Château Musar's journey began in the heart of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in 1930 when Gaston Hochar founded this iconic winery. Gaston's passion for winemaking laid the foundation for a remarkable legacy.
The story of Château Musar is not one of ordinary winemaking but a tale of endurance amid civil wars, invasions, and geopolitical turmoil. The winery's resilience mirrors the indomitable spirit of the people behind it. In the 1950s, Serge Hochar, Gaston's son, took the helm with a bold vision — to elevate Lebanese wines to international acclaim. Under his guidance, Château Musar thrived, creating wines that garnered global admiration.
Serge Hochar's winemaking approach was an art form. He championed minimal intervention, allowing the wines to express their unique character. Château Musar's wines, often made from indigenous Lebanese grape varieties like Obaideh and Merwah, are a testament to this philosophy.
The Wine
These wines gracefully mature in the cellars, revealing intricate layers of flavour and aroma. They are known for their complexity, balance, and ability to age gracefully for decades. Château Musar led the way in Lebanon by achieving organic certification for its vineyards in 2006. Their vineyards, primarily in the Bekaa Valley, benefit from a terroir that has nurtured vines for millennia.
Nestled between two mountain ranges, the Bekaa Valley enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year, fresh mountain breezes, and an average temperature of 25°C. This serene valley, flanked by snow-covered peaks, has been a cradle of winemaking for over 6,000 years.
The Bekaa Valley's winemaking heritage dates back to the Phoenicians, the seafaring ancestors of modern Lebanon. They introduced vines and wines to the Mediterranean region, leaving a legacy that endures to this day. Remote and unspoiled, the Musar vineyards have been 'organic' by default, long before the term was coined. The legacy of Château Musar continues to evolve, crafting wines that tell the story of a winery rooted in history, tradition, and passion.
