COLOUR
Red
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2003
GRAPE
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan
PRODUCER
Château Musar
REGION
Bekaa Valley
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium - Full
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Medium - High
Finish
Long
Intensity
Mid - Pronounced
Tannins
Medium
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Château Musar is one of the most iconic and resilient wineries in the world, founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Operating from a 17th-century castle in Ghazir, the estate achieved legendary status under the late Serge Hochar, who was named Decanter's first-ever Man of the Year in 1984 for his dedication to winemaking during the Lebanese Civil War. The estate's vineyards are situated at high altitudes in the Bekaa Valley, where gravelly soils and a Mediterranean climate provide ideal conditions for low-yield, highly concentrated grapes. Musar's red wines are celebrated globally for their remarkable aging potential, unique vintage variation, and complex, rustic character. The 2003 vintage was marked by a very hot summer, resulting in a rich, concentrated, and highly expressive wine.
ALCOHOL
14.0%
AVG. PRICE
€75
STYLE
Classic
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
16-18°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Château Musar only missed producing a vintage twice (1976 and 1984) during the 15-year Lebanese Civil War.
Fact 02
The winery releases its red wines a minimum of seven years after the harvest, allowing them to develop complex tertiary characters.
Fact 03
The late winemaker Serge Hochar was named Decanter Magazine's first-ever 'Man of the Year' in 1984 for his bravery and dedication.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
The winemaking philosophy at Château Musar is defined by minimal intervention. Grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins in the Bekaa Valley and transported across the mountains to the winery in Ghazir. Fermentation takes place spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete vats. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (Nevers) before being blended. After blending, the wine is transferred back to concrete vats for another year before bottling. Crucially, Château Musar Red is bottled unfined and unfiltered, and then aged in the winery's deep cellars for an additional four years. It is only released seven years after the harvest, ensuring it has developed significant complexity before reaching consumers.
