Showing posts with label 2004. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2004. Show all posts

July 4, 2017

Vertical of the month: Château Musar 2000-2009

As my Vertical of the Month post on white Musar proved to be such a popular piece, it wasn't hard to decide writing a similar post on red Musar as well. However, I wanted a more concise theme this time so I decided on concentrating solely on the vintages of the 00's instead of a huge post on every red Musar I had tasted. The problem was that the belated vintage 2006 was yet to hit the market. However, in the late March 2017 the 2006 Musars finally arrived to the market, so all I needed to do was to acquire a bottle, taste it and write a piece on the 10 first Musars of this millennium. It took me a few more months to do this arduous task, but here we finally are.

Our lineup from 28th of May, 2016
Lebanese Château Musar (often written without the circumflex as Chateau Musar) is by far the best-known winery in the Levant and also among the best-known wineries in the natural wine movement. Unlike so many wineries of the modern natural wine movement who have started to produce wines more naturally around or after the turn of the millennium, Château Musar has produced their wines with minimal intervention since 1977, predating the vast majority of natural wine producers by a decade or a lot more. The method of production is quite simple at Château Musar: the grapes are crushed and left to ferment on the natural yeasts. No yeast inoculations, nutrients or other additives are used and the use of sulfur is kept at minimum, letting the nature go its course without winemaker's manipulation. The resulting wines are very often rustic and exhibiting characteristics like brettanomyces or pronounced volatile acidity – traits often considered as unwanted, even faults – yet also remarkably balanced and capable of aging easily for decades.

Chateau Musar is the top tier of the winery's range, above the simple, early-drinking Musar Jeune range and the single-vineyard Hochar Pére et Fils. Out of the wines in the Chateau Musar range, the red one comprises the great majority of production (from a third to almost half of the winery's total production of some 700–800,000 bottles), whereas the white's production normally hovers around the 10–30,000 bottle mark . The rosé is by far the rarest wine in the Chateau Musar range as it is not made every year – and in those years when it is made, the amount of bottles produced is only some thousands.

What is remarkable in Musar wines is that they have always been produced in a geopolitically highly volatile area, where tensions and shoot-outs are not uncommon. Despite these difficulties, the wines were produced systematically even during the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990), when tensions were at their highest and bombshells were exploding all the way from Beirut, where the winery is located, to Beqaa valley, where the vineyards lie, and even in the vineyards. However, occasionally the grapes could not be transported directly via roads (some 70 km / 45 miles) from the Beqaa valley to the winery due to the unstable situations; in some cases the grapes had to be transported by taking a longer (250 km / 150 miles) detour, and once even by driving to the seaside and shipping them from port to port. Against all odds, there have been only two vintages that have not been released to this date:
  • The vintage of 1976 was lost due to the civil war: unstable situations prevented the workers to reach the vineyards and the crop was lost.
  • The vintage of 1984 was made, but there were great difficulties reaching the vineyards and transporting the fruit back to the winery – as it was impossible to reach the winery by land due to roads being closed, it was necessary to ship the fruit by sea. Due to this, the grapes were very overripe and started fermenting on their own before the winery was reached. The wine was practically undrinkable due to heavy flaws for years, even decades, but recent tastings have confirmed that the wine has changed into something remarkable after having been cellared for more than 30 years. The wine, however, still remains unreleased at the time of writing.

If you are interested on reading more in-depth introduction to the history and philosophy of Château Musar, I highly suggest you to read my other Vertical of the Month on Musar Blanc 1991–2007.

Chateau Musar
  • Château Musar
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Region: Beqaa
  • Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon (1/3), Carignan (1/3), Cinsaut (1/3)






The red Musar is the wine this winery is best known for. It is traditionally a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut in more or less equal proportions, left to ferment in cement tanks on indigenous yeasts. After the fermentation, the wine is aged for 1 year in oak barrels (approx. 25–35% new), after which the wine is normally blended together and then returned back to marry in the concrete vats. After a suitable period of aging (1–2 years) the wine blend is bottled without any fining or filtration. What makes this wine so unique is that according to the winery's philosophy it is not released until the winery deems it ready, a process which normally takes 7–10 years – the vintage 2006 was released only after the vintage 2009, after more than ten years of aging! Furthermore, Musar normally keeps up to 25% of the annual production stored in their cellars for later release.

Chateau Musar 2009
  • Price: 35,70€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 20th of January, 2017

The 2009 vintage was particularly good, remaining quite dry through the whole growing season and keeping all the difficulties at bay. The only particularly wet moment before the harvest was in the late March, giving the vines much-needed water after the dry first three months. Due to the hot summer, the harvest was brought on exceptionally early, starting on the 2nd of September with Cabernet Sauvignon and finishing on the 8th of September with Cinsaut. The wines were blended together only after 3 years of aging. 14% alcohol.

The color seems rather concentrated with dark, almost black red color showing only very little translucency. There are initial aromas of ripe, sunny fruit and lighter, sweeter VA notes of nail polish on the nose, with more subtle notes of very dark forest berries, some raisined fruit, a little hint of sweet oak spice and a touch of Assam tea. On the palate this full-bodied wine feels very youthful, quite dry and rather fruit-forward with flavors of ripe red berries, exotic spices, some strawberry sweetness, light meaty notes and a hint of savory wood. The typical animal and barnyard notes of Musar are practically nonexistent and even the volatility feels quite restrained. There is a sense of firmness along with good structure resulting from the relatively noticeable tannins and moderately high acidity. The finish is opulent and juicy with ripe, plummy flavors of sunny dark and red fruits, some cassis notes, light Middle Eastern spice hints and a touch of dry, savory wood. The tannins give the sweet, supple finish some positive sense of grip and grit.

Lovely balance, structure and focus here. Although I often enjoy purity of fruit in wines, this vintage of Musar feels remarkably polished and fruit-forward, making me miss some of those more quirky characteristics of some of the older vintages.

92/100
Summary: Overall this is a really juicy and supple red Musar where the warm, sunny growing conditions are very obvious and which is lacking those rustic and funky notes typical of Musar. Nevertheless, the wine shows good aging potential and hopefully it will gain some more complexity and more interesting characteristics with age. Recommended, especially for cellaring.

***

Chateau Musar 2008
  • Price: 23,00€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

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. 14% alcohol.

Youthful, dark, almost black cherry color with faint purple hues and moderate translucency. Lovely, complex and wild nose so typical of Musar: sweet volatile notes, rich kirsch-driven fruit, ripe and succulent red berries, sunny dark fruit, some acetone, a little prune and a hint of bretty funk. Very intense, structured and quite full-bodied palate with surprisingly concentrated flavors of ripe dark berries, toasted spices, some sweet plummy fruit, a little sour cherry and a hint of acetaldehyde salinity – all counterpointed by moderately pronounced bitterness. The wine is held together beautifully with moderate acidity and quite chewy, grainy tannins. The wine finishes on a moderately long, spicy and slightly bitter note with a bit of alcohol warmth and flavors of sour cherry, tart lingonberry and a hint of salinity in the aftertaste.

This vintage is a surprisingly concentrated and structured for a Musar, which is nice change after the weaker and somewhat disappointing 2007.

93/100
Summary: The wine feels very imposing with its brooding, dark-toned fruit and those typical volatile-and-funky Musar notes; although promising, it seems to be in a bit awkward phase right now. Currently it requires easily more than just 2 hours of decanting which we had; however, I recommend giving the wine at least a decade more before opening it. Very, very recommended; definitely one of the most promising Musars in a while with good possibility of hitting a much higher score with age.

***

Chateau Musar 2007
  • Price: 35,70€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016
 
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.

Quite opaque, dark cherry color with figgy purple overtones. Slightly reticent and quite dry nose with slight greenness that lacks the typical sweeter sunny fruit character of Musar; there are aromas of ripe red berries, slightly unripe blue- and blackberries, some vaguely off-putting, chemical VA aromas, a little bit of cedary wood and hints of raisined fruit. Medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, coming across as quite austere and tannic for a Musar. There are youthful, but more dry than sweet flavors of ripe dark fruit, juicy yet bitter red forest berries, some volatility and a hint of sour cherry. Although the acidity is modest at best, the wine seems both quite tightly wound and a bit muted, even backward. The rather pronounced bitterness gives the wine some sense of structure, but also emphasizes the tannins in a not altogether pleasant way. Quite long, bitter and complex finish with juicy flavors of ripe dark berries, peppery spice and some tannic astringency with a bit of alcohol heat.

