Musar Jeune Blanc 2023 - 75cl/12.5%

Estate History:
Gaston Hochar founded Château Musar in Lebanon in 1930. The winery is in Ghazir; the vineyards are in the Bekaa Valley. Serge Hochar made the classic red a long-aged, late-release wine. The next generation now runs it with winemaker Tarek Sakr. Jeune is the organic, earlier-drinking line, separate from the cellar-aged Château red. The white vineyards were planted around 2001 at about 1,000 metres.

Wine Introduction:
2023 is Viognier 34%, Vermentino 33%, Chardonnay 33%. Vermentino and Chardonnay grow on limestone, Viognier on silt, all organic. Fermented apart in steel at about 18–22°C, blended, cold-stabilised and bottled in spring 2024, with no oak. Versus the oxidative, age-worthy Château red, this keeps varietal freshness: Viognier for apricot, Vermentino for citrus and mineral, Chardonnay for texture. Drink within about four to five years of harvest.

Tasting Notes:
Nosing: Peach, apricot and pineapple, with thyme.
Palate: Smooth and fleshy, citrus freshness.
Finish: Dry and bright, mineral close.