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)

source: alko

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.

Vertical of the month: Pian del Ciampolo 2012–2002

Montevertine, located in Radda in Chianti, the heartland of the famed Chianti Classico region, is hailed as one of the greatest producers of classically styled Chianti Classico.

Or they would be, if they happened to produce any.

Let's start off with the mandatory introduction to the winery, so everyone knows what's the stuff we're talking about today. Montevertine started off as a hobby of Sergio Manetti, a steel product manufacturer. In 1967 he bought a dilapitated house in Chianti – that was to become the Montevertine winery – as his holiday house, restored it and planted two hectares (5 acres) of vines to the newly acquired lands, just to produce some wine for his family and friends. In 1971 Manetti produced his first vintage and after some encouraging feedback he also presented his wines in Vinitaly fair in Verona. The wines were so welcomed there that only after few years Manetti decided to leave his day job and concentrate fully on creating high quality wine in Montevertine, planting and acquiring new vineyards and installing winemaking facilities more appropriate for a real winery. Since the first vintage of 1971, Montevertine has produced wine in every single vintage – not counting the remarkably poor and rainy vintage 1984, when no Montevertine wines were produced from the estate's fruit.

Montevertine was originally a Chianti producer, but in 1981 the winery's top wine Le Pergole Torte, a 100% varietal Sangiovese, was denied rights for the Chianti Classico appellation, as the appellation laws back then (and until 1996) stipulated that the CC wines should be blends of white and red grapes instead of varietal wines, and thus the wine was deemed unsuitable for bottling. As a countermeasure, Manetti decided to bottle all his wines as basic table wine bottlings from that on, be they eligible for the appellation or not. Even though all of the winery's labels could now be eligible for DOCG Chianti Classico, Montevertine steadfastly still labels all of their wines under the lower-tier IGT Toscana appellation.

Montevertine's core range consists of only three wines: two top-tier reds and one entry-level red. The aforementioned Le Pergole Torte is not only a more modern take on the Tuscan reds (being a 100% Sangiovese from selected fruit that is aged for a years in large Slavonian oak casks and another year in small Allier oak barriques), but also the wine better known as the world's first single-vineyard Chianti Classico –albeit never having been labeled as such – from the original 2 ha vineyard planted by Manetti. The wine known only as Montevertine is the standard bearer of the winery, made from the classic Chianti grapes of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino, and aged for 2 years in the traditional Slavonian oak casks. The entry-level wine Pian del Ciampolo is the little sibling of Montevertine, made from the Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino wines that were not used for the higher-quality Montevertine and aged for only 12 months in large Slavonian oak casks. Despite bearing the IGT Toscana appellation, both Montevertine and Pian del Ciampolo are through-and-through Chianti Classico wines at their heart.

In addition to these three wines, there are also a handful wines that are produced only in best vintages, otherwise sporadically or have just went out of production. These include the Vin Santo that goes by the name Ambradolce; the white wines Bianco di Montevertine and M; and the single-vineyard wines Il Sodaccio and Il Cannaio – of which the latter one is a special wine made for the three Michelin star-restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence.

As the wines have since 1981 boasted only Vino da Tavola and – from 1992 onwards – IGT Toscana in their labels, many people think that Montevertine is a Super-Tuscan producer. Yet nothing could be further from the truth: the winery has never planted anything but the local, traditional varieties in their vineyards and their winemaking reflects the traditions of the regions. Thus, the wines are not mouthfillingly voluptuous and powerful blockbusters as one might associate with the IGT Toscana wines, but instead very sophisticated, harmonious and classically styled Chianti Classico reds with much emphasis on the balance between the fruit and the structure.

Of the core range, Montevertine and Le Pergole Torte wines are usually considered to be good choices if one wants to have excellent, ageworthy Chianti wines in the cellar, whereas the Pian del Ciampolo wines are considered to be great alternatives if one is thinking of getting into the Montevertine style with more younger-drinking wines. Normally this entry-level wine is considered to be a nice, more pedestrian example of both Chianti Classico and Montevertine, suitable mainly for early consumption and less for cellaring. However, I recently attended a Montevertine tasting that aimed to show that even this least ambitious wine of the range is not just a simple, easy-drinking red meant for early consumption, but also a serious Chianti Classico on its own, capable of withstanding a decade of cellaring.

These are my tasting notes on the Pian del Ciampolo wines we tasted through that evening.

Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo

IGT Toscana

• Montevertine
• Country: Italy
• Region: Toscana, Chianti Classico, Radda in Chianti
• Grape(s): Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo, Colorino

source: montevertine

The entry-level red of Montevertine, made from a Sangiovese-driven blend of local red varietals. The wine is first fermented and macerated with the grape skins for 25 days in cement vats. The wine also goes through the malolactic fermentation in the cement vats before it is transferred to large Slavonian oak casks, in which the wine ages for a minimum of 12 months. After the wine is bottled, it is aged for a further 3 months in bottles before it is released to the market. Since 2009 the wines have been made from organically grown grapes.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the pronunciation, it is PYAn del CHUM-polo (ending with two short o's, not pow-low).

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2012

• Size: 0,75
• Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 3/5 by Montevertine. This year there was no real winter nor were there any spring rains. The summer was very warm to even hot, especially towards the July-August, halting the ripening process in many vines. However, the rains arrived in late August, resuming the growth and ripening in the vines.

Youthful, dark yet moderately translucent ruby red appearance.

Somewhat restrained but fragrant and surprisingly sweet nose with fruit-forward primary aromas of red cherry, rose petals, some boysenberry aromatics and a hint of raspberry marmalade.

On the palate the wine feels quite youthful and easygoing, albeit drier than what the nose suggests with juicy flavors of ripe cherry, dark-toned forest fruits and some sour cherry crunchiness. Overall the wine feels moderately acid-driven, bright and quite structured with medium-to-moderate tannins.

The wine finishes with flavors of sour cherry bitterness and sweeter flavors of ripe dark berries. The aftertaste is medium-long, juicy and quite straightforward with some tannic grip.

Overall this young vintage of Pian del Ciampolo seems rather simple and easygoing basic-level Chianti Classico with more emphasis in sweet but rather one-dimensional fruit than complexity.

87/100

Summary: Although the wine seems structured enough, I fail to see much aging potential here and most likely the wine is best for earlier consumption – although if this wine is representative of the house's young style, the older Pian del Ciampolo vintages have proven me quite wrong with this prediction.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2011

• Size: 0,75
• Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 4/5 by Montevertine. Overall not considered a great vintage, starting with a warm spring, followed by extended spring rains well into the summer. The rains were followed by a record-breaking heat wave in August that not just ripened the grapes, but also shut