Awhile back I mentioned I arranged a tasting on Chateau Musar’s past 16 vintages. Jim Stewart asked me to post the notes, but since I didn’t have them digitized, I couldn’t post them straight away. Well, I finally managed to have the notes publeshed on CT, so here they are.
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2012 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, one third of each. The vintage 2012 in Beqaa began cool and snowy, followed by a rainy April, a promising May and a hot summer, starting with a hot June and a heatwave in July. Normally the grapes are harvested variety by variety, but this year the harvest was done vineyard by vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in concrete, aged in oak barrels for a year. Blended together in February 2015, left to marry for a few years and bottled in summer 2015. 14,5% alcohol, 4 g/l residual sugar and 6,7 g/l acidity. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Dark and almost fully opaque blackish red color with a little bit of developed figgy brown hue. The nose feels dusty, ripe and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of peppery spice, some sweet balsamic VA, a little bit of ripe figs, light raisiny tones and a hint of wizened black cherry. Thew wine is full-bodied, very ripe and enjoyably bright on the palate with flavors of juicy dark fruits, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of lifted nail polish VA, light strawberry jam tones, a hint of ripe cranberry and a touch of peppery spice. There seems to be a touch of residual sugar sweetness here, accentuating the sweeter and jammier fruit tones. However, the wine is surprisingly fresh and structured at the same time, due to the high acidity and medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is rich, long and slightly sweet with moderate tannic grip and juicy flavors of strawberry jam, some boysenberries, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a lifted hint of nail polish and a touch of dried figs.
An exceptionally ripe and noticeably sweet-toned vintage of Musar with quite a bit of that volatile lift that is so typical of this idiosyncratic winery. The wine was so rich and jammy for a Musar that I needed to check if there was some residual sugar here in this vintage, and lo and behold, the wine certainly isn’t bone dry! However, despite the touch of sugary sweetness and high alcohol, the wine is remarkably high in acidity as well, which manages to make the wine stay relatively well together. Furthermore, the somewhat bitter sour cherry tones nicely counterpoint the sweeter notes, further balancing out the wine. Overall the wine is very accessible at the moment due to its round, juicy and rich fruit, but I really have no doubt that this vintage couldn’t age nicely in a cellar as well. Not my favorite Musar vintage due to its sweet edge, but not a disappointment either - on the contrary, this is surprisingly attractive for the style. Perhaps a bit pricey at 39,00€, though.
(90 pts.)
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2011 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, one third of each. The vintage 2011 in Beqaa was very difficult with a cool yet dry beginning, followed by very rainiy April and May, delaying the grape maturation. The grapes were still underripe by the time they are normally harvested and ultimately the harvest was finished only by mid-October - the latest in the history of Musar, save for the vintage 1983. Fermented spontaneously in concrete, aged in oak barrels for a year. Blended together in February 2015, left to marry for a few years and bottled in summer 2015. 14% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 5,7 g/l acidity. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Deep and slightly translucent black cherry color. Clean, vibrant and ripe nose with subtly sweet, fruit-forward aromas of black cherries, some blackcurrants, a little bit of dusty garrigue, light blueberry tones and a hint of juicy dark plums. No VA or funky notes of brett here. The wine is dry, dense and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with clean flavors of peppery spice, ripe dark forest fruits, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of blueberries, light leathery tones and a hint of sunny red fruit. The wine is enjoyably fresh and structured with its high acidity and firm medium-plus tannins. The alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is quite long, fresh and acid-driven with bright flavors of dark forest fruits, some wild strawberries, a little bit of peppery spice, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and an earthy touch of garrigue.
A very nicely balanced, fresh and sophisticated vintage of Musar that is atypically “clean” for the house style - in the sense that the wine really shows no lifted notes of VA nor any rustic, funky aromatics of brett. Lovely, bright acidity here with a nice tannic backbone. Overall the wine feels a little bit straightforward and slightly lacking complexity due to its young age and lack of funk. It might be more approachable to those who prefer their wines squeaky-clean, but for me the wine really could use some more cellaring to bring out some depth and complexity to the ripe fruit flavors. Perhaps slightly pricey at 39,94€.
(90 pts.)
