2000 Chateau Musar Bekaa Valley Rouge
How does this wine taste?
How full and heavy the wine feels in your mouth, like the difference between skimmed milk and cream. More alcohol, sugar and oak ageing make a wine fuller.
The drying, grippy feel on your gums and tongue, as with strong tea. It comes from the skins and seeds of black grapes and from oak, and softens with age.
How much sugar you taste, from dry to sweet. Fruity is not the same as sweet: a dry wine can taste of ripe fruit.
How fresh and juicy the wine is: acidity makes your mouth water. High acidity tastes lively and refreshing, low acidity soft and round.
What we taste What you taste Click a taste for what it means
The bars follow how sommeliers taste (WSET): body, tannin, sweetness and acidity, each from low to high.
Body: full-bodied. Like most red wines from ; 14% alcohol.
Tannin: firm. From ; aged in oak.
Sweetness: dry. Red wine from is almost always dry.
Acidity: medium. from the warm climate of .
Aromas: dark fruit and green notes, typical of
Nothing noted for this wine yet. What do you smell, and how long does the taste linger?
Have you tasted this wine?
Save your rating and notes.
Save your rating and notes.
Have you tasted this wine?
Log in to save your tasting note.
Log in to save your tasting note.
Log inIt will be clear that it takes a certain fanaticism to continue to make wine under such difficult circumstances as in Lebanon. That fanaticism is widely present in the Hochar family. Chateau Musar was created in 1930 by Gaston Hochar in the historic family chateau, which dates back to the 18th century. This was perfect for making and storing the wines. At the moment, about a million bottles are maturing in the cellars, waiting for the most optimal moment to present them to wine lovers from all over the world. During the civil war, wine making continued unabated here. Only in the years 1976 and 1984 was no wine made because of the acts of war. The grapes had to be transported across the line of fire over a distance of 100 kilometers to the winery just north of Beirut.
Founder Gaston Hochar was succeeded in 1959 by his son Serge, who had studied oenology in Bordeaux and had completed an internship at Chateau Léoville-Barton. On the domain he is assisted by his younger brother Ronald and nowadays also by his children, Gaston and Karine. Due to Serge's background, with his studies in Bordeaux, it is very understandable that the red wine has a clear Bordeaux-like appearance in many years, with a powerful and ripe character, supported by beautiful wood. For some years now, a white wine has also been produced, which also has a distinctly powerful and aromatic character. It makes Chateau Musar a big name in the world of wine.
At Grandcruwijnen we have been carrying the wines of Musar for more than 12 years and because of this long relationship with the Winery and the Importer we can always let some special gems hitch a ride from great old vintages that are only released very slowly. At Musar, they have wines of all their wines from vintage 1935 in their immensely impressive cellars.
This concerns vintage 2000 and is a benchmark wine to see how these wines can age amazingly. Under the Appendix tab you will find all specifications of the Musar 2000.
Character
The wine
- 100%
Origin
Bottle
Wine features
Winemaking in Lebanon is far from a modern phenomenon. In the Beqaa Valley, evidence of wine production dates back to the Bronze Age, with the Phoenicians being among the earliest to cultivate vineyards. The famous Bacchus Temple in Baalbek also stands as a testament to the Roman's involvement in winemaking in the region.
Château Musar: a legacy of winemaking in Lebanon
The Beqaa Valley is an ideal location for grape cultivation. The valley is about eight kilometers wide and situated between two mountain ranges at an elevation of approximately 1,000 meters. This high altitude creates a unique microclimate where the intense heat of the day is offset by cool nights, allowing the grapes to retain their fruity aromas. Additionally, meltwater from the mountains ensures a reliable water supply, while the soil—comprising loam, pebbles, and gray limestone—provides a healthy environment for the vines.
Despite the ongoing conflict in the region, winemaking has persisted. The only exceptions were during the years 1976 and 1984, when war prevented wine production. Grapes had to be transported nearly 100 kilometers through conflict zones to reach the winery, located just north of Beirut.
The revival of Lebanese winemaking because of Château Musar
After a long hiatus due to Islamic rule, which imposed a ban on alcohol production for over a thousand years, winemaking in Lebanon was revived by Jesuit priests in 1857. In 1930, Gaston Hochar founded Château Musar during the French mandate period. He sourced grapes from the Beqaa Valley and established a winery and cellar on the western slopes of Mount Lebanon, in Ghazir, just north of Beirut. Hochar received guidance from French professors in setting up his winery.
The Influence of Serge Hochar
Gaston Hochar's son, Serge, played a pivotal role in bringing Château Musar to global recognition. After training at Château Langoa-Barton in Bordeaux, Serge Hochar developed his own philosophy of winemaking. He favored a unique blend, combining the firm and robust structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with the fruit-forward character of Rhône varietals such as Carignan and Cinsault—a blend rarely seen elsewhere.
Serge Hochar was committed to natural winemaking techniques, using wild yeasts, avoiding fining and filtering, and famously describing his wines as "wines without makeup." The red wines from Château Musar are aged for an average of 12 months in French oak barrels that are not toasted, followed by several years of cellar aging. The final blend is determined purely by taste, with each vintage offering distinct characteristics.
The unique style of Château Musar wines
The red Château Musar is an exceptional and traditional wine, often considered old-fashioned in style. Its color is never truly dark, usually exhibiting a brownish hue, with notes of spices and a subtle herbal quality in both aroma and flavor. These wines have remarkable aging potential, with Serge Hochar recommending they be enjoyed at their peak after 15 years. Each vintage reflects its own personality, and the wines are renowned for their distinctive character and ability to age gracefully.
Château Musar continues to be celebrated worldwide for its commitment to tradition and unique winemaking approach.
De Chateau Musar 2000 toont een complexe mix van rijpe zwarte kers en pruim, en geroosterde kruiden met tonen van tabak, aarde en cederhout, ondersteund door rijpe tannines en een elegante, licht tertiaire verfijning. Door die stevige structuur, zwoele rijpheid en hartige, umami-achtige tonen vormt hij een perfecte partner voor langzaam gegaard rundvlees en stoofschotels, kruidig lamsvlees en robuust wild, en snijdt hij mooi door het vet van gerijpte kazen; extra mooi wordt het bij langzaam gestoofde runderwangetjes, een met rozemarijn en knoflook geroosterde lamsbout of een geconcentreerde wildstoofpot en bij oude harde kazen zoals comté of een gerijpte cheddar.
Choose a category to discover dishes that pair well with this wine.
Do you already have a dish in mind?
Let Sommy find wines to pair with your meal.
