Serge Hochar (pronounced ho-shar) transformed the Lebanese wine industry, which had 5 wineries when he started, and 50 later in his lifetime, as he said in 2014. (30 Nov 1939- Jan 1 2014).
He died in a swimming accident in the ocean at Acapulco, Mexico. It happened on Wednesday says the New York Times. Wednesday in London was New Year's Eve Dec 31 2014. I'll check on this with various sources and update.
They say you love or hate Musar wines.
The New York Times article is very comprehensive. The 'funkiness' which is a characteristic of Musar wines is caused by a yeast and creates distinctive flavours of 'band aid'. Three compounds, one giving flavours of cloth and ointment. Also expect volatile acidity. All wines have some acid, the alcohol is volatile, you can only taste them, except acetic acid which you can smell in vinegar - and such as white wine vinegar his white wines have this too.
He is a 'hands off wine maker', says 'it's nature'. So all his wines are different every year. Contrast this with most other major producers who blend, or add previous years, so the buyers, the regular customers, (and the sellers in the shop) can be assured of a recognisable, familiar flavour and quality.
With Musar it was more a case of expect the unexpected. A Musar tasting we went to at the Wine Society in Stevenage produced what the wine connoisseurs considered a very variable collection of aromas and flavours.
www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/world/middleeast/serge-hochar-producer-of-lebanese-wines-dies-at-75.html?_r=0
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/international-wine-trade-pays-tribute-following-the-death-of-chteau-musars-serge-hochar/511450.article
More tributes on Twitter.
w.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2895434/Father-Lebanese-wine-dies-75.html Very comprehensive and easy to read summary.
We are thinking of opening a bottle of Musar in his honour this weekend. If you have a bottle at home, or in bond, you might like to get yours out. If not, you can buy a bottle easily on the internet.
Angela Lansbury is a speaker, writer, travel writer, author and English / speech trainer.
He died in a swimming accident in the ocean at Acapulco, Mexico. It happened on Wednesday says the New York Times. Wednesday in London was New Year's Eve Dec 31 2014. I'll check on this with various sources and update.
They say you love or hate Musar wines.
The New York Times article is very comprehensive. The 'funkiness' which is a characteristic of Musar wines is caused by a yeast and creates distinctive flavours of 'band aid'. Three compounds, one giving flavours of cloth and ointment. Also expect volatile acidity. All wines have some acid, the alcohol is volatile, you can only taste them, except acetic acid which you can smell in vinegar - and such as white wine vinegar his white wines have this too.
He is a 'hands off wine maker', says 'it's nature'. So all his wines are different every year. Contrast this with most other major producers who blend, or add previous years, so the buyers, the regular customers, (and the sellers in the shop) can be assured of a recognisable, familiar flavour and quality.
With Musar it was more a case of expect the unexpected. A Musar tasting we went to at the Wine Society in Stevenage produced what the wine connoisseurs considered a very variable collection of aromas and flavours.
www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/world/middleeast/serge-hochar-producer-of-lebanese-wines-dies-at-75.html?_r=0
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/international-wine-trade-pays-tribute-following-the-death-of-chteau-musars-serge-hochar/511450.article
More tributes on Twitter.
w.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2895434/Father-Lebanese-wine-dies-75.html Very comprehensive and easy to read summary.
We are thinking of opening a bottle of Musar in his honour this weekend. If you have a bottle at home, or in bond, you might like to get yours out. If not, you can buy a bottle easily on the internet.
Angela Lansbury is a speaker, writer, travel writer, author and English / speech trainer.