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2010 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, one third of each. The vintage 2010 in Beqaa was very dry to boot with very little snow or rain during January and February. Very promising spring was followed by a 3-week heat wave starting in mid-July, reaching peak temperatures of 48,5°C, causing the vines to shut and drying the grapes on the vine. Carignan and Cinsaut survived the heat wave quite well, but Cabernet Sauvignon was badly affected, making the harvest very small in part of very limited quantities of high-quality Caberent grapes. Fermented spontaneously in concrete, aged in oak barrels for a year. Blended together in 2012, left to marry for a year and bottled in 2013. 2010 Musar was made in very limited quantity due to the small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon available. 13,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 6,3 g/l acidity. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, concentrated and somewhat opaque black cherry color. Svory, dusty and somewhat restrained nose with dark-toned aromas of wizened forest fruits and some dried figs, a little bit of crunchy chokeberry, light lifted notes of balsamic VA, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of sweet exotic spices. The nose seemed to slowly open in the glass, but overall this wine feels like it really needs air to open up properly. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and quite tightly-knit on the palate with flavors of ripe black raspberries, fresh red plums, some leathery funk, a little bit of wild strawberry, light autumnal notes of earth and leaves, a sanguine hint of iron and a lifted touch of nail polish VA. The wine is impressively structured - even for a Musar - with its high acidity and quite assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is firm, juicy and lengthy with long flavors of sunny dark fruits, sour cherry bitterness, some wizened forest fruits, a little bit of blood, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of leather and a touch of dried figs.
A very beautiful, attractive and noticeably tightly-knit vintage of Musar that shows those slightly lifted and funky undertones typical of the winery, but also remarkably fresh, savory and structure-driven character for such a hot vintage. Although Musar is supposed to be released from the winery only when the wine is deemed “ready” and this 2010 was a late release (released after the softer 2011 vintage) this is still a remarkably backward effort that feels less accessible than the surrounding vintages. This vintage is definitely for cellar, not for immediate consumption. Some people might find the fruitier and more approachable vintages more enjoyable, but for me this is hands down one of the greatest recent vintages of Musar. Definitely a wine for the long haul. Absolutely terrific value at 41,95€.
(94 pts.)
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2009 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, one third of each. The vintage 2009 in Beqaa began very dry with very little snow or rain until March. Low humidity throughout the season and the first grapes were harvested very early, in the beginning of September. However, right after the beginning of the harvest torrential rains arrived and the remaining grapes managed to collect some of that water. Fermented spontaneously in concrete, aged in oak barrels for a year. Blended together in 2012, left to marry for a year and bottled in 2013. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Brooding and somewhat translucent black cherry color with a hint of youthful blue. Very ripe and sweet-toned nose with rich aromas of licorice, wizened raspberries, some smoky tones, a little bit of sweet balsamic VA, light plummy tones, a hint of savory exotic spices and a touch of raisin. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and quite dense on the palate with somewhat dry, fruit-forward flavors of ripe cranberries, succulent red plums, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of balsamic VA, light brambly notes of black rasoberries, a hint of raisin and a touch of new leather. The wine feels very balanced, but the structure seems to rely a bit more on the moderately high acidity than on the ripe medium-plus tannins. The finish is ripe, somewhat grippy and enjoyably textural with savory flavors of dry leather, exotic spices, some wizened dark plums, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light boysenberry tones, a spicy hint of turmeric and a sweet, volatile touch of balsamico.
A pleasant, ripe and juicy vintage of Musar, but in comparison to the surrounding vintages, this seems a bit softer and supple in style and with less character and funk. It’s a nice wine on its own, but perhaps lacking the thrill one looks for in a good Musar. It’s hard to say whether this is a faster-maturing vintage or one that actually requires more age to start showing its best. However, I’m not entirely convinced this is going to be among the memorable Musar vintages as it ages. Feels more like a vintage one can safely skip over. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 35,70€.
(89 pts.)
