Here’s the seventh installment of The Wine Chef’s December "Advent Calendar" wine series.

Chateau Musar 2017 Gaston Hochar

Chateau Musar is a family-run winery in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar who was inspired by his travels to Bordeaux. Renowned for its unique blends and age-worthy wines, the winery has gained a cult following for its elegant mix of Old World tradition with Middle Eastern terroir.

I’ve enjoyed this wine several times, and thinking about it always brings back vivid memories: where I was, who I was with, what I was eating when I had it, and the sheer brilliance of the wine itself.

Recently, at a Winebow portfolio tasting with hundreds of wines, I turned to my friend Graham and declared, “The Chateau Musar is the best wine I’ve tasted today.” This declaration came after sampling dozens of fabulous wines from the distributor’s incredible lineup. Admittedly, I am sometimes prone to superlatives (“This is the best dessert of my life!”), but this was no exaggeration.

It’s hard to describe Chateau Musar’s 2017 Gaston Hochar because it’s so much more than the sum of its parts, but I’ll try.

The experience of drinking this Cabernet Sauvignon/Cinsault/Carignan blend starts with the gorgeous ruby red color in your glass. It moves quickly to the fragrant aromas that draw you in: sweet red cherries, plums, and a hint of mint. Next comes the delicious taste and silky texture: cherry and plum layered with hints of licorice, tobacco, leather, and cloves, all wrapped in soft tannins, vibrant acidity, and with a long, lingering finish.

The 2017 is drinking beautifully now, but this extremely long-lived wine can last 20 to 30 years. My description doesn’t really do the wine justice. You’ll just have to try it for yourself!

The average retail price is around $80.