2018 Chateau Musar Rouge, Hochar, Bekaa Valley
"...An equal blend of super-ripe (thanks to an August heatwave) Cab Sauv, Carignan and Cinsault, fermented separately with natural yeasts and aged for 12 months in oak, it's a fabulous wine. 'Oh goodness, it just makes me want to dive straight in!' exclaimed Mrs Ray, an uncharacteristically modest first sip being quickly followed by her signature open-wide-and-down-the-hatch. With rich, intense, sweet ripe and dried blackcurrants, blackberries and plums; peppery spice and notes of tarragon and, hmmm, can't quite put my finger on it but maybe fennel, there's so much to enjoy here, and it's at a glorious stage."
Jonathan Ray, The Spectator Magazine
Another twelve months of bottle ageing behind it since its release last year and Chateau Musar’s 2018 vintage is now drinking better than ever. Better, for what extra complexity and nuance another year of maturation will provide. And because we’ve been informed by the Hochar family that they won’t be releasing the 2019 vintage until this time next year, it seems only sensible to again offer you the 2018s so that until then, you’re sufficiently topped up.
I have been priveleged to have been enjoying Chateau Musar for many decades, even once meeting and chatting to Serge Hochar at a tasting of his wines many years ago. The wines always have a great depth and fulness of flavour, however thay always need quite a bit of time, 20 years being my guideline in the past. However the recent change in vinification means that these can now be enjoyed with a bit less bottle age which means this 2018 is drinking most pleasantly now though more years in the cellar would not go amiss. It is always a joy to bring a bottle of Musar to my favourite Lebanese restaurant in Edinburgh.