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2008 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The first few months of 2008 weren’t particularly good with rain and snow, but after the late February no rains reached Beqaa for the rest of the season. The March was moderate followed by sunny spring, keeping the humidity (and the amount of weeds) very low. In mid-August a heat wave arrived, making the grapes reach maturity at the same moment, creating some logistical problems on the harvesting of grape varieties – normally the grapes mature at different times, so there is no need to worry whether some varieties would turn overripe while picking the others. Especially Cinsaut seemed to only benefit from the heat wave. The wines were blended together after 3 years of aging, of which 1 year in oak barrels. 14% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent ruby red color with no deposit at all in the bottle. Very sunny, clean and sweet-toned nose with vibrant aromas of strawberry juice, brambly raspberries, some darker marmaladey tones, a little bit of leather, light fragrant notes of cooked rose hips, a lifted hint of nail polish VA and a touch of wizened dark fruits. The wine is ripe, quite full-bodied and harmonious on the palate with silky smooth yet remarkably firm and structured overall feel. Vibrant flavors of juicy raspberries, sour cherries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of stony minerality, sunny hints of wizened black cherries and dried figs and a slightly bitter touch of roasted spices. The wine is impressively structured with its high acidity and quite grippy, tightly-knit tannins. The finish is long, spicy and quite tannic with dry flavors of ripe blackberries, some juicy blueberries, a little bit of earthy spices, light tart red-fruited notes, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of dried black cherries.
A relatively clean, but also very impressively structured, sinewy and complex vintage of Musar with a somewhat noticeable yet not overwhelming undercurrent of volatile lift, typical of the house style. Very tasty at the moment, but also showing lots of promise for future development. Most likely this is going to be one of the longest-lived Musar vintages of the 00’s, based on the intensity of its fruit and muscular structure. I can imagine this won’t be hitting its plateau of maturity at least in the next 10-15 years. Simply raging value at 23€. Very highly recommended.
(94 pts.)
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2007 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The vintage 2007 was an uneven vintage with a sudden spring frost disturbing the growth cycle; cloudy and rainy May preventing 30% of flowering; and a three-week heat wave in August hastening the ripening process before the harvest. All the three grape varieties matured very quickly and at the same time, creating some logistical problems to and in the winery. 14% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent ruby red color with a slightly developed, fuggy hue and a thin, colorless rim. Dry and savory nose with somewhat developed aromas of wood bark, ripe forest fruits, some smoky tones, a little bit of dry leather, light notes of earthy spices, a hint of crunchy crowberry and a developed touch of beef jerky. The wine is moderately full-bodied, ripe and round on the palate with relatively mild and mellow flavors of ripe straberries, some earthy tones, a little bit of leather, light figgy tones, a hint of savory spices and a touch of sour cheryy bitterness. The medium acidity feels rather modest in contrast with the full body, making the structure rely more on the moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, medium-long and moderately spicy with flavors of wild strawberries, some sweet black cherries, a little bit of dried figs, light earthy tones, a hint of wizened blackberries and a touch of raisin. The alcohol shows through a little.
This was the fourth time I’ve tasted Musar 2007 and it seems it’s a different wine every time. This wine didn’t have the pronounced bitterness or slight greenness that some bottles have shown, but instead some of those hot-vintage characteristics of soft fruit, modest acidity and raisiny flavors more typical of this vintage. I guess there must be quite a lot of bottle variation with this vintage, or then it is just starting to come together with age. It still isn’t my favorite vintage by any means, but it seems to be coming together slowly, year after year. Feels like an off vintage for Musar red, but fortunately it’s not that much of a disappointment anymore - just a less impressive effort for this great wine. Perhaps a bit pricey for the style at 35,70€.
(88 pts.)
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2006 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
2006 was a very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions – which were remarkable by themselves, feeling like a never-ending spring with only 10 days of summer weather – but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Although it seemed that there wouldn’t be any opportunity to do harvest the fruit at all, everybody still carried on normally despite the volatile conditions and fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest. However, unlike the vintages that normally feel ready to be released after 7 years of aging, this wine was still in shambles in 2013 when the wine was supposed to be releaased, which is why the winery decided to postpone the release for a year. And then another. And yet another. Finally, the wine was ready for release in the spring of 2017. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Somewhat translucent and slightly developed dark cherry color with a hint of maroon and a pale, clear rim. Somewhat sweet-toned but otherwise rather mute nose with very little distinction - vague dark fruits and nothing much else. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with quite reticent flavors of cherry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit and a slightest touch of balsamic VA. The wine is moderately high in acidity with quite soft and gentle tannins. The finish is ripe and quite sweet-toned but also somewhat underwhelming with rather short flavors of wizened black cherries, some earthy tones ,a little bit of plummy dark fruit, light smoky tones and an autumnal hint of damp leaves.
