2011 Château Musar "Hochar Père et Fils" Rouge Bekaa Valley Lebanon

Winemaker notes: "Hochar Père et Fils Red has been described as the 'second' wine of Château Musar, and it does bear some resemblance to the 'Grand Vin': rich, spicy and profoundly fruity, with a mellow quality derived from lengthy oak- and bottle ageing. Since its launch in the late 1980s, it has been sourced from a single Bekaa Valley vineyard planted in the 1940s. When young, the wines are robust and aromatic, with baked plum, warm earth, leather, thyme and dark chocolate characters. With age they become tawnier and spicier." The Hochar family settled in the high-altitude Bekaa Valley (3,000 feet above sea level, and flanked by snow-covered mountains) in the 12th century. But they are newcomers compared to the grape: viticulture here dates back some 6,000 years. Farming and winemaking are carried out with minimal intervention and sulfuring.