Hochar Père et Fils Red 2021

This Lebanese red comes from Château Musar, the Bekaa Valley estate founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar and still the country’s most celebrated winery. People often call it Musar’s second wine, but it has its own identity: it comes from a separate single vineyard, uses a different blend, and is aged differently.

The fruit grows near the village of Aana in the Western Bekaa, on gravelly soils over limestone about 1,000 meters up. The vines are around 30 years old and give low yields. The blend is half Cinsault and 40% Grenache, rounded out with Cabernet Sauvignon. It ferments in cement and then rests six months in French oak. It’s bottled unfined and unfiltered, so a little sediment is natural. The wine is dark ruby, with cherry, sweet spice, and a touch of smoke on the nose. Cherry and blackcurrant fill the palate, along with a delicate hint of rose.

It’s elegant now and has a long life ahead. Pour it with grilled lamb or roast meats.