A surprisingly reticent and underwhelming effort for a Musar. At first the wine was so mute that almost everybody assumed the wine was corked. However, the wine slowly opened up over the course of the evening and never once exhibited any TCA aromatics, so we chalked up the dumb nature of the wine as bottle varieation, which certainly isn’t unheard of when it comes to Musar. Nevertheless, it is always possible that the wine was corked so very slightly that the notes of TCA were beneath the threshold of detection, but still enough to mask the fruit. Whatever the case, this was among the least impressive wines in our vertical of Musar 2012-1997 and not really worth the price at 33,40€.
(84 pts.)
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2005 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
Unlike in most European wine countries, the 2005 was an atypically cool and humid vintage in Lebanon, resulting in harvest delayed more than a week from normal schedule (the harvest of red varieties was finished on 18th of September) and with wines showing lower than average alcohol and higher acidity. 14% alcohol, 5,3 g/l acidity. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Moderately translucent, luminous blood red color with a developed rusted hue and a thin, colorless rim. Rich, brooding and immensely attractive nose with juicy, sweet-toned aromas of wizened dark fruits, some dusty earth tones, a little bit of leather, light meaty notes, a floral hint of dried flowers and a subtly lifted touch of VA. Despite its sunny nature, the nose feels remarkably bright and fresh. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and silky smooth on the palate with layered flavors of juicy strawberries, peppery spice, some sweet red plums, a little bit of stewed rose hips, light crunchy notes of tart cranberries, a hint of exotic spices and a developed touch of prunes. Overall the wine feels very firm and impressively structured with its rather high acidity and textural medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is quite powerful, spicy and rather grippy with remarkably long, complex flavors of ripe dark fruits, some sweet strawberries, a little bit of earthy spice, light sour cherry bitterness, a jammy hint of sunny dark berries and a subtle touch of farmhouse funk.
This has been consistently one of the greatest recent vintages of Musar - already from its release -and it always seems to deliver. The structure, complexity if the vibrant fruit and the sense of harmony are extraordinary in this vintage (not only in red, but in white Musar, too!), resulting in a wine that is immensely rewarding at the moment, but also promises tons of potential for future development. Drink or keep - this is a vintage that is still singing singing several decades from now. Outstanding value at 40,40€.
(96 pts.)
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2004 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
A very cool vintage: snow didn’t melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The grapes never developed much acidity and the first grapes arriving to the winery were rather low in sugar as well. However, a two-week heat wave that arrived during the harvest boosted the sugar levels in the remaining grapes. The wine was made in the traditional method of Musar: 9 months of aging in cement vats, 1 year in oak barrels, blending and maturation for 9 months in cement vats, finished with bottling and extended bottle aging before release. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Pale, translucent reddish-orange color with a wide, orange-yellow rim. The nose feels dry, light and rather restrained with understated aromas of licorice, some wood bark, a little bit of dried cranberries, light peppery spice, a hint of brambly raspberry and a lifted touch of nail polish. With some air the nose slowly opens up a little, revealing sweeter nuances of prunes and raisin. The wine is ripe, sweet-toned and quite mellow on the palate with juicy, soft flavors of raisin, some dried figs, a little bit of meaty umami, light jammy notes of strawberries, bretty notes of barnyard funk and leather and a touch of ripe grapey fruit. The structure is quite gentle here with medium acidity and quite round, ripe tannins. The finish is soft and medium-long with flavors of ripe strawberries, some dried figs, a little bit of earthy spice, light raspberry marmalade notes, a hint of sunny dark fruit and a subtly acetic touch of balsamic VA.
A rather soft, mellow and underwhelming vintage of Musar. The wine is definitely a recognizable example of the house style, but the modest acidity and soft, textural tannins really don’t do justice to the wine and tasting this side-by-side with remarkable vintages 2005 and 2003 makes the wine come across as rather an underperformer. All in all, this is a rather awkward vintage that might come together a bit better in the future, but most likely will never reach the heights of the best vintages. Priced according to its quality at 35,95€.
(89 pts.)
