For The Love Of Port

I just learned that winemaker and an all around great guy, Serge Hochar, winemaker/owner of Chateau Musar passed away. I was fortunate to spend more than a handful of occasions drinking wine with Serge over the past 15 years and I always enjoyed his extreme candor, hilarious sense of humor, and grand ability to recount stories from his illustrious lifetime. At the appropriate moment, (I just returned home to this news literally a half hour ago) I will open one of my few remaining magnums of his incredible wines and toast to his lifetime of greatness.

Yes, I was also saddened by this news. Great guy! An amazing personality. It's incredible that he could survive all of the turmoil in Lebanon over the last 30 years.

Sad indeed; he will be missed. I was just looking at their website a few weeks ago and saw that many of the family are involved in the business, so I am optimistic that they will carry on his legacy. I might open a bottle soon, but think I will hold my one magnum, a 1997, for a good few more years.

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Yes, Sad news.
I've some 1988 left. I'm going to open one in memory.

I met him a year or two ago at a Musar tasting in Newton, MA. I few cases of '99 white, so I drink that one every once in a while. Also have cases of '98, '99. '05 and handful of bottles of '80. Their wines have really gone up in price over the last 5-6 years.

I think the winery is good shape. I believe Gaston was in charge of the last few vintages? Is it safe to say that Musar is finest Asian wine?

There was a full page obituary to Serge in The Times earlier this week. He seems to have been a bit of a modern day hero in the way he managed to keep the vineyards and the wine trade alive during the various wars in the region. It would be sad if the production died with him so I hope it has been left in equally brave hands.

I can assure you all that Serge's son took over the winemaking several years ago and as mentioned above, other family members are involved in the marketing and financial realms of the business in the Bekaa. So Musar will live on.

I have always feared dying that way, and came close when I was a young boy. That fear has remained to this day. Terrible that his family had to witness that.

I plan to buy a few cases of Musar this year. Prices keep rising and some day (not too far away) could be out of sight for older vintages.