Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Chateau Musar
The Resilient Icon of Lebanese Wine
Est. 1930
About the Estate
Lebanon’s most famous winery, family-run since 1930 and revered for its robust, long-lived wines that continued production through war and turmoil. Chateau Musar’s reds, blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan, are unique expressions of the Bekaa Valley’s terroir and the Hochar family’s resilience
Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan (reds); Obaideh, Merwah (whites)
Heritage & Milestones
A journey through time, celebrating the moments that defined our legacy
Vines in Lebanon
Gaston Hochar establishes Chateau Musar in 1930 in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, planting vineyards after his return from studying in Bordeaux. It becomes one of the country’s first major wineries
International Discovery
At the 1979 Bristol Wine Fair, renowned critic Michael Broadbent “discovers” Chateau Musar’s 1967 red, declaring it the “Find of the Fair” and bringing global attention to Musar
Decanter Honor
Decanter magazine names Serge Hochar its inaugural ‘Man of the Year’ in 1984, honoring him for maintaining wine production through Lebanon’s civil war (1975–1990) and consistently crafting superb wines despite the conflict
End of an Era
Serge Hochar dies in 2014 at age 75. Having led Chateau Musar for over fifty years, his passing marks the end of a legendary chapter; his sons Gaston and Marc Hochar now carry Musar’s legacy into the future
Vines in Lebanon
Gaston Hochar establishes Chateau Musar in 1930 in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, planting vineyards after his return from studying in Bordeaux. It becomes one of the country’s first major wineries
International Discovery
At the 1979 Bristol Wine Fair, renowned critic Michael Broadbent “discovers” Chateau Musar’s 1967 red, declaring it the “Find of the Fair” and bringing global attention to Musar
Decanter Honor
Decanter magazine names Serge Hochar its inaugural ‘Man of the Year’ in 1984, honoring him for maintaining wine production through Lebanon’s civil war (1975–1990) and consistently crafting superb wines despite the conflict
End of an Era
Serge Hochar dies in 2014 at age 75. Having led Chateau Musar for over fifty years, his passing marks the end of a legendary chapter; his sons Gaston and Marc Hochar now carry Musar’s legacy into the future
Vineyard Location
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
Terroir
Vines are grown in the Bekaa Valley at about 1,000 m altitude, where hot days and cool nights contribute to Musar’s balance. Gravelly, limestone-rich soils and low rainfall stress the vines (which include ungrafted old vines of Cinsault and Carignan), concentrating flavors. The reds are typically blends of roughly one-third each Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan, fermented with ambient yeasts and aged up to 7 years before release, developing Musar’s signature spicy, earthy complexity. The winery is at Ghazir, north of Beirut, but grapes come from Bekaa sites near Aana and Kefraya. This terroir, coupled with a non-interventionist philosophy (minimal sulfur, no fining/filtration), yields wines of remarkable character that can evolve for decades
Available Wines
Discover our curated selection from Chateau Musar
