
Chateau Musar Red, Cabernet Sauvignon/Carignan/Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2017
Seven years in the making, Chateau Musar Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault from vineyards near the Bekaa Valley villages of Aana and Kefraya, on gravelly soils over limestone. Planted from the 1930s onwards, yields are low from these mature bushvines (average age 40 years). The Chateau Musar 2017 is very promising indeed. It has a bright ruby color and there are sweet red cherries, mulberries and plums on the nose with a hint of tea tree and licorice. The tannins are soft and well-integrated and this vintage has good acidity, depth of fruit and a long finish. Cellared well, it will age beautifully for decades. The varietal components in Chateau Musar Red undergo lengthy fermentations in cement vats at temperatures below 30°C. Six months after the harvest they are transferred into French barrels (oak from the forest of Nevers) for one year. The varietal components are brought together two years after the harvest; the resulting blend is then placed back in cemen