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2003 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The winter of 2003 was the rainiest in 15 years in Beqaa, but after April, no rain fell. A long heat wave in May decreased yields by 30%, concentrating the acidity and sugar levels in the remaining grapes substantially. However, July and August were cooler than normal, delaying the ripening process. Still, the harvest was carried out by normal schedule. The maceration was carried out over 3 weeks with maceration, resulting in firm, structured wines. The wines were aged for 9 months in cement vats, 12 months in Nevers oak barrels, blended together and matured for a further 6 months in cement vats before bottling. First released in 2010, this bottle in 2011. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Moderately translucent cherry red color with developed maroon overtones. The nose feels quite savory and powerful with attractive, layered aromas of cherries, some raisiny dark fruits, a little bit of licorice, light cinnamon tones, sweet hints of dried figs and dark berries and a touch of volatile lift. The wine is dense, full-bodied and cocnentrated with surprisingly clean flavors of wizened dark fruits, some blackberry marmalade, light sweet notes of exotic spices, a little bit of stewed plummy fruits and a hint of leather. Contrasting with my previous experiences with the 2003 vintage, this wine feels slightly less funky in comparison with somewhat lighter, more delicate overall expression - although this is still quite a powerhouse compared to many other Musar vintages. Quite high in acidity with textural and gently grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, long and somewhat sweet-toned with dark-toned flavors of stewed strawberries, some ripe blueberries, a little bit of roasted exotic spices, light raisiny tones, a hint of developed gamey meat and a touch of leather.
This 2003 is consistently one of the greatest Musar vintages of the 00’s. Rich, complex and impeccably balanced with a great combination of finesse and concentration. Lots of ripe fruit that is kept wonderfully in check with the firm, textural tannins and quite high acidity. Unlike the funky and muscular powerhouse this wine was half a decade ago, it seems to have settled down a bit into something cleaner, less burly and more sophisticated. Starting to show some developed characteristics, this wine is still far away from its plateau of maturity and there is still some potential for future development. Very rewarding now, but very likely will be even better with further cellaring. Just so darn lovely. Excellent value at 34,90€.
(95 pts.)
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2002 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
In 2002 long, cold and rainy weather pushed the ends of the winter and the spring back, all the way into late June, followed by a mild July and then, suddenly, a hot August. The ripening process was delayed accordingly, the harvest starting two weeks behind the normal schedule, starting on 15th of September. The maturity of grapes was extremely varied from vineyard to vineyard, so instead of picking the varieties one by one, the harvest had to be done vineyard by vineyard, according to the maturity. This year the fermentation and maceration times were much longer than normal. After 6 months of aging in concrete vats, the wines were racked into oak barrels for one year. After the oak aging the wines were blended together and matured for a further year in oak casks before bottling. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Quite translucent cherry red color with developed, pale maroon overtones. The nose feels sweet and quite lifted with aromas of perfumed floral tones, some raspberry marmalade, a little bit of balsamic VA, light juicy blackberry tones, a sweet hint of black cherries and a touch of nail polish VA. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and slightly sweet-toned on the palate with very textural and enjoyably firm overall feel. Flavors of sweet dark berries, cherry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of bretty barnyard funk, light boysenberry tones, developed pruney hints and a touch of lifted volatile character. The wine is quite high in acidity with rather soft, ripe and mellow tannins. The finish is round, mellow and slightly sweet-toned with rich, medium-long flavors of wizened black cherries, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of raspberry marmalade, light bretty notes of leather and barnyard, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of earth.
A pleasant, soft and somewhat mellow yet not flabby Musar where the moderately high acidity plays vital role in keeping the wine bright and interesting. Overall, in the tasting of Musar vintages 2012-1997, this wine came across as a bit underwhelming, but at the same time pleasantly delicate as well. There’s quite a bit of ripeness and Musar-y funk, but the overall feel lacks the intensity of the best wines. This is an attractive effort for what it is, and most likely it will keep easily for at least another decade, but in all likelihood this will never equal the greatest vintages of Musar nor is this going to be as long-lived as them. A solid effort to be enjoyed right now.
(90 pts.)
