Chateau Musar Red, Cabernet Sauvignon/Carignan/Cinsault, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2003

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignane

Deep ruby in color with high viscosity. Red cherries, plums, carob and figs dominate the nose with a hint of eastern spice. Kirsch and plums follow through to the palate with blackcurrant and chocolate. The tannins are velvety soft and this wine has a lot of depth and fruit concentration with a long finish.

Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930, Chateau Musar is Lebanon's premier estate. This 371 acre property is located in the Bekaa Valley, 15 miles north of Beirut in Ghazir. The Houchars cultivate indigenous and international varietals. The altitude and the Mediterranean climate serve to lengthen the ripening process which helps produce fruit of superior quality.

Only hand-picked estate fruit is used and the wines are minimally handled – natural fermentation very little sulphur and the wines aren’t fined or filtered. Chateau Musar is the family’s flagship and is thematically styled after the Grand Vins of Bordeaux. Each varietal is fermented and aged separately; the components are then blended and aged for a minimum of four years in bottle before release.