Producer
Chateau Musar
Chateau Musar is a family-run Lebanese winery known for its wines and for L'Arack de Musar, an arak made from repeatedly distilled grape alcohol and aged in terracotta amphorae.
- Ghazir · Bekaa Valley (Valle della Bekaa) · Lebanon
- Since 1930
- 1 product
The story
Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930, Chateau Musar is a historic family-owned Lebanese winery managed by the Hochar family. In addition to its renowned wine production from vineyards in the Bekaa Valley, the estate developed an arak production: the first release was launched in the 1970s (L'Arack vieille reserve), with further releases and variants in subsequent years (including versions distilled multiple times and smaller formats introduced in 2020). The company has a long documented timeline that includes organic certifications for some vineyards and the international expansion of its range.
Production philosophy
Family-centered approach and respect for the land: minimal-intervention vineyard management, attention to sustainable viticulture and production using traditional, controlled techniques to highlight local varieties and Lebanon's terroir.
Territory
Lebanon — vineyards located mainly in the Bekaa Valley; the winery and historic estate are linked to the Ghazir area.
Production method
L'Arack de Musar is produced from grape alcohol with an average age of around five years; the spirit undergoes multiple distillations (four times in the main version) with anise seeds added during the fourth distillation. After distillation the product is left to mature in terracotta amphorae for about one year to encourage aromatic development and sedimentation.
Distillation
Multiple distillation (documented version: four distillations) with the addition of anise seeds during the fourth distillation; base made from grape alcohol with an average age of about five years prior to blending/distillation.
Ageing
Maturation in terracotta amphorae for about one year, which promotes the development of licorice-like notes and the sedimentation of any solids.
Characteristics
- Type
- Producer
- City
- Ghazir
- Categories
- Lebanese arak
- anise liqueurs
- arak producer
- family-owned wine producer
- Raw materials
- grape alcohol (grape)
- anise seeds
- Casks and ageing vessels
- terracotta amphorae
- Representative products
- L'Arack de Musar
- L'Arack vieille reserve
What makes it distinctive
- Family-run winery founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar.
- Documented production of L'Arack de Musar, an arak based on grape alcohol.
- Arak version distilled four times (different from the local tradition of three distillations).
- Aging in terracotta amphorae for about one year.
- Company policies focused on minimal-intervention vineyard management and organic practices on part of the estate's vineyards.