Region: Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Varietal: 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Cinsault, and 1/3 Carignan

Tasting Notes: This is classic mature Musar — complex, beguiling, and full of soulful charm. Aromas of dried cherry, cigar box, leather, and dried herbs waft from the glass, giving way to a palate that is savory and graceful, with notes of sour plum, cedar, and spice. The texture is silky and resolved, but the wine retains energy and freshness, with fine tannins and persistent acidity. A bottle in its prime, though with enough vitality to hold for years to come.

Producer: Château Musar is one of the most storied and singular wine estates in the world. Founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the winery gained international recognition under the stewardship of his son, Serge Hochar, who famously produced wine even during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war. Musar’s wines have captivated collectors and sommeliers alike for their old-world soul, uncompromising individuality, and ability to age for decades. The 2000 vintage is a standout, released only after years of bottle aging, in keeping with the estate’s philosophy of patient winemaking and thoughtful release.

Vineyard & Winemaking: The vineyards lie at around 1,000 meters of elevation in the Bekaa Valley, surrounded by mountains that create a unique microclimate of cool nights and warm, dry days. The grapes are farmed organically and harvested by hand. Fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts in cement vats, and each variety is vinified and aged separately in French oak for around a year before blending. True to Musar tradition, the wine is bottled unfiltered and aged in bottle for several more years before release. The 2000 vintage was marked by a warm spring, a hot July, and a cooler-than-usual August, contributing to its elegant, lifted character.