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2001 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
2001 was a very hot and dry vintage: by mid-February the weather turned to much more warmer than usual with almost nonexistent rains. After relatively normal weather during the flowering, the weather turned hotter than average for July and August, resulting in 15% reduction in yield. The harvest was carried ahead of the schedule, starting already on 3rd of September. The Cinsaut suffered from the hot weather, losing some of its color; thus, the percentage of Cinsaut is somewhat lower in this year’s blend compared to other vintages. As normal, the wine was fermented and aged in cement vats for 9 months, aged in oak for 12 months, blended together and matured for a further year in cement vats before bottling. 13,5% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Somewhat pale, limpid cranberry red color with developed pomegranate highlights. The nose feels somewhat restrained with slightly sweet-toned aromas of rose hips, some strawberry, a little bit of earthy spice, light licorice tones and a hint of old, dry leather. In contrast to my previous experiences with Musar 2001, this wine lacks the slightly medicinal or gluey volatile notes. The wine is juicy, dense and qutie full-bodied on the palate with rich flavors of wild strawberries, some overripe red plums, a little bit of game, light licorice notes, a little bit of smoke, a hint of blood and a touch of tart lingonberry juice. Despite the obvious ripeness, the wine is high in acidity. The testural tannins feel quite ripe and resolved with less grip than in the past. The finish is ripe, spicy and gently grippy with long, savory flavors of earthy spices, sour cherries, some gamey meat, a little bit of sanguine iron, a developed hint of corned beef and a touch of sweeter dark fruits.
A very harmonious and attractive Musar that seems to have somewhat lighter and more elegant with age, at least if compared to my past experiences when this vintage has felt more brooding and muscular in style. Perhaps this is signaling that the wine is starting to arrive at its plateau of maturity? I don’t really know, since the bottle variation with Musar is so prevalent. Nevertheless, this is a very attractive and eminently really drinkable vintage of Musar with a good combination of developed ripe fruit, freshness and sophistication.
(92 pts.)
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2000 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The vintage 2000 had a warm and dry summer with a hot July and above-average temperatures in August. Released in 2007, alcohol 13,5%. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Quite dark and concentrated black cherry color with relatively little development. Obviously darker and less developed appearance if compared to my previous experiences with this vintage. The brooding nose feels savory and more developed than the appearance leads to expect with aromas of game, some reductive skunky funk, a little bit of ripe blackberries, light leathery tones, a developed hint of bouillon, an oxidative touch of beef jerky or soy sauce and a whiff of aldehydic salinity. The wine is quite dense and full-bodied on the palate with developed flavors of ripe red plums, some game, a little bit of extracted bitterness and sour cherries, light pruney tones, a hint of wild strawberries and a touch of pipe tobacco. The wine is moderately high in acidity with ripe yet still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, dark-toned and quite long with moderate tannic grip and developed flavors of wizened black cherries, some gamey meat, a little bit of peppery spice, light earthy tones and a hint of sour cherry bitterness.
A somewhat evolved vintage of Musar that has a slightly skunky off aroma in the nose, probably some reductive bottle funk that really didn’t reced after some hours in a decanter. I remember this wine having a somewhat smoky reductive qualities in the past, so apparently this characteristic hasn’t disappeared with further aging - more like the opposite. Like I’ve said before (January 2016), I’m not entirely sure if this wine will keep for another decade. This time the wine felt somewhat more tertiary and even slightly more oxidative than previously, so it might be possible that this vintage is now at its plateau of maturity and while it probably will keep for some time, it’s possible that it won’t benefit from any further aging. Priced according to its quality at 45,89€.
(91 pts.)
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1999 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
14,15% alcohol, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,95 g/l VA, pH 3,79. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Quite dark yet somewhat translucent black cherry color with a little bit of developed bricking. Dusty, dry yet quite ripe nose with aromas of ripe cranberries, some bretty barnyard tones and nuances of animal funk, a little bit of gamey meat, light lingonberry tones, a hint of wizened sour cherry and a touch of ripe red plummy fruit. The wine is full-bodied, silky and quite intense on the palate with complex and moderately developed flavors of exotic spices, ripe cherries and cranberries, some savory gamey tones, a little bit of beef jerky, light raspberry tones, a hint of raisiny fruit and a touch of tangy salinity. The taste feels less funky than the nose. Overall the wine is enjoyably structured with its moderately high acidity and firm, medium-plus tannins. The alcohol lends some warth to the palate. The finish is long, savory and gently grippy with layered flavors of meaty umami, some ripe cranberry tones, a little bit of wild strawberries, light wizened black cherry tones, a hint of earthy spice and a saline touch of soy sauce.
A lovely, wonderfully developed vintage of Musar that is starting exhibit some savory developed flavors, yet retains quite a bit of ripe vibrant fruit. The nose might show quite a bit of that classic Musar funk, but on the palate the wine feels cleaner and more polished in style. Overall it feels like the wine is slowly reaching its plateau of maturity, meaning that the room for further improvement might be rather marginal here, but most likely the wine will continue to keep wonderfully for another decade or so. A fine effort and a very lovely vintage of Musar. Terrific value at 30,59€.
