Musar Jeune, Chateau Musar 2020/2021

£21.95 per bottle

ABV 14.5%

Tasting Notes
Deep garnet in colour with an aroma of blackcurrants, blueberries, prunes and strawberries on the nose with a hint of violets. A richly fruited wine – the palate bursts with an explosion of red cherries, strawberries and blackberries, a little black pepper and spice, with a beautiful soft texture.

Food
Charcuterie, Lebanese mezze, rich red meats and mature, hard cheeses.

Region
The Bekaa is a fertile valley in Lebanon, located about 30 km (19 miles) east of Beirut. The valley is situated between the Mount Lebanon to the west and the Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges to the east. It forms the northeastern most extension of the Great Rift Valley, which stretches from Syria through the Red Sea into Africa. Bekaa Valley is about 120 km (about 75 miles) in length and has an average width of about 16 km (about 10 miles). It has a Mediterranean climate of wet, often snowy winters and dry, warm summers. The region receives limited rainfall, particularly in the north, because Mount Lebanon creates a rain shadow that blocks precipitation coming from the sea. Two rivers originate in the valley. the Orontes (Asi), which flows north into Syria and Turkey, and the Litani, which flows south and then west to the Mediterranean Sea. The Bekaa Valley vineyards are at an altitude of 1,000 meters, where the vines are sheltered by the surrounding mountains, resulting in an almost frost free climate with long mild summers and damp winters.

Producer
Chateau Musar was created in 1930 in the cellars of the 17th century `Mzar` castle by Gaston Hochar. The house is renowned for red wines of complexity and maturity, having been aged in oak for up to 15 months, and then aged in bottle for 4 years. They are a blend of Cabernet, Cinsault and Carignan, the blend varying from year to year, resulting in different character and identity.