Château Musar isn't the only wine made in Lebanon, but it is the most iconic, writes JOHN WILSON.
CHÂTEAU MUSAR IS one of the truly iconic wines, loved (and sometimes hated), but always known by wine-lovers the world over. It has always had huge popularity in this country, both with expense-account diners and wine aficionados, since its introduction here in the late 1970s.
Musar was first established in 1930 by Gaston Hochar. The chais is in an 18th-century château in Ghazir, some 25km north of Beirut, where there are storage facilities for more than a million bottles of wine. It is just as well; no wine is released from Musar until it is seven years old.
In 1959, Serge Hochar took over the reins. He was strongly influenced by two people: major Ronald Barton of Château Langoa-Barton in Bordeaux, who suggested he plant Cabernet Sauvignon, and legendary wine consultant Prof Emile Peynaud, one of the key influences on Bordeaux winemaking over the past 50 years.
Viticulture in Lebanon is nothing new; wine was made here by the Phoenicians and Romans, who even built the only temple dedicated to Bacchus in the Bekaa valley, coincidentally where the Musar vines are planted, at an altitude of up to 1,000m.
Serge celebrates 50 years of winemaking this year, and during this time he has become one of the legendary names in winemaking. His sons, Gaston and Ronald, now help with the business. Gaston was in Dublin recently to host a tasting of four vintages of Château Musar, as well as two of the lesser-known, but equally interesting, Château Musar Blanc.
It sometimes amazes me that Château Musar has such a wide following. Not because I don’t like it (I do) but because it so different. Musar is made in a very old-fashioned, hands-off manner, with little intervention. “Château Musar has developed a certain character, a certain taste and a certain philosophy. We try to produce the wines naturally without any additives or yeasts; this has been the case for the last 30 to 40 years. Most of our vineyards are organic,” says Gaston Hochar.
Volatile acidity is present in all wines, but in tiny quantities. Most winemakers consider it a fault. Too much and a wine will have lifted aromas, and can smell and taste slightly vinegary. In small amounts it can add complexity and interest. Musar walks a tightrope, a very fine line between just enough and too much. “We are always on the limit with regard to certain characters of the wine, mainly the volatile acidity. This is a trademark of Musar,” Hochar says. “In the past this has caused us problems with certain customers (the Scandanavian monopolies in particular), so we have tried to bring this down a little to an acceptable level. Where we were once on the edge, now we are just below the edge, we didn’t change it a lot.”
Musar can also have some very funky earthy, leathery notes, possibly the result of non-interventionist winemaking. Please don’t let all this put you off. Château Musar is a great wine, and completely unique. It keeps forever, and develops slowly as you drink it over dinner. Hochar is adamant that Musar will not change. “We make wines naturally. Wine should not be stable and dead. It is a personal way of thinking. Wine should be left as a living product, something that evolves and changes in the bottle.”
Château Musar is made from two southern French grape varieties, Carignan and Cinsault, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Red wine makes up 90 per cent of production. The white wine, like the red, is quite different, and is made from a blend of two local varieties, Obaideh and Merwah, allegedly ancestors of Chardonnay and Semillon. Like the red, it is not released until it is seven years old, and has flavours of toast, grilled almonds, and real spice.
As is invariably mentioned in articles about Musar, it is not easy making wine in Lebanon. The various wars, and the Syrian occupation of the Bekaa Valley present challenges not faced by many winemakers. Hochar is still optimistic about the future. “The last years have been a series of ups and downs. Things got better in the late 1990s when Israel withdrew, but in 2005 the prime minister was murdered, then in 2006 there was the war with Hizbullah. More recently there were car bombs, and a president who departed, leaving a vacuum. We continued producing the wine through all these years. Now things are settling down and the future looks more interesting.”
Château Musar is not the only wine made in Lebanon. There are now between 20 and 25 wineries, including two large producers, Ksara and Kefraya. Château Kefraya, another winery in the Bekaa, was founded in the 1950s by Michel de Bustros, who inherited the estate and has turned it into one of the most successful producers in Lebanon. All three wineries source grapes from the Bekaa, a 30km-long valley running north-south along the spine of Lebanon.
Hochar is happy to have other producers around, but says Musar is different. “All of the other wineries make it in the modern French style; we have our own niche, in the way the wine is produced and in its taste. We are a part of Lebanon and the world, but we have our own unique style in both. There is no wine in the world that tastes like Musar.”
Berry Brothers Rudd is currently offering a range of vintages from Château Musar, both red and white. Contact Jessica Lavin on 01-6773444.
WINES OF THE WEEK
Château Musar 2001, Bekaa Valley, 13.5%, €20.95.An attractive lifted nose of violets; the palate has lovely, slightly raisined, sweet red fruits, with notes of spice, leather and dark chocolate. The finish is dry and long. Try it with roast or grilled meats. Stockists:Widely available from wine shops and off-licences nationwide, as well as Berry Brothers Rudd.
Château Musar 1995, Bekaa Valley, 13.5%, €50.95.Not cheap, but a unique wine now at full maturity. A fragrant nose with tar and violets leading on to a fairly big, meaty palate with a spicy earthiness to complement the complex sweet red cherry and currant fruits. Stockist:Berry Brothers Rudd, Harry Street.
Les Bretèches du Château Kefraya 2006, Bekaa Valley, 13.5%, €14.95.Made from a pot-pourri of varieties, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, this is a surprisingly good, elegant wine offering some real class at a very reasonable price. This would go very nicely with roast lamb or chicken. Stockists:O'Neill's off-licence, South Circular Road, Dublin; Parson's Wines, Cork; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin; and www.jnwine.com.
Château Kefraya 2002, Bekaa Valley, 14.25%, €26.95.Soft rounded figs and raisins, with some liquorice, too. Warming, characterful wine that would slip down very nicely with grilled lamb or pork. Stockists:The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin; Parson's Wines, Cork; O'Briens; and www.jnwine.com.
TWO UNDER TWELVE
Gavi Quadro Sei Gavi 2007, Italy, 12.5%, €9.99.Attractive soft, nicely round quince and apple fruits, with a good richness and intensity. Great on its own or with lightly spiced fish and chicken dishes. Stockist:Marks Spencer
Tyrrell's Moore's Creek Shiraz 2005, SE Australia, 14%, €10.99.An unashamed gulper to go alongside a burger or spag bol. Lovely big, ripe, bouncy, sweet cassis and plums, no real tannins, no real class, but very yummy indeed. Stockists:Dunnes Stores, Super Valu, and Centra nationwide; Goggins', Monkstown, Dublin; Bradley's, Cork; Cooper's, Cahir, Co Tipperary; Joyce's, Knocknacarra, Galway.