This might be an enjoyable and drinkable Musar, but compared to the usual house style, the wine seems rather austere, unresolved and backward. Although I'm a big fan of Musar, this time it just doesn't make the cut. I am not sure whether the wine is in some very awkward phase, or if it is just an off vintage.

87/100
Summary: Definitely a hard fellow now in its youth, but also seeming to lack focus and balance: there is a lot of structure – especially tannin-wise – and also some pronounced bitterness, but very little fruit to balance them out. I hope that the wine is in an awkward phase and it will resolve beautifully, but it can be that this is just an off vintage and it will never turn out to be anything truly memorable. Quite good and interesting for a red wine, but a disappointment for a young Musar. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the 2007's I have in my cellar.

***

Chateau Musar 2006
  • Price: 31,95€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 23rd of June, 2017

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 a harvest 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, 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.

Somewhat translucent dark cherry color that doesn't look that youthful anymore, but doesn't betray the +10 years of age either. Quite opulent, ripe and juicy nose which isn't that funky, but showing some acetic VA notes along with aromas of very ripe plums, even prunes, overripe blackberries, some sun-baked earth and hints of raisined fruit. Full-bodied on the palate with moderately high acidity but rather mellow tannins. There are flavors of fresh blackberries, overripe dark plums, exotic spice, some blackcurrant jam and hints of acetic volatility. Although the wine tastes quite dry, notes of dried prunes and raisins create an illusion of sweetness, giving the wine more juiciness and rounding its corners. The finish is medium-long with supple flavors of ripe and sweet dark forest fruits, black cherries, some plums, a bit of tannic bitterness and hints of peppery spice. The acidity makes the wine finish on a more tart lingonberry note along with a lightly gritty tannic grip.

A vintage that was anticipated for a long time, but which ultimately fails to captivate upon release. The wine might be quite balanced and enjoyable, but it is also quite mellow and rather tame effort for a Musar with a surprisingly noticeable raisiny character, especially given the cooler vintage.

90/100
Summary: Overall this wine feels, quite surprisingly, like a lighter take on those very ripe, raisiny and high-alcohol Plavac Mali wines grown in the southern Croatia. This soon after release the wine doesn't feel a remarkable vintage, but neither is this a disappointment like the 2007. Perhaps – and hopefully – the wine will gain some welcome complexity with age.

***

Chateau Musar 2005
  • Price: 35,90€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

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.

Slightly translucent dark cherry color. Opulent, complex and ever so slightly volatile nose with lovely richness. Sweet, sunny aromas of plummy fruit, ripe figs, lilac, some red cherry, mature floral nuances, a little acetone VA and a touch of funky brett – although the succulent fruit tends to drown out the bretty barnyard character. Supple, full-bodied palate with good tannin structure and balanced, moderately high acidity. Ripe, succulent flavors of ripe plums, sweet figs, some rustic, bretty character, a little sun-baked earth, hints of jammy dark-skinned berries and a touch of dried prunes and raisins. Surprisingly robust and bold effort for a Musar, yet with fruit and body to match. Long and complex finish with a bit rustic and slightly astringent aftertaste of leather, bitter spices, ripe plummy fruit, some dried dark berries and a hint of bretty barnyard notes.

Overall 2005 feels a remarkable vintage for a red Musar (and white as well) resulting in a stunning combination of robust structure of both acidity and tannins and ripe, succulent fruit.

95/100
Summary: Lacking the finesse and delicate balance of the finer vintages, the red 2005 is all about power, intensity and – above all – cellaring potential. With fruit, body and structure as remarkable as these, I have no doubts that the wine wouldn't survive at least a quarter of a century in a good wine cellar. Drinking this wine now would be a travesty – try to get this stuff as many as you can and open the first one only after a decade. It will be worthwhile.

***

Chateau Musar 2004
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

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: 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.

Almost black cherry color with slightly maroon rim and only a little translucency. Ripe and sunny yet a bit understated nose with a bit sweet aromas of crushed ripe forest berries, some succulent plummy fruit and a hint of car paint volatility. Moderately full-bodied and velvety palate with soft medium acidity. Rich, opulent flavors of sweet dark cherries, dark-skinned berries, some kirsch and a hint of acetic volatility. Moderately tannic, but still showing suave smoothness without any coarse character. Long, complex and a bit grippy finish with quite light flavors of peppery spice and allspice and turmeric, ripe dark cherry, some tart lingonberry, alittle bit of sour cherry bitterness and a hint of dusty earthiness.

A smooth and classy Musar with hints of sweetness and less emphasis on the tannic structure. Shows hints of volatility, but is far from the funkiest end of Musars.

91/100
Summary: Not as open and expressive as many vintages before and after this, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing; also, the wine seems to have resolved from the clunky phase it was earlier this year (January 2016). Drinking nicely now, will keep easily for many years. Not the most typical Musar with its sweet, fruit-forward character and rather low acidity, but still very beautiful. Recommended.

***

Chateau Musar 2003
  • Price: 31,40€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 15th of February, 2013

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. 14% alcohol.

Quite translucent, dark ruby color with a slightly maroon hue. Very rich, expressive and aromatic nose with complex and even somewhat animal aromas of leather, tobacco, dried figs, wizened dark berries, some barnyard funk and a hint of sunny dark fruit. With some air, the bouquet gains also some nuances of floral perfume, licorice root and the faintest touch of cedar. The wine is quite rich, full-bodied and powerful on the palate with ripe, slightly sweet and intense flavors of sunny dark fruit, roasted spices, ripe red cherries, figs, some tobacco, a little sweaty saddle leather and a hint of cigar box. Though the flavors are quite sweet, overall the wine still tastes dry and relatively robust. The structure relies mainly on good, bright acidity, as the ample but fine tannins are rather mellow and friendly, giving the wine more sense of firmness than noticeable grip. Only the high-ish alcohol shows a little through. The finish is very long, complex and quite powerful with flavors of leather, cedar, dried figs, some dark chocolate chips, a hint of tobacco and a touch of rough animal funk.

This is truly a textbook example of a superb vintage Musar. Although starting to show some developed character at 10 years of age, this vintage has still a lot more to go before reaching its peak. At only 31,40€ this wine shows incredible value.

95/100
Summary: Even by Musar standards this vintage shines above its peers, being an incredibly attractive, complex and elegant effort. Not challenging by any means, but still showing quite much of that hallmark funk of the house – although this was not overtly dirty or super-volatile, it showed more of that attractive leathery and animal character than your average Musar. Still a baby with plenty of miles ahead, so no need to open this now – this'll age gracefully for decades.

***

Chateau Musar 2002
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

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, suddenly, 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. The fermentation and maceration times were much longer than normal this year. 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.

Rather translucent, yet a bit hazy, dark cherry color with some orange bricking towards the rim. A bit restrained nose with delicate aromas of sweet, dark-skinned berries, figs, some car paint VA, something a little biscuity, a hint of plum marmalade and prunes with a whiff of powdery oak. Ripe, medium-bodied and surprisingly acid-driven palate with complex, savory flavors of ripe plummy fruit, dark-skinned forest berries, peppery, bitter spiciness, some aromatic and sweet clove spice, a little balsamic volatility and a hint of sweet red cherry. Quite soft and ripe but firm enough tannins. The lengthy finish carries the bitter, spicy note while turning the fruity notes into something more earthy and savory; along with the flavors of ripe and sweet dark-skinned berries, complex flavors of clove, funky brett, some sun-baked earth and hints of sweaty leather become more pronounced.

