Recommended bargain wines for cash-strapped January

Lebanon has rarely been out of the news since the 1970s but through all the years of political turmoil and refugee crises, there has always been one annual event to celebrate: the arrival of the new vintage of Chateau Musar.

The sad news of the death of Musar’s great guiding hand Serge Hochar was announced at the start of 2015. Hochar (75) died in a swimming accident and will be much missed by the international wine world.

Although he passed the running of Musar to his sons and nephew a few years ago he was still very much the face of Musar and visited Ireland many times.