Château Musar 2019

Château Musar was founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930 and remains Lebanon's most recognised wine. The grapes come from organically farmed vineyards in the Bekaa Valley, a high plateau cultivated since Phoenician and Roman times, where altitude brings cool nights and a wide day-to-night temperature swing that preserves acidity and aromatic complexity in a hot climate. This vintage blends Cabernet Sauvignon for structure, Cinsault for perfume and lift, and Carignan for colour and grip. The wine is fermented and aged in barrel in the traditional Musar style, with extended oxidative ageing before release that builds its distinctive savoury, developed character. In the glass it is medium to deep in colour with a mature edge. The nose is complex, showing stewed plum and dried fig alongside leather, tobacco and warm spice, and the palate is savoury and layered, with soft tannin, fresh acidity and a long earthy finish. This is a wine of texture and interest rather than sheer power. Serve at 16 to 18C and decant well ahead, as older bottles often show sediment. Good with roast lamb, game and mature cheese.