise after the tannins at the tail end of day 1. It's a very good buy.
I'm quick to add I like the flavor profile of grapes used which plays into preferences and scores (as it must). Though vinified in a Bordeaux style, this is not Bordeaux and shows ... more cranberry-ish (not as much as the flagship wine), not cedar, lead pencil blackcurrent of the left bank or even cab franc/merlot St Em that I love. We each must decide if we favor this. (1094 views) | | | Tasted by MalcolmV on 10/7/2020: Chateau Musar Tasting with Jane Sowter and the Dulwich Wine Society: Cinsault 55%, Grenache 35%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Red cherries, blackcurrant and orange peel with cloves and balsamic. Long finish.
Q: 3/4
P: 2/3
X: 3/3
Total 8/10 (971 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Clark on 9/20/2020 & rated 80 points: I really struggled with this. It wasn't to my taste but I also think there was something wrong with it - or it is just a poor wine? Dullish and pinkish burgundy. Slightly sour red fruits on the nose, maybe some blackberries too. Thin to taste, and a little stewed. Summer fruits but they quickly faded behind a more sour core. A vegetal note and not an especially pleasant one. Later, cherry became a bit more pronounced - in the manner of cherry cough sweets. (782 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Vinous Lockdown Special (Oct 2020) (10/1/2020)
(Chateau Musar Hochar Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
Decanter, Château Musar (6/12/2020)
(Chateau Musar, Hochar Père et Fils, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter. (manage subscription channels) |
| Chateau Musar Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Housed in an 18th century castle in Ghazir, about 25 km north of Beirut, Chateau Musar was founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, inspired by Lebanon’s 6,000-year winemaking tradition and his friendship with Ronald Barton of Chateau Leoville-Barton in Saint Julien. The estate’s name in Arabic is ‘M’zar,’ meaning “place of extraordinary beauty/shrine to be visited,” an ideal name for this fascinating estate.
The vines for the estate’s unique wines are located in the famed Bekaa Valley, an area celebrated for its viticulture since Biblical times. At the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, Lebanon’s favorable geographical and climatic conditions have always held abundant promise for the cultivation of grapes. The Bekaa Valley is positioned particularly well, nestled between the ‘Lebanon’ and ‘Anti-Lebanon’ mountain ranges at 34° N of the equator.
The vineyards of Musar are planted at altitudes ranging from 1,000 – 1,500 meters (3,280 – 4,921 ft) above sea level. The vines benefit from cool nights and seasonal temperatures (snow in winter and hot summers), resulting in long ripening periods. The vineyard soils are predominantly calcareous/limestone with gravel and stone, resulting in wines of distinctive character and blends of appealing complexity.
The vineyards’ remote location coupled with the Hochar family’s respect for the environment has resulted in ‘organic’ vineyards by default since the 1950s, even long before the term was coined. The estate obtained organic certification for its vineyards in 2005, the first producer in Lebanon to do so. All the grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins in the cool of the morning in order to preserve freshness, the harvest usually taking place between August and October.
The Chateau Musar winery is located in Ghazir about two and a half hour’s drive from the Bekaa Valley. The cellars are dug into the mountainside providing perfect condition for long term wine storage. The wines of Chateau Musar are produced with a ‘non-interventionist’ wine making philosophy; fermentation starts naturally with ambient yeasts, the bare minimum of sulfur is used and the Chateau Musar wines are neither fined nor filtered. Individual varieties from different vineyards are kept separately up to two years, and constantly tasted to understand their unique personalities and characteristics. The final blending process is an intrinsic part of the winemaking art at Chateau Musar — winemaking by instinct.
The estate produces three lines: the flagship range includes Chateau Musar Red, Chateau Musar White and Chateau Musar Rosé; Hochar Père et Fils Red – a more accessible red, produced from a single vineyard site in the Bekaa Valley and ready to drink upon release at year five (as opposed to Chateau Musar Red which the family recommends to drink starting from year 15); and Musar Jeune — unoaked vibrant wines intended for immediate drinking. The Chateau Musar Red and White wines undergo lengthy bottle ageing in the estate cellars and are released only after seven years.
Chateau Musar first achieved international recognition during the Bristol Wine Fair in England in 1979, where the wine press and prominent critics including Michael Broadbent declared it “the discovery of the fair”. In 1984, Decanter wine magazine named Serge Hochar their first ever “Man of the Year” for his extraordinary achievements, determination and dedication to producing outstanding wines during the difficult years of the Lebanese civil war.
Today, Chateau Musar wines are known worldwide for their finesse, elegance and extraordinary ability to age, and the estate still offers mesmerizing wines dating back to the 1950’s.
Speaking about the wines of Chateau Musar, Serge Hochar said “the harmony of nature is better than anything we could ever create. I believe it should be a priority to seek to drink what is ‘true’ rather than what is ‘good’ “. When speaking about quality in wine he added “I once produced a wine that was technically perfect but it lacked the charms of imperfection”.
With its captivating history and the incredible passion and dedication of the Hochar family, Chateau Musar has achieved a sort of cult-like status and is one of the most written-about and discussed wines in the world today.Red Blend. |
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