1970 Château Musar, Lebanon

We enjoyed a real treat – 1970 Château Musar – on Sunday at a dinner to celebrate a 64th birthday. I was pleased that the cork came out cleanly and the wine was in good form. Musar is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault. It had a lovely warm, soft texture with spicy notes and that characteristic exoticism of Musar.

Sadly this I think is our last bottle of 1970 bought probably from Les Amis du Vis at the end of the 1970s or early 1980s when we bought some 1967 and 1970 Musar. This was at a time when the UK had only recently discovered the wonders of Musar. Sad that this is the last survivor from that time but good that it was still showing so well.

 

#winelover cancer auction @ Château Ksara, Lebanon – bid for a magnum!

Luiz Alberto

Lisbon February 2015

Message from Luiz Alberto, the high-priest of #winelovers:

'My friends and fellow ‪#‎winelover‬-s:
On Tuesday (24th) you will have an opportunity to bid on a bottle of Clos Saint Alphonse 1986 (magnum bottles) that were kindly donated by Château Ksara from Lebanon. You can help a great cause and put your hands on a bottle of this wonderful wine! 

Here is the link: http://blog.chateauksara.com/auctions/
 

PS: I would really appreciate if you could help us to spread the word to all people who love wine and hate cancer. THANK YOU!!'

Caves de Ksara 

France and Lebanon: memories of happier times

 

Chavignol and Sancerre in December 

Following the deadly ISIS attacks in Beirut and then in Paris here are a few photos that bring back happier memories:   

 Smoke across the landscape around Chavignol

 Répas des rétraites: Epeigné-les-Bois

 Finishing a randonnée@Epeigné-les-Bois

 Epeigné-les-Bois: band @the inauguration of Le Lézard Vert

(above and below)

 June: Laurent Herlin & Xavier Courant @Café de la Promenade

 The extraordinary temple of Baalbek: Lebanon 

(above and below)

Beirut: newly married couple @Lebanese wedding

Serge Hochar (Château Musar): RIP

November 2005: Serge Hochar and the bride

Very sad to hear that the legendary Serge Hochar (Château Musar) has died. Apparently he had a fatal swimming accident while on holiday in Mexico. Born on 20th November 1939, he was 75. 

I met Serge on a number of occasions and particularly remember the Circle of Wine Writers trip to the Lebanon in November 2005. We arrived in Beirut on an early Sunday evening and were whisked up to a restaurant high above the city where one of Château Musar's staff was celebrating his wedding. It was a magical evening and start to our fascinating trip to the Lebanon.  

RIP Post on Jancis Robinson MW's site. 

Also Vinography and wine-searcher.

Fine Appreciation by Eric Asimov in the New York Times

David Cobbold pays hommage in Les 5 du Vin 

In 1984 Serge Hochar was Decanter's first Man of the Year.   

   

 November 2005: Serge with the bridegroom

 Serge and Neil Fairlamb

The newly married couple

•

Serge the next day when we (CWW) visited the cellars of Château Musar
Jill Norman in background

Lebanon CWW November 2005: people

Elie Maamari, Ksara

 Ronald Hochar, Château Musar

 

Salim Wardy, Domaine Wardy

 Serge Hochar, Château Musar(above and below)

The owner of Château Saint Thomas (previously Clos Saint Thomas)

Lebanon: wineries and vines from CWW November 2005 trip

Vineyards@Château Kefraya, Bekaa Valley (above and below)
A blaze of autumn colour

More photos from the CWW trip to the Lebanon in November 2005.

 

Vines in the Bekaa Valley

Domaine des Tourelles 
Now owned by Nayla Kanaan Issa-el-Khoury and Elie F. Issa


Frenchman François-Eugène Brun founder of Tourelles in 1868



Nayla Kanaan Issa-el-Khoury (?)


   

 

Old Air France poster@Domaine des Tourelles

 

Cellar@Ksara(?)

The owner of Château Nakad

Barrel@Château Nakad

Lebanon 2005 photos (part 2): The Cedars

Cedars, mountain and a tiny moon

More photos from the CWW trip to Lebanon in November 2005. After our programme of visits to producers had finished some of us stayed on to get to see the Cedars (The Cedars of God - a UNESCO World Heritage site) in the north of country.

 Maronnite religious establishment we visited on the way