This vintage is a bit atypical for Musar, but still in a lovely way: the wine is not that open and expressive as some, yet still it shows lots of those typical, Musary notes of sunny fruit, animal, volatility and earth. It is actually surprisingly delicate and sophisticated in its expression compared to many other, more voluminous vintages with bigger fruit, yet still sporting a surprisingly pronounced wild-and-funky side as well.

92/100
Summary: Perhaps this is not a vintage that'll keep for several decades like the best ones – although I wouldn't be that surprised even if it actually did! At least the wine is not showing any real signs of maturity now, only some depth and complexity that the wine gains with bottle age, giving the wine good cellaring potential for at least a decade more. An attractive example of a more subtle expression of Musar.

***

Chateau Musar 2001
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

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 normal 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.

Rather translucent dark cherry color with some orange bricking towards the almost clear rim. Lovely and attractive nose, with lovely depth and complexity – although the volatile acidity aromas so typical of Musar seem to be more pungent, chemical and glue-like instead of those sweeter, nuanced balsamico notes more typical of the house. Modestly developed aromas of savory dark berries, tart red berries, sunny dark fruit and some dark cherry with a little earthy sous-bois and a hint of dried, dusty leather. On the palate the wine is a lot sweeter, rich and suave than the nose suggests, with a supple, full body. Ripe, complex and dark-toned flavors of plummy fruit, aromatic spice, some fig, a little cherry, hints of leathery brett and a touch of paint thinner VA – intermingled with juicy, meaty notes. Moderately grippy, firm, dusty tannins and relatively high acidity give the wine good structure. Rich, quite robust and slightly grippy finish with savory flavors of ripe, dark-toned fruit, sour cherry, bitterness, some leather, a little salty acetaldehyde tang and a slightest touch of herbal greenness.

This is a delightful and surprisingly imposing – even somewhat brooding – vintage of Musar with surprisingly powerful structure and lots of depth and complexity but very little of that bretty barnyard funk.

93/100
Overall the 2001 does not seem as elegant and sophisticated as some vintages (some might consider calling a wine as wild and funky as Musar as "sophisticated" or "elegant" a travesty) with its roughness, occasionally slightly glue-like and more off-putting than attractive VA characteristics and slight greenness, but it still manages to hit many sweet spots with its combination of mature nuances and powerful, grippy character. Although starting to show some more developed notes, the structure seems quite unresolved even after 15 years – this is definitely a keeper with possibility for a higher score with more age. Tasty stuff now with right food, but a wine to be aged a lot more if enjoyed on its own. Very recommended.

***

Chateau Musar 2000
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

A warm and dry summer with hot July and temperatures above average in August. Released in 2007, alcohol 13,5%.

Translucent, medium deep red color tending to maroon. Rather reticent and restrained, but also nicely matured and savory nose with aromas of cherry, roasted spices, pencil shavings, dusty sun-baked earth, some developed and wizened dark fruit, a hint of reductive gunpowder smoke and a whiff of bretty funk. Full-bodied, noticeably spicy and structured palate with moderately developed, ripe and savory flavors of dark forest fruits, ripe red cherry, sweet sunny fruit, aromatic spices, some dried fig, a little pipe tobacco and a hint of bitter, sour cherry. The midpalate has a slightly pungent, saline streak giving the wine a bright, aldehydic Fino Sherry-esque overtone, supported by moderately high acidity. The wine has firm, ripe and slightly grippy tannins, giving it sense of firmness and good structure. The long, complex and generous finish is full of layered, interweaving notes of roasted spices, bitter sour cherry, dark sunny fruit, some dusty earth and a hint of dried figs. In the end, there is a lovely, slightly saline acetaldehyde lift.

Somehow this vintage of Musar seems a bit difficult one with atypical smoky and saline notes, yet still the wine does not come across as awkward or clumsy, but very delightful and tasty. Although these atypical notes give the wine some unique complexity, they also distract a little bit from the honest Musary core of sunny dark fruit and nuanced, earthy tones. Additionally, this is one of the less bretty and volatile vintages, with almost none of those leathery, barnyardy and balsamico notes apparent.

91/100
Summary: A Musar that is starting to exhibit some aged complexity in addition to the primary, fruity characteristics. The wine will most likely keep for a good while, but I'm not 100% sure whether it'll keep for a decade more – structure-wise there is a lot of aging potential, but the wine seems to lack focus and I hope it will not start to fall apart with more age. Despite of its lack of typicity, still recommended. This is a good and enjoyable Musar, but not among the great vintages.

***

For long I had a mnemonic for Musar vintages that odd ones are the ones you want to keep and even ones the ones you'll probably want to skip. Not that you'd want to skip any vintage of Musar, but pushed to make a choice over two vintages, I'd go for an odd vintage.

However, 2007 and 2008 changed this pattern: having tasted the 2007 in three different occasions over a six-month time span I must admit, it has turned out to be a disappointment of sorts. 2008, on the contrary, was a really tightly-knit and promising one, feeling almost too young but still full of cellaring potential. Most likely both of them will get better with age, but I expect a lot more from 2008 than from 2007 now.

The vintages 2009 and 2006 that followed, in that order, followed the logic of my mnemonic; although not as impressive as the vintages 2003 or 2005 were, the 2009 was still more lush and opulent effort, whereas the 2006 felt a bit more restrained and underwhelming, true to the even-numbered vintage style – which was also a bit disappointing, seeing how every Musarophile was waiting for its release for more than three years after it wasn't released according to the normal release schedule of Musar.

Our lineup from 28th of January, 2016
All in all, I hope that this guide through a decade of Musars will be of some help if you ever come across of multiple vintages of Musars and you are pressed to choose only one or some among them. Overall the first 10 years of the 21st century seem to have produced some very attractive and delightful wines, practically all of them capable of surviving at least 10 years of cellaring, some of them even multiple decades. Only the vintage 2007 seems to be a bit of an underachiever now, but perhaps with some age it can turn out all right. Practically all the other vintages are more or less safe bets: some are drinking nicely now and some only after some years, even a decade in the cellar, but most of the wines are actually really lovely now yet they sport remarkable cellaring potential – true to the classic Musar style.

April 29, 2017

Verdicchio

Verdicchio is a white grape that is grown pretty much throughout the Italy, although the variety is found most often across the eastern coast of Italy, close to the Adriatic Sea. The variety has found its spiritual home in Marche, a small region on the eastern coast of Italy where Matelica and Castelli di Jesi – two of the most celebrated Verdicchio wine regions – are located. Out of these two, Castelli di Jesi is the bigger one and better known, capable of producing impressive wines in larger quantities, whereas the hillier Matelica is much smaller, resulting in equally smaller production, but also thought to be capable of producing wines of even more finesse and higher quality.

In addition to Marche, Verdicchio is grown to some extent in Umbria (the region between Marche and Tuscany) and Lazio (the region south from Tuscany, where Rome is located). Furthermore, at some point ampelographers realized that Trebbiano di Lugana (aka. Trebbiano di Soave aka. Trebbiano Valtenesi aka. Turbiana) isn't a Veronese high-quality clone of the normally rather neutral Trebbiano, but instead a variety that is genetically identical to Verdicchio. Apparently Verdicchio actually originated around the Garda lake and at some point during the 15th century winegrowers migrated south from Veneto to cultivate vines in Marche, bringing Verdicchio cuttings along with them. Currently there are over 5,300 ha (over 13,000 acres) of Verdicchio grown in Italy, of which 1,800 ha (4,450 acres) in and around Veneto.

The grapes from Veneto produce wines that are slightly different from those produced in Marche, yet with that unmistakably weighty yet refreshing character of Verdicchio. In Marche varietal Verdicchio wines are the norm, whereas in Veneto the variety is normally encountered as a varietal wine mainly in the Lugana wine region; in Soave the variety is used as an accessory grape to bring in more structure, body and perfume to the more neutral Garganega variety – although the Suavia winery produces a wonderful 100% Trebbiano di Soave called Massifitti in Soave Classico.

Although Verdicchio is not a variety that well-known and hasn't garnered much attention, it is still one of the most highly regarded Italian white varieties amongst critics and those who have at least some knowledge of Italian white wines. This is because not only are these wines delicious with their often lemony acidity and intriguing flavors suggestive of almonds and even bitter spices, but the best ones can be really impressive, serious and even capable of aging for decades.

