CHATEAU MUSAR – THE STORY OF A WINE ICON
Chateau Musar is more than a wine. It reflects Lebanese terroir, natural winemaking, human character and history. These elements shape how Musar tastes, smells and evolves in the glass.
The Lebanese civil war (1975–1990) forced Serge Hochar to trust his grapes completely. Harvests happened only when shelling paused. Grapes reached the winery when militia checkpoints allowed it. Winemaking began whenever the coast road opened.
Despite chaos, the wines found their own path. Serge called the 1982 vintage “a pure wine of war”. Hochar vineyards in the Beka’a Valley sat on the frontline. Bedouin pickers harvested grapes during rare breaks in fighting. The wine that followed was elegant, mellow and full of soft fruit and pomegranate notes.
Musar’s identity reaches back over 4,000 years. The Phoenicians were the first to cultivate vines professionally and trade wine across the Mediterranean. They taught the Greeks and impressed the Romans with their skill.
The Roman temple of Bacchus at Ba’albek stands as the strongest symbol of this heritage. Serge often said: “This is the only serious temple to Bacchus in the Roman world. They built it here because the Beka’a is the spiritual home of wine.”
Serge believed in natural winemaking. He guided the wine but did not interfere with nature. He called this approach his “No Touch Policy”. The result was red and white wines with remarkable longevity and character. His passion and travels built a global following eager for each new vintage.
Musar’s wines evolve beautifully in bottle. Tasting notes for 15‑, 20‑ or 30‑year‑old vintages show how they gain elegance with age. This evolution remains central to Serge’s legacy, and the family continues this philosophy today.
To understand Musar fully, one must know its history, people and land. Our new book, Chateau Musar: The Story of a Wine Icon, published by the Académie du Vin Library, brings these elements together. It highlights our vintages from 1951 to today and celebrates the future we aim to build.