(94 pts.)
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1998 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The vintage 1998 started off quite normally but the temperatures remained relatively cool until June. Quite typical, warm and dry summer. The blend is quite typical aka. one third of each Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, although the Cinsaut portion is slightly higher this vintage. 13,5% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Developed, pale brick-orange color with a light golden-yellow rim. Dry, dusty and savory nose with aromas of earthy spice, lingonberries, some appley tones, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light smoky tones, a hint of bretty funk and a touch of sweet nail polish VA. Perhaps slightly lacking the vibrancy I’ve normally seen in this vintage. The wine is medium-to-moderately full-bodied, juicy and quite savory on the palate with flavors of brambly blackberries and boysenberries, some beef jerky tones and tangy soy sauce salinity, a little bit of phenolic smoke, light pruney tones, a hint of ripe forest fruits and a touch of smoky minerality. Nicely structured feel for its age with high acidity and still rather grippy, firm and textural tannins. The finish is quite grippy, complex and somewhat tertiary with flavors of wild strawberries, some pruney dark fruits, a little bit of salty beef jerky, light stony mineral notes, a hint of fresh, brambly blackberry and a touch of phenolic smoke.
An attractive, juicy and complex vintage of Musar, but also a classic example of the bottle variation in Musar: I’ve had this wine twice before and the first time it was somewhat awkard and perhaps slightly off and the other time it was among the best vintages in a vertical tasting. This time the wine was neither, but just an enjoyable example that didn’t reach the heights of the best vintages, but didn’t really feel off either - well, perhaps not counting the smoky tones that don’t seem that typical of Musar. This was a nice and somewhat aged effort that is exhibiting some tertiary developed flavors of beef jerky and soy sauce, suggesting that the wine is either at its plateau of maturity or very close to it. Probably will keep for many more years, but I have a hunch there won’t be that much development here anymore. Priced according to its quality at 39€.
(92 pts.)
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1997 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (25.10.2019)
The vintage 1997 was perfect for Chateau Musar: a normal winter, fresh spring, mild summer, cloudy and moderate August followed by a sunny September for the harvest. Very slow and steady fermentation with indigenous yeasts. 14% alcohol. Unlike the younger wines in this vertical (2012-1997), this vintage came in late and was decanted only for like 30-45 minutes before tasting the wine.
Developed, pale brick-orange color with a wide, limpid pinkish-orange rim. Dry, somewhat restrained and slightly dusty nose with aromas of bloody game and iron, some peppery tones and a little bit of reductive smoke. The wine needs a lot of air and it takes quite a bit of breathing before it opens up, starting to exhibit some fresh red-fruited tones, some perfumed floral tones of dried flowers, a little bit of animal funk and a hint of sunny dark fruit. The wine is remarkably fresh, crunchy and sinewy on the palate with medium body and surprisingly youthful and lively flavors of cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of smoke and tar, light leathery tones, developed hints of beef jerky and tangy salinity and a touch of tart lingonberry. Overall the wine tastes more fresh and youthful than many of the preceding vintages. The overall feel is not only fresh and youthful, but also wonderfully structured with the noticeably high acidity and somewhat resolved, textural medium tannins. The finish is dry, juicy and remarkably long with only very little tannic grip and vibrant flavors of ripe cranberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of tangy salinity, light smoky tones, a hint of red plums and a touch of stony minerality.
A wonderfully fresh, bright and youthful vintage of 1997 Musar. This was my 4th time I tasted this vintage and also hands down the best-performing bottle I’ve had of it. The wine felt very closed when I tasted it, after an hour it was opened, and it took another hour or so before it really started to sing. Still remarkably youthful, fresh and focused at 22 years of age with surprisingly clean (un-funky with no noticeable VA character) for a Musar. Despite the relatively high alcohol, the wine is more red-toned than darker-toned in taste with remarkably high acidity. A beautiful “Burgundy drinker’s” Musar, if you will, that is drinking wonderfully now, but will not only keep but improve for many more years. Let the wine relax in a decanter for at least 2 hours or so, if opened now. Very highly recommended.
(96 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
I’ve had both '04 and '99 multiple times before, rating them 89-91-92-89 and 95-FLAW-94-94 respectively (score from this particular tasting bolded).![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
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