Here is a selection of different Verdicchio wines that I have tasted through these years:

***

Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva Cambrugiano 2008
DOCG Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva
  • Belisario
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Matelica
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: 15,00€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 29th of December, 2012



With 300 ha (750 acres) of vineyards, Belisario is the biggest Verdicchio producer in Matelica. Cambrugiano, in turn, is the world's first Riserva-quality Verdicchio, produced since 1988. The grapes are sourced from vineyards located at the altitude of 400 meters and only the best grapes are selected. The wine is aged for 12 months in stainless steel (80%) and in 225-liter oak barriques (20%) and another 12 months in bottles.

Deep yellow color with pale green highlights, slightly oily appearance.

The wine has an elegant, balanced and quite expressive nose with aromas of honeydew melon, pear, some yellow damson, a little almond, a hint of hay and a touch of herbal notes.

It is dry, moderately full-bodied and broad on the palate with slightly oily mouthfeel counterpointed by bright, racy acidity. There are complex flavors of dried herbs, acid-driven citrus fruits, some floral nuances, a little yellow damson and a hint of almonds with a vague undertone of vanilla.

Finally the wine finishes with a ripe, fruity and medium-long finish with harmonious flavors of exotic spices, yellow stone fruits, some minerality and a hint of almond-driven nuttiness.

In a sense this is not a "big, voluptuous and impressive" Riserva white, but instead a balanced and well-made Verdicchio, where the difference between Riserva and "normale" is evident in the addition of depth, complexity and elegance, not in bigger concentration, more ripe fruit or heavier oak influence.

91/100
Summary: Cambrugiano is a very stylish and sophisticated Verdicchio di Matelica, thoroughly enjoyable on its own, but also a lovely and versatile food wine. Definitely one of the better Verdicchios in the market and shows obvious aging potential for at least 5 years more. Tremendous value at 15€.

***

Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2009
DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
  • Azienda Agricola Villa Bucci
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Castelli di Jesi
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: 15,25€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 27th of October, 2012



The entry-level Verdicchio of the winery. Made from organically grown grapes sourced from different parcels, all vinified separately. The Classico in the name tells that these parcels are located in the classic heartland of the Castelli di Jesi wine region, whereas the Superiore refers to the higher-than-normal alcohol content, translating to grapes of more ripeness.

Lovely golden yellow color.

A bit reticent nose with typical Verdicchio aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some pineapple-driven yellow fruit, a little almondy nuttiness, a hint of elderflower and a touch of ripe yellow damson.

Although the wine is modestly medium-bodied on the palate, it is still surprisingly broad and intense with almost oily mouthfeel. There are powerful and quite spicy flavors of almonds, fennel, aromatic herbs, some tropical and yellow fruits like mirabelle plum, unripe tangerine and starfruit, and hints of cookie dough. Good structure with racy acidity.

Very dry and quite complex finish with intense herbal notes, almond-driven nuttiness, a little hay, hints of peachy yellow fruit and a touch of steely minerality.

Overall this is a balanced, but surprisingly intense and powerful Verdicchio with lots of youthful energy. Definitely a food wine, as the wine might be too overwhelming on its own; it also needs food hearty enough to withstand the structure and the intensity of the flavor.

91/100
Summary: Drinking nicely now, but will easily develop for several years in the cellar. Recommended and a wonderful purchase at 15,25€.

***

Colonnara Ubaldo Rosi Riserva Spumante Metodo Classico 2007
DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Superiore Spumante Riserva
  • Colonnara
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Castelli di Jesi
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: 19,00€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 30th of April, 2014



A méthode traditionelle sparkling wine made with Verdicchio grapes made by the local quality-oriented co-operative founded in 1959. Bottle-aged for a minimum 5 years before disgorging. Hand-riddling. This bottle was disgorged in 2013.

Luminous pale green color.

Aromas of ripe apple, honeydew melon, lemon curd, some aged honeyed nuttiness, hints of floral nuances and a touch of that Verdicchio spiciness. Also, with some air, an autolytic note of French bread emerges.

On the palate the wine is very dry and really fresh with very fine, creamy mousse and medium body. There are complex flavors of fresh apple, lemon peel, some almond notes, a hint of spiciness and a touch of bitterness. Good acidity that gives the wine structure and intensity.

The finish is long, mouth-cleansing and somewhat bitter with flavors of almonds, lemon-driven citrus fruits and an autolytic hint of yeasty leesiness.

Overall this is a really attractive, albeit a very youthful and primary Spumante Riserva – I assume this wine would develop really nicely over medium-to-long term in a cellar.

92/100
Summary: Really tremendous stuff and will pair really good with light, oily dishes. Despite the age, there is definitely no hurry opening this one. Great value at 19€ – sourced straight from the winery in Marche.

***

San Lorenzo Vigneto delle Oche Riserva 2004
DOCG Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva
  • Fattoria San Lorenzo
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Castelli di Jesi
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: ~23€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 12th of October, 2015



Fattoria San Lorenzo is regarded some of the best producers in the Jesi region, if not the best. Although coming from a family that has grown vines and made wine for generations, San Lorenzo is a relatively newcomer, having been founded only in 1995. They make three Verdicchio wines, all that have been named by the geese (le oche) that roam in the vineyards: the entry-level wine Le Oche, the mid-tier superiore wine Campo delle Oche and the single-vineyard riserva wine, Vigneto delle Oche. This Riserva is made from organically grown grapes and it is aged first for a whopping 2 years in concrete tanks and then a further 12 months in stainless steel before it is bottled unfiltered.

Deep, moderately developed honeyed yellow color.

After having been aged for more than 10 years, the wine's bouquet betrays the age with layered aromas of nutty complexity, matured toasty notes, honeyed roasted almonds, rich candy aromas of wine gums, some cantaloupe, a hint of smoky minerality and a touch of dried apricots.

On the palate the wine feels full-bodied, obviously quite developed and very textural, yet remarkably bright and structured due to its lively acidity. The flavors are dominated by mature nutty flavors, but there are also complex notes of wildhoney, stony minerality, nectarine and some spiciness. The mouthfeel is quite weighty, waxy and somewhat concentrated by the age.

The finish is incredibly powerful, complex and developed with mature, layered nuances of roasted exotic spices, developed nuttiness, some stony minerality, a little dried peach and a hint of honey. The acidity becomes even more pronounced towards the end of the aftertaste, making the wine end on a bright, lively and mouthwatering note.

This might just be the most impressive Verdicchio I've ever tasted, stylistically getting very close to an aged high-quality Burgundy white, yet still with unmistakably Italian flair. Stunning, really.

96/100
Summary: This wine is really a testament to how the best Verdicchios (riservas, usually) not only age really well, but actually require surprisingly much age just to show their potential. This wine also shows how oak aging isn't really necessary to make impressive, weighty and age-worthy whites. Young vintages of this wine can be found for as low as 15€, but with any luck one might be able to source these older vintages for approx 25€. At less than 25€ this wine shows simply ridiculous value.

***

Sartarelli Balciana 2009
DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
  • Sartarelli
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Castelli di Jesi
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: ~30,00€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 12th of October, 2015



The flagship wine of the Sartarelli range, made from the grapes sourced from the highly esteemed vineyard located in Contrada Balciana. The grapes here ripen extremely slowly and the harvest can go on as late as mid-November in some years. In the coolest years the grapes can't reach optimum ripeness at all and the vintage is completely skipped. The wine sees only stainless steel and glass bottles during the aging, total annual production can reach approx. 15,000 bottles at the highest.

Moderately developed, pale golden yellow color.

Surprisingly dry and savory nose with some smoky aged character, revealing layered nuances of bruised cider apple, exotic spices, ripe stone fruits, some toasty matured notes and hints of aged nuttiness.

Despite the vintage 2009, which is generally regarded as pretty hot throughout Europe, the wine feels medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with balanced, racy acidity that cuts nicely through the rich fruit. Overall the wine feels remarkably fresh and crisp with intense, but surprisingly little-developed flavors of citrus fruits, ripe red apple, cantaloupe, some spicy almondy character and sweeter hints of exotic fruits and apricots.

