Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Musar
Label Name:
 
Vin Libanais
Vintage:
 
1998
Country:
 
Lebanon
Region:
 
Bekaa Valley
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13.5%
Grape(s):
 
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
3
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Jancis Robinson 18. 5/20; Decanter 94/100; Wine Advocate (WA) ~90/100; Falstaff 92/100; Lobenberg/Vinum high scores (mid-90s)

Tasting Note
Elegant, Cinsault-driven red: red cherry and raspberry, forest-floor, tobacco, leather and spice. Vibrant acidity, silky integrated tannins and a long, spicy, slightly herbal finish with complex dried fruit notes.

Food Pairing
Roasted lamb, beef stew, game, mushroom risotto, aged cheeses; Asian: grilled lamb kebabs, Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ, beef rendang, miso-glazed dishes.

Production Method
Hand-harvested, natural/ambient yeast fermentation in concrete vats; ~12 months in French Nevers oak, blended, bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulphur; extended bottle ageing before release.

Vineyard Info
Family-run Château Musar, founded 1930 (Gaston Hochar); Serge Hochar shaped its signature non-interventionist style. Vineyards in the Bekaa Valley; organic-certified practices and long cellar ageing tradition.