2020 Chateau Musar "Hochar Père & Fils", Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

ABOUT THIS WINE

Hochar Père et Fils Red has often been described as the ‘second’ wine of Chateau Musar, as its style does bear some resemblance to the flagship wine but the comparison stops there as its vineyards, blend and ageing places are very different.

Four years in the making, Hochar Père et Fils Red is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced  from a single vineyard near the Bekaa Valley village of Aana, characterised by deep soils over limestone. At an average age of 30 years old, yields are low from these mature bushvines at 20-30 hl per hectare.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930, Chateau Musar is Lebanon's premier estate. This 371 acre property is located in the Bekaa Valley, 15 miles north of Beirut in Ghazir. The Houchars cultivate indigenous and international varietals – Cinsault, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache as well as Obaideh (a native of Chardonnay), Merwah (a native variant of Semillon), Chardonnay, Viognier and Vermentino. The vineyards are planted on a limestone bed with gravelly top soils and are certified organic by the Mediterranean Institute of Certification (IMC). The white vines are 100–150 years old and planted at 4,000 feet, the reds at 3,280 feet. The altitude and the Mediterranean climate serve to lengthen the ripening process which helps produce fruit of superior quality.