The wine finishes on a tightly-knit and structured, but more developed note with flavors of yellow stone fruits, some red apple, a little honeydew melon, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of roasted almonds.

For a Verdicchio at 6 years of age, Balciana 2009 feels remarkably young and fresh, apparently aging only at a glacial pace. A remarkable powerhouse for a Verdicchio.

94/100
Summary: You can really taste the concentration, power and potential here and, as this vintage testifies, there is no point opening a wine this impressive yet. Most likely the wine will start to exhibit more mature character only after 10 or so years and hits its stride really at 15–20 years of age, so there is no point opening these wines yet. Truly a remarkable example of what Verdicchio can produce in Marche.

***

Sartarelli Tralivio 2010
DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
  • Sartarelli
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Marche, Castelli di Jesi
  • Grape(s): Verdicchio (100%)
  • Price: 13,00€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 12th of October, 2015



The mid-tier Verdicchio of Sartarelli, made solely from selected grapes of their oldest vineyards. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. Annual production approx. 90,000 bottles.

Somewhat developed peachy yellow color.

Quite rich and complex nose with aromas of ripe yellow stone fruits, yellow gummy bear candies, some developed waxy notes with fruit that is taking on a sweet marmalade edge, hints of almondy nuttiness and a touch of mature creamy / buttery character.

On the palate the wine feels moderately full-bodied and even a bit oily, yet also high in acidity giving the wine even somewhat crisp bite and good, robust structure. There are flavors of citrusy fruit, some exotic spice, modest stony minerality, a little developed honey character and light hints of crushed almonds. Overall the wine feels that is has concentrated a bit with the age, becoming somewhat weighty and rich, yet still carrying that lemony acidity typical of the variety.

The wine finishes with a long, rich and powerful aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, sweet red apple, some stony minerality, a little exotic spice and hints of almond.

Overall this is a surprisingly serious, rich and structured Verdicchio that is already starting to show some signs of age with some sense of concentration and honeyed fruit, yet the wine is remarkably fresh and taut like a wine that was bottled only yesterday.

93/100
Summary: Very impressive effort that is at 5 years of age only suggesting of the potential the wine can show with age. Obviously a white meant for the long haul. No reason to open any time soon, even though the wine is drinking quite nicely already – it would be just waste of potential. Stunning value at only 13€.


***

Suavia Massifitti 2010
IGT Bianco Veronese
  • Suavia
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Veneto, Soave Classico
  • Grape(s): Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio) (100%)
  • Price: 11,90€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 24th of April, 2014



Often people seem to think that Massifitti is a Soave Classico, but as it is a 100% Trebbiano di Soave aka. Turbiana aka. Verdicchio, it can't be labeled as such – instead this is an IGT Bianco Veronese. Its first vintage was 2008, so this is only the 3rd vintage of the wine ever made. Aged for 15 months sur lie in stainless steel with a part of wine undergoing MLF. After the tank aging the wine is lightly filtered and then bottled in these distinctive potato masher bottles in which the wine is aged for a further 15 months. Annual production is only 3000 bottles.

Luminous youthful green color.

Very expressive, rich and attractive nose with lots of ripe fruits such as sweet citrus fruits, honeydew melon, peach and apple purée along with pronounced notes of wet stone minerality, some understated spiciness and a touch of floral aromatics.

On the palate the wine is quite full-bodied and rich with moderate concentration, but almost bone-dry and very structured as well, thanks to its bracing, focused acidity and rough stony minerality that supports the weighty core of ripe apple, pronounced spiciness and pithy lemon notes. Great freshness with very modest alcohol (12,5%) – the wine feels surprisingly light for such a big wine.

The finish is full of apple and stony minerality, but with more focus on tart, green apple notes that turn towards quinine mineral bitterness towards the end.

Although not technically a Soave, this is hands down one of the most impressive wines produced in the Soave Classico region. Truly a showcase of the potential what Trebbiano di Soave can attain in right terroir with sensible winemaking.

95/100
Summary: Massifitti shows a tremendous combination of richness and focused freshness. This is most likely a wine that'll age nicely for years, but it is drinking so nicely right now that keeping bottles in a cellar and not touching them would be a chore! Ridiculously amazing value at only 11,90€.

***

Zenato Lugana Riserva Sergio Zenato 2008
DOC Lugana Riserva
  • Zenato
  • Country: Italy
  • Region: Lombardy / Veneto, Lugana
  • Grape(s): Trebbiano di Lugana (Verdicchio) (100%)
  • Price: 23,90€ / 0,75
  • Tasted on: 17th of October, 2011



The flagship white wine of Zenato, a famed producer located by the Garda lake. Made from the best Trebbiano di Lugana grapes sourced from the Lugana wine region, located at the border of Lombardy and Veneto at the southern shore of the lake Garda; the wine is fermented in 5,000-liter oak casks and 300-liter tonneaux (70%) and stainless steel (30%). Aged for 6 months in oak tonneaux and 12 months in bottles before release.

Deep golden yellow color.

Very open, floral and fruity nose with notes of honey, butterscotch and ripe tropical fruits – especially pear and overripe pineapple.

The taste is somewhat lighter and more restrained after the generous nose. On the palate the wine is round, supple and full-bodied, toasted and slightly spicy with some alcoholic heat. Oak is well integrated with brief notes of vanilla and butterscotch complementing the ripe apple notes of the mid-palate. Wine seems to lack acidity, resulting in very full body and sensation of sweetness with the ripe fruits, but also resulting in some lack of structure, energy and focus.

The wine finishes pretty short with notes of spicy oak and ripe tropical fruits.

Overall the wine is pleasant with an elegant taste and and complex aromatics, but it is also a bit heavy and unstructured – for example with its modest acidity, I don't know how well the wine can survive heavier dishes.

89/100
Summary: Though quite weighty and serious for a Lugana wine, the wine is somewhat lacking focus and brightness, feeling a bit too modern and overdone. To me, the wine is best served quite well chilled, paired with spicy Asian kitchen, or enjoyed on its own. I think it feels a tad too pricey at 23,90€.

January 22, 2017

Vertical of the month: Château Musar Blanc 1991-2007

Château Musar is definitely a winery not in need of introductions: although having been on the UK market since the 1960's, this Lebanese winery first sprang into limelight back in 1979 when Christie's auctioneer and wine professional Michael Broadbent discovered Musar Red 1967. Not long thereafter the winery started to gain appreciation from all around the globe and Musar's Serge Hochar was even the first ever Man of the Year of the respected Decanter magazine in 1984. Although the Musar wines are known far and wide, they still manage to somewhat remain in the underground: they have never gained the same kind of mainstream recognition like the biggest Chateaux of Bordeaux, the greatest Domaines of Burgundy, or the most hyped wineries of California. It might of course have something to do with the very natural style of Musar, which often results in wines very irregular and even some obvious bottle variations between bottlings of one vintage. For some this can be an insurmountable obstacle, whereas for others – ones like me – this means only an increase in the wine's curiosity value: every vintage and even every bottle of Musar can be an adventure!

Our lineup from May 28th, 2016
But in the off chance that one hadn't heard about Musar before, I suppose an introduction of sorts is in place. If you know Musar beforehand, there's probably nothing new here, so please skip the following paragraphs and check out the wine reviews.

Château Musar (stylized Chateau Musar in the labels), founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar in Castle Mzar from the 18 th century, is located close to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The vines are not grown next to the winery, but instead in Beqaa valley, a particularly fertile region some 40 km (24 miles) east from Beirut. Here, from an altitude of 900 meters (3,000 feet), always up to 1,200 meters (4,000 feet), the Musar winery cultivates their grapes, which are a array of French varieties mainly grown in Mediterranean. The red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, whereas the whites are lesser known local varieties of Merwah and Obaideh. However, in truth, these two white varieties are Sémillon (Merwah) and Chardonnay (Obaideh) – only they are clones that have been brought to Lebanon centuries ago, becoming somewhat distinct local clones from the original French ones, regarded as indigenous white varieties of Lebanon, yet genetically identical to the original varieties. The Merwah and Obaideh vines of Musar are still ungrafted (growing on their own root systems) and extremely old, some over 100 years of age, growing in the highest vineyards of Musar, at 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) above sea level.

