CHATEAU MUSAR Red by Gaston Hochar - Bekaa Valley Bekaa Valley 1999 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
The 1999 Château Musar is an exceptional vintage that embodies power, richness, and concentration, thanks to a mild growing season followed by elevated temperatures near harvest. This wine displays a deep colour, density, and fleshy character, with appealing fruit sweetness balanced by smoky, chocolaty, and spicy notes. Awarded 92 points by Decanter, it reveals a youthful appearance for an 18-year-old wine, with a forward nose featuring bright black cherry and cassis aromas. Firm tannins provide structure, while the fuller mouthfeel is harmonised by zesty acidity, creating an impressive length on the finish. Though it can be enjoyed now, this wine has excellent aging potential and is best left in the cellar for another decade, showcasing the character of Château Musar.

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ABOUT THE WINE
An exceptional vintage, 1999 produced a wine with plenty of power, richness and concentration, due to a relatively mild growing season which ended with a increased temperatures closer to harvest time. The wine is deeply coloured, dense and fleshy, with good fruit sweetness and plenty of smoky, chocolaty, spicy notes.

DECANTER 92 points
Tasted by: Christelle Guibert
(at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter 2017, Landmark Hotel, London, 11 Dec 2017)
Part of Chateau Musar - Defying time
Drinking Window: 2020 - 2030
This is a Cabernet vintage, resulting in a much fresher and younger wine than in 2001. The colour is youthful for an 18 year old wine and the nose is forward, with bright, black cherry and cassis aromas. The tannins are firm and the wine is also fuller in the mouth, but the lifted acidity balances it out and gives incredible length. This needs to be forgotten in the cellar for at least 10 years.

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ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Château Musar has achieved legendary status in the wine world, celebrated for producing complex, long-lived wines that are uniquely Lebanese. With each vintage, Musar showcases an extraordinary range of characteristics: sometimes reminiscent of Burgundy, other times akin to Bordeaux, or evoking the essence of Hermitage. Yet, it consistently conveys the unmistakable terroir of Lebanon.

The vineyard management practices at Château Musar emphasize minimal human interference, reflecting a philosophy of harmony with nature. The estate was also the first in Lebanon to achieve organic certification, underscoring its commitment to sustainable viticulture. Most of the vines are located in the Bekaa Valley, an ancient wine-growing region where viticulture has thrived for over 6,000 years.

Château Musar wines are known for their dense, richly textured profiles, offering baked fruit flavours of plums, damsons, cherries, and figs, with hints of pepper and violet. Released at six years of age, the wines are already beautifully developed and ready to drink, making them accessible for immediate enjoyment. With its storied history and dedication to quality, Château Musar remains a hallmark of Lebanese winemaking, captivating wine enthusiasts and collectors alike with each exquisite bottle.