2018 Chateau Musar - Blanc Bekaa Valley (750ml)

Chateau Musar was founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, who returned from studying in Bordeaux to build a winery in Ghazir, north of Beirut, drawing on the Bekaa Valley's ancient winemaking history among the Phoenicians and Romans. His son Serge later took over the estate and helped establish its international reputation after Decanter's Michael Broadbent championed the wines in 1979, even as the Lebanese Civil War disrupted production. The estate has been organically certified since 2006 and remains a family operation, now run by Gaston's grandchildren, known for a non-interventionist approach with natural fermentation and minimal use of sulfur.

Chateau Musar Blanc is made from Obaideh and Merwah, two ancient grape varieties indigenous to Lebanon and thought to be related to Chardonnay and Semillon. The Obaideh vines grow on stony, chalky soils in the foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountains, while the Merwah is planted on calcareous gravel on the seaward side of Mount Lebanon, both at elevations near 1,400 meters on vines ranging from fifty to ninety years old. Yields are kept very low, and after harvest the grapes are hand-picked, fermented separately in new French oak for nine months, then blended and given further time in bottle before release, a process that stretches out over roughly seven years from vintage to market.

The finished wine is deep gold in color, full-bodied and rich, with aromas of citrus, roasted nuts, and marzipan giving way to notes of bruised apple and fresh mountain herbs. Despite its creamy texture it finishes intensely dry, with real length. It is best served slightly cool, not chilled, and pairs well with roasted poultry, aged cheeses, or Mediterranean mezze.