In 1959 Serge Hochar, son of Gaston Hochar, took over the winery, after having finished his winemaking studies in Bordeaux. As he took over, he started developing his own style of the wine: Serge didn't want to make the wines like the other wineries were making, but instead found inspiration from more traditional way of winemaking, where wine more or less just "happened" without much intervention from the winemaker. Since 1977 the wines have been made in an unchanged style: the grapes are just crushed and left to ferment on their own with indigenous yeasts. No yeast inoculations or additives are used and the use of sulfur is kept at minimum, letting the nature go its course without winemaker's manipulation. The resulting wines are very unique, often very rustic and exhibiting characteristics like brettanomyces or pronounced volatile acidity – traits often considered as unwanted, even faults – yet also remarkably balanced and capable of aging easily for decades.

Unfortunately, on the last day of 2014, Serge Hochar died in Mexico, at the age of 75. When the news broke out of this great loss, long obituaries were released throughout the global wine media, affirming the impact Serge had made with his uncompromising wines. Although it will take many years before the post-Serge wines are released to the market, the winery has assured that nothing in their winemaking will change: the wines will still be made in Serge's minimalist style that made the wines so popular.

The standard wine range of Musar comprises of three tiers, with total seven wines.

  • In the bottom tier is the Musar Jeune range, which are made from the fruit of younger vineyards or from the grapes that didn't go into the wines of the better two tiers. This range comprises a red, a rosé and a white wine. They are simple, unoaked and inexpensive wines meant to be consumed young and aimed at the restaurant market.
  • The middle range includes only one wine, the single-vineyard red wine Hochar Père et Fils. The vineyard from which the grapes are sourced for this wine is younger, located a bit lower than the main Musar vineyards and they produce a wine somewhat distinctive from the Musar red – one that is a little less concentrated, more mellow and easier to approach in its youth. The wine is fermented partially in cement and partially in oak vats, after which it is aged in French oak barrels for 9 months, bottled unfined and unfiltered and aged for a further two years. This wine is often regarded as the "second wine" of the winery and as it is usually released earlier than the Musar red, it is often used as an indicator of the vintage's quality.
  • The top tier includes the three wines labeled as Chateau Musar; the red, the rosé and the white. Out of these wines, the red one comprises the great majority of production (from a third to almost half of the winery's total production of some 700–800,000 bottles), whereas the white's production normally hovers around the 10–30,000 bottle mark . The rosé is by far the rarest Musar, as it is not made every year – and in those years when it is made, the amount of bottles produced is only some thousands. The red Musar is the wine the winery is best known for. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsaut, left to ferment in cement tanks on indigenous yeasts. After the fermentation, the wine is aged for 1 year in oak barrels (approx. 25%–35% new), after which the wine is returned back to the concrete vats. During the next year, the wine blend is assembled, bottled, unfined and unfiltered. What makes the wine so unique is that it is not released until the winery deems it ready, a process which normally takes 7–10 years – the 2009 vintage was released only recently and the vintage 2006 is still aging in the cellars. Furthermore, Musar normally keeps up to 25% of the annual production stored in their cellars for later release.

The whites, although not as well-known as the reds (most likely due to their scarcity), are the wines Serge Hochar held in highest regard. He often claimed that his whites were his true red wines, as they are so rich, concentrated and unique compared to regular white wines, often overshadowing even the remarkable red wines. The centenarian Obaideh and Merwah vineyards produce extremely small yields (10–20 hl/ha) of concentrated fruit, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak barriques for 9 months, after which the wines are bottled. Even the whites are aged for a minimum of 7 years before release.

What is remarkable in Musar wines that they have been produced in a politically highly volatile area, where tensions and shoot-outs are not uncommon. Despite these difficulties, the wines were produced systematically even during the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990), when tensions were at their highest and bombshells were exploding all the way from Beirut to Beqaa and even in the vineyards. However, occasionally the grapes could not be transported directly via roads (some 70 km / 45 miles) from the Beqaa valley to the winery due to the unstable situations; in some cases the grapes had to be transported by taking a longer (250 km / 150 miles) detour, and once even by driving to the seaside and shipping them from port to port. To this date there have been only three vintages that have not been released:
  • The vintage of 1976 was lost due to the civil war: unstable situations prevented the workers to reach the vineyards and the crop was lost.
  • The vintage of 1984 was made, but there were great difficulties reaching the vineyards and transporting the fruit back to the winery – as it was impossible to reach the winery by land due to roads being closed, it was necessary to ship the fruit by sea. Due to this, the grapes were very overripe and started fermenting on their own before the winery was reached. The wine was practically undrinkable due to heavy flaws for years, even decades, but recent tastings have confirmed that the wine has changed into something remarkable after having been cellared for more than 30 years. The wine, however, still remains unreleased.
  • There were big uncertainties whether it was even possible to make the vintage 2006 due to the conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel. However, a ceasefire was announced shortly before the harvest and the grapes could be recovered from the vineyards. Although other 2006 wines have been released, the Musar Red 2006 still remains unreleased at the time of writing for more or less undisclosed reasons.

Well, I guess that includes what one should really know about Musar. Now, let's move on to the tasting notes. During 2016, I attended three different Musar verticals and enjoyed Musars both red and white in numerous other occasions. Some of these wines are enjoyed while contrasting them to other vintages, others are enjoyed purely on their own. Whatever the occasion, I always tried my best not to just evaluate the wine, but also to reflect back to the vintages, seeing how the wine performed against the other vintages.

Château Musar Blanc
  • Château Musar
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Region: Beqaa
  • Grape(s): Obaideh (Chardonnay), Merwah (Sémillon)





Background: The top white wine of Château Musar and the favorite wine of late Serge Hochar. Made from the Merwah and Obaideh grapes (old Lebanes clones of Sémillon and Chardonnay) sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) above sea level. Due to the high altitude, the wines are remarkably fresh and relatively low in alcohol (normally 12–12,5%) – up in the mountains the climate is remarkably cool, comparable to eg. Bordeaux, France, even though Lebanon is otherwise a rather hot Mediterranean country. Normally the base blend for the white is approximately 2/3 of Obaideh and 1/3 of Merwah, but the proportions might vary according to the vintage. The wine is fermented on indigenous yeasts in French 225-liter barriques and left to age for 9 months before bottling. 

***

Château Musar Blanc 2007
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

An uneven vintage with a sudden spring frost disturbing the growth cycle and a heat wave in August hastening the ripening process before the harvest.

The wine shows pale yellow color – frankly rather youthful for a white Musar. The creamy nose is a bit reticent with aromas of beeswax, green and yellow apples, some coconut oil, a little vanilla and a hint of crushed nuts. On the palate the wine is quite full-bodied and somewhat oily with succulent flavors of ripe citrus and lemon curd, creaminess, some coconut, a little stony minerality, a hint of vanilla and a touch of smoke. Overall the wine shows good freshness and structure with moderately high acidity. The finish is pretty long and somewhat bitter with an aftertaste of ripe apple, creamy complexity, stony minerality, a little coconut and a hint of vanilla.

Tthis is a delightful and balanced white, but also painfully primary for a white Musar, lacking the depth and complexity of the older vintages. Although it is drinking wonderfully now, the wine lacks all the things an older Musar can offer. Definitely not in need to be opened anytime soon.

89/100
Summary: Overall this is a very recommended Musar, but only to be cellared extensively; probably this is never going to be a top vintage of Musar White, but it has all the necessary pieces to turn into something beautiful with age. The score reflects its current status; probably the wine will gain a handful of points more once it reaches maturity. No need to open these at least in the next 5-10 years. Remarkably better than the red 2007.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2006
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

A very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions, but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest and Merwah was particularly late-ripening this year, harvested after mid-October.

