#GDPandThePig
If you have Musar in the cellar and your inventory on cellartracker you know that Musar is one of the most popular wines on cellartracker. At least that seems to be the case with my inventory. Not a day goes by without someone adding a note on one vintage or another. I've often wondered about this phenomenon, and have come to dual conclusions.
The first one is that Musar is a great value. It really is a fine, delicious, and unique wine that remains quite affordable. Secondly, it is an oddity and everyone like to try something new!
Back in the day Musar was one of my go to wines. You could find mature vintages sitting on shelves and in close out bins because pre-internet Musar did not have the broad name recognition it does today. I loved the funky, often defective wines. Real character and fun, and cheap! Today the wines are much more technically correct, but still a ton of fun and very age worthy so they are a fine contribution to a well rounded cellar.
Coming from Lebanon, there is little built in market for the wines of Chateau Musar, and yet they have expanded their portfolio over the years. The estate is quite large, located in the Lebanon's Bekaa valley at altitude, it is a testament to the Hochar family's commitment as well as the great terroir that can be found there.
I'm glad I chose this bottle to open tonight as the cork was on the verge of failing, but as of yet there is no damage to the wine, which displays a lovely color, shimmering ruby with just the slightest copper colored rim.
Leathery on the nose, with just a suggestion of brett, but so many nuanced notes, of gravel, grafite, roasted red fruits, and a lovely wood spice framing note, with some dried bay leaf and almost onion powder notes lending slightly exotic complexity all subtly lifted by a gentle dose of VA.The VA is actually more noticeable in the mouth. Simply at peak, juicy, tannins almost fully integrated, a hint of sweetness on the palate, tons of fruit, crystal clear cherries, an underlying gaminess, then something riper, a bit of melon even, with a touch of dried lime peel/ orange rind leading to a currant toned finish with good length. Actually quite mandarin orange toned on the finish. Just a lovely wine with some gravel and earth notes emerging on the backend. You can fault this wine but not for a lack of complexity, that it sure. Quite Burgundian in feel, thought he flavor profile is all Musar. 93pts
If you have Musar in the cellar and your inventory on cellartracker you know that Musar is one of the most popular wines on cellartracker. At least that seems to be the case with my inventory. Not a day goes by without someone adding a note on one vintage or another. I've often wondered about this phenomenon, and have come to dual conclusions.
The first one is that Musar is a great value. It really is a fine, delicious, and unique wine that remains quite affordable. Secondly, it is an oddity and everyone like to try something new!
Back in the day Musar was one of my go to wines. You could find mature vintages sitting on shelves and in close out bins because pre-internet Musar did not have the broad name recognition it does today. I loved the funky, often defective wines. Real character and fun, and cheap! Today the wines are much more technically correct, but still a ton of fun and very age worthy so they are a fine contribution to a well rounded cellar.
Coming from Lebanon, there is little built in market for the wines of Chateau Musar, and yet they have expanded their portfolio over the years. The estate is quite large, located in the Lebanon's Bekaa valley at altitude, it is a testament to the Hochar family's commitment as well as the great terroir that can be found there.
I'm glad I chose this bottle to open tonight as the cork was on the verge of failing, but as of yet there is no damage to the wine, which displays a lovely color, shimmering ruby with just the slightest copper colored rim.
Leathery on the nose, with just a suggestion of brett, but so many nuanced notes, of gravel, grafite, roasted red fruits, and a lovely wood spice framing note, with some dried bay leaf and almost onion powder notes lending slightly exotic complexity all subtly lifted by a gentle dose of VA.The VA is actually more noticeable in the mouth. Simply at peak, juicy, tannins almost fully integrated, a hint of sweetness on the palate, tons of fruit, crystal clear cherries, an underlying gaminess, then something riper, a bit of melon even, with a touch of dried lime peel/ orange rind leading to a currant toned finish with good length. Actually quite mandarin orange toned on the finish. Just a lovely wine with some gravel and earth notes emerging on the backend. You can fault this wine but not for a lack of complexity, that it sure. Quite Burgundian in feel, thought he flavor profile is all Musar. 93pts