Medium deep honeyed yellow color. The wine has a bit reticent and somewhat waxy nose with aromas of cloudberry, dried peach, overripe yellow apple, some leather and a hint of beeswax; the nose seems to evolve constantly, no sniff being the same. On the palate the wine is dry and moderately full-bodied with high acidity. There are rich and supple yet slightly angular flavors of citrus fruits, waxy lanolin, beeswax, umami, some cream, a little aromatic herbs and a hint of stony minerality. The finish is dry, crisp and refreshing with quite prominent bitterness and a long aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, green apple, some creaminess and a hint of spicy wildhoney.

This is a crisp, bright and refreshing Musar Blanc that is still way too primary. For any other wine, the above description of aromas and flavors might suggest some maturity, but this wine is still so simple and one-dimensional for a Musar; it shows very youthful, crisp, fruit-forward characteristics without any of the depth and concentration an aged Musar develops. However, it sports lovely structure and freshness, speaking volumes about its cellaring potential.

91/100
Summary: I imagine this one will never be one of those stupendous Musar super whites, even with extended cellaring, but instead one of those more delicate and elegant Burgundian Musar whites. Although it is too young to be truly enjoyed now, the wine shows some truly beautiful character already and will without a doubt develop really nicely in a cellar. A bargain at only ~30€.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2005
  • Tasted on: 23rd of October, 2015

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 and with wines showing lower than average alcohol and higher acidity.

Medium deep, developed golden yellow color. Elegant nose that is dry and savory, yet not something unlike a sweet dessert wine, being slightly oxidized in a lovely way and complemented with aromas of freshly pressed apple juice, honeydew melon, apricot, vanillin, some nuts , a little bit of Corn Flakes-y aromatics and a delicate hints of orange blossom. The dry, complex and developed taste has transcended the youthful fruit phase into the tertiary caleidoscope of beeswax, dried herbs, some oxidized nuts, a little vanilla and a hint of bergamot; a streak of Amontillado-like salinity lingers underneath the palate. The mouthfeel is full and waxy yet remarkably fresh, lively and acidic at the same time. The structure is truly wonderful. Juicy, nuanced and complex finish with flavors of nuts, honey, vanilla, salty minerality and a hint of green apples.

Overall this is an incredible white combining the lush Musar White complexity with incredible freshness and structure. It is incredible already now, but it also shows lots of potential for further development, being a testament to how 2005 is a wonderful vintage not only for the red Musar, but for the white as well.

96/100
Summary: This is very far removed from those simple, fresh and fruity modern whites, making this wine even more unique – although it would be wonderful in its own right, no matter what kind of wines it would be compared against. I find it hard to imagine a better wine, unless it is a wine like this, only with even more age and complexity. That means I can hardly wait for this wine to reach its maturity. This is hands down one of the best Musar White vintages I've tasted and definitely one of the best whites you can buy for 30,90€.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2004
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

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. This resulted in wines with remarkably high acidity and low alcohol levels.

Deep golden yellow with a lighter, lemony hue. Very developed nose with aromas of wet dog, nuttiness and some smoke. Very developed, intense and even concentrated flavors of beeswax, bitter spiciness, some smoke, a little nuttiness and a hint of saline minerality. Overall the wine seems lively and surprisingly opulent regarding its low alcohol, with moderately high acidity. The midpalate segues into long and spicy finish with developed flavors of wax, ground roasted nuts, some old wood and a hint of vanilla.

88/100
Summary: This vintage is an elegant white Musar that is showing much more mature character than a white Musar should at this age, making me question the wine's provenance. It is lovely on its own with interesting complexity, but suffers greatly in a vertical of white Musars from 2007 to 1998, with many older vintages showing a lot more youth. It might be that this is a faster-developing vintage, but it also might be that this is probably not the most representative bottle of this vintage, which is why you might want to take my score with a grain of salt.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2003
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

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 remaining grapes substantially. However, July and August were cooler than normal, delaying the ripening process. The harvest was carried out by normal schedule. The wine blend has a bigger proportion of Merwah than normal.

The color is rather deep, developed golden yellow. The wine shows an attractive, waxy bouquet with complex, savory and developed aromas of beeswax, almond, dusty furniture, wizened apricots, cream, some nutty oxidation, a little orange blossom and a hint of sweet white peach. On the palate it is full-bodied and oily with pure, intense flavors of fresh apple, ripe citrus fruit, stony minerality, some cream, a little orange peel and a touch of honey without any honeyed sweetness. The palate is a lot less developed than the nose, lacking the nutty characteristics almost completely, and although it feels quite voluminous, the palate still comes across as surprisingly light with remarkable freshness and good, bright acidity. The wine finishes with a very long, complex and intriguing aftertaste with persistent, layered flavors of peach, dried pineapple, cream, some wizened peach, a little almond, a hint of orange peel and a touch of something wild and a bit funky.

97/100
Summary: A truly remarkable vintage of white Musar and hands down one of the best white wines I've ever had; in its current state, this one surpasses even the truly wonderful Musar Blanc 2005 – although only time will tell which one will ultimately be better with extended cellar age. This is drinking wonderfully right now, but the palate has still a lot of youth, vigor and freshness left in it, so there is no need to hurry – this wine is all about cellaring potential. Profound stuff, extremely recommended.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2002

A hailstorm annihilated all the Merwah crops, so Musar Blanc 2002 was never released.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2001
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

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 normal for July and August. The harvest was carried by normal schedule in October with the harvested fruit being lower in acidity than normal.

The wine has a dark honeyed yellow color with pale copper hue. Upon opening the nose is surprisingly pungent and smoky with rather dominant aromas of burnt wood and mocha. However, these aromas blow off as the wine aereates, revealing an utterly complex, developed bouquet of pineapple, waxy lanolin, orange peel, autumnal leafy aromas, some vanilla, developed floral nuances and faint oxidized hints of hazelnuts. In the mouth the wine is rich, concentrated and opulent with full body; even though the wine comes across as quite big, it doesn't feel heavy nor flabby. There are intense and very complex flavors of beeswax, dried peach, stony minerality, creaminess, some aromatic herbal notes and a hint of developed nuttiness. There's medium acidity that gives some freshness to the wine when cool, but fades into the background as the wine gets warmer. The wine ends with a very complex and persistent, developed finish with concentrated, honeyed notes, dried yellow stone fruits, creaminess, stony minerality, some vanilla, a little almond or hazelnut and a touch of saline tang.

2001 is truly an extraordinary vintage of white Musar that transcends the state of being just white wine and becomes something more profound; an ideal of what a wine can be. It shows remarkable depth, complexity, power and concentration with impeccable balance. It also requires moderately long aeration of several hours and needs to be served cool enough just to push the modest acidity up a little.

98/100
Summary: A true masterpiece with otherworldly QPR at 35 to 40€. Despite its lower-than-normal acidity, this is not only one of the greatest white Musars I've had, but also one of the most profound white wines I've ever drunk.

***

Château Musar Blanc 2000
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

Deep golden yellow color. Heavy, musty aromas of TCA. Shucks.

Flawed

***

Château Musar Blanc 1999
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

A great vintage that had mild weather throughout the growing season, keeping the growth in check, until weather warmed slowly but steadily towards the harvest, resulting in remarkable power and concentration.

Golden yellow with a copper hue with a slightest bit of residue. Dry, spicy and developed nose with peculiar aromas of bruised cider apples, funky cheese rind, some mature honeyed character, a little nuttiness and a hint of smoke. On the palate the wine is dry, full-bodied and rich and it seems a lot younger than the mature and slightly smoky nose suggested. Intense, concentrated and ripe flavors of lemony citrus fruits, beeswax, cream, sweet cantaloupe, saline Fino Sherry tang, some browned apple core, a little stony minerality, a hint of almond, a hint of saffron and faint nuances of bretty leather. Rich, ripe and a bit heavy finish with complex, persistent flavors of ripe citrus fruit, candied ginger, stony minerality, some old wood spice, a little leather and a touch of wildhoney. There is also a faint sense of tannic grip and also a suggestion of coarse sensation in the throat, hinting perhaps for a faint touch of mousiness.

A wonderful, complex and delightful Musar with lots of aged Musar depth and complexity. However, the wine does not reach the profound levels of 2001 and 2003, as it feels a bit too heavy and ponderous at times.

92/100
Summary: Although the wine is starting to show some aged characteristics, there is still a lot of life to the wine with cellaring potential of several more years, maybe a decade. However, I suspect that this wine will not age as gracefully as some of the other great vintages. It might be that this wine was not in pristine condition, but in the case it was, apparently in 1999 the red version fared a bit better.

***

Château Musar Blanc 1998
  • Tasted on: 28th of May, 2016

A cooler-than-normal vintage resulting in lighter and more delicate wines with less oomph and more precision.

Mature deep golden color with a copper hue. Mature, but quite reticent and a bit muted nose with developed floral aromatics, sweet apple puree, some almond paste, a little dried yellow stone fruits and a hint of leather. Full-bodied and velvety smooth, even a bit oily mouthfeel with developed, complex and quite concentrated flavors that show pretty much ripeness. Rich, succulent notes of apple marmalade, ripe yellow plums, wizened peach, some vanilla, a little mature honeyed character and a hint of saline acetaldehyde tang. Moderate acidity that is in good balance with the body. Ripe, fruity and moderately long finish with flavors of pineapple, apple jam, wizened apricot, some dried peach, a little leathery brett character and a faint hint of saline tang.

This is a wonderful, balanced old white Musar with lots of elegance, showing a bit more ripeness than white Musars normally do with more emphasis on the sweet fruit than the depth and complexity that emerge with bottle age – or then it's just the concentrated richness that emerges with bottle age. Whatever the case, we have here really tasty and attractive stuff, albeit not as impressive as the best ones can be. 

91/100
Summary: This is a surprisingly youthful and supple effort with many years – possibly even decades – ahead and with good room for development. Although not as impressive as the best vintages, I wouldn't be surprised if this wine showed beautifully after another decade.

***

Château Musar Blanc 1995
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

A really high-quality vintage with great concentration of high-quality fruit, although the quantity of fruit was relatively low due to hailstorms that brought the amount of harvested fruit down by 30%.

The wine's luminous pale bronze color is showing some signs of age. Somewhat developed and incredibly complex nose exhibiting aromas of dried orange, roasted nuts, volatile notes of nail polish remover and balsamico, some tawny-ish oxidation, a little savory wood character, a hint of overripe apricot and a whiff of brett. It is full-bodied and rich on the palate, yet with tight and paradoxically almost austere structure. Layered, complex and mature flavors of surprisingly pronounced bitterness, wet rock minerality, wizened peach, some dry honey, notes of orange pith, a little browned butter and a hint of vanilla. Although the wine feels rich and developed, the racy acidity is surprisingly high and gives the wine a lot of freshness and focus. The finish is extremely long and layered with pronounced bitterness and very persistent aftertaste of wildhoney, dried pineapple, some beeswax, a little tangy salinity and a hint of nutty oxidation.

Now this is a fascinating example of a 20 years old white Musar showing some signs of age, but only in the nose and in the flavors – not in the tightly wound, almost austere structure, that seems to have remarkably long life ahead. If the wine is this tight and nervous after all this cellaring, I doubt that the wine will ever resolve into something more relaxed, even with extended aging. However, the wine is drinking beautifully now and will most likely keep for a number of years, probably even over a decade.

93/100
Summary: A very attractive and enjoyable effort; one of the better vintages of white Musar. However, the wine is starting to get a bit expensive at 65–75€ or even more.

***

Château Musar Blanc 1992
  • Tasted on: 24th of February, 2016

A difficult, super-wet vintage when especially the red grapes fared poorly and no red Musar was released, as the grapes were declassified to be used in lower-tier bottlings. Almost all of the Merwah crop was lost, so this is supposedly a 100% Obaideh.

The wine appears deep golden yellow with a deep bronze hue. It has incredibly complex, concentrated nose with aromas of dried aromatic herbs, nut paste, dried pineapple, peach marmalade, some créme brûlèe, a little vanilla, a hint of smoke, nuances of Amaretto and a touch of carrot purée. You don't even want to proceed to tasting the wine, as the nose is simply so absorbing. The wine is full-bodied, textural and slightly oily on the palate with obvious concentration from the age. There are layered, intermingling flavors of yellow apple, creaminess, some wizened peach, a little vanilla, a hint of bitter almond extract and a touch of spicy wildhoney without any of that honeyed sweetness. That good, bright acidity gives the wine terrific focus and structure. The midpalate segues into long, lively and mineral finish with complex, layered flavors of dried apricot, honey, some cream, a little vanilla, a hint of ripe citrus and a touch of sweet woody caramel. The aftertaste lingers on the tongue for minutes, evolving constantly into something new and intriguing.

Although the 1992 was not a vintage for the red Musar, it's white counterpart is truly a perfect example of this unique style. At this point the wine shows incredible complexity, texture, structure and depth without any signs of going past its peak anytime soon.

99/100
Summary: Perhaps the greatest white Musar (or any white wine for that matter) I've had to this date. Truly a dumbfounding experience. Simply spectacular.

***

Château Musar Blanc 1991
  • Tasted on: 28th of January, 2016

I couldn't find any background information about how the conditions were like in this year, but supposedly 1991 is a very highly-rated vintage. According to some sources, 1991 was a vintage in which the winery experimented with new French oak barrels when making the white.

Luminous bronze color with deeper, developed, slightly reddish copper hues. Developed and incredibly complex, yet slightly restrained nose that shows some signs of age in lightly oxidized nuances. Aromas of tangerine peel, dried orange, smoke, some wood bark, a little lanolin waxiness, hints of honeyed beeswax, a touch of hazelnut oxidation and a whiff of caramel; lots of everything. Rich and powerful on the palate, showing some concentration that comes with age. Developed flavors showing enormous complexity; even robust notes of Asian spices, roasted nuts, moderate bitterness, beeswax, some smoke, a little wildhoney, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of candied orange peel. With some aeration the wine seems to settle down in the glass. Good acid brightness and focus. Complex, intense, almost taut and very persistent finish with layered, intermingling flavors of ripe citrus fruits, raw red apple, pronounced bitterness, stony minerality, lanolin waxiness, some dry wildhoney, a little peanut butter and a hint of roasted chestnuts.

This is truly a brilliant old Musar that shows lots of mature characteristics, yet with remarkable freshness and energy. Hard to say whether the wine has already reached its plateau of maturity, or if it is still going up, but nevertheless it is drinking beautifully right now.

95/100
Summary: Wonderful balance, structure and depth; this is what old Musar is all about. Will keep easily for years, probably even decades. Not the greatest white Musar I've had, but very close. Truly spectacular. Priced according to its quality at 95€.

Our lineup from January 28th, 2016
Having tasted through these wines I've reached the conclusion so many Musarists have done before me: the white Musars really are some of the most distinctive white wines in the world, and with remarkable aging capability as well! Even though these wines are aged for a good number of years in Château Musar's cellars before release, they are still painfully young when they hit the market. Even though the best vintages can offer some immediate enjoyment upon release, tasting through these older vintages has shown me that the sweet spot of these wines does arrives not until some 15 years after the vintage, when the wines have passed the fruit-forward phase of youth and start to exhibit the waxy, concentrated complexity of an aged white Musar. It is no wonder Serge Hochar called the white Musars his "real red wines", and an oft-seen comparison of aged white Musar to a "dry Sauternes" actually does justice to this wine. After all, these wines do acquire remarkable richness, complexity and even hints of honeyed sweetness with long cellaring, making them feel very much like a good, old Sauternes – only without any of their residual sugar sweetness.

So, if you have never experienced a white Musar, I strongly advise you to get a few bottles in your hands! One does not suffice: you need to get one just to have a general idea of the wine, but let the rest of the bottles age long enough in the cellar! And if you have tasted only young white Musars, don't think you know much – although the best whites can be really lovely when young, the whole idea of these wines is to enjoy them when they start to show their true colors with enough bottle age.

But instead if you have tasted older white Musars and didn't like them – I honestly don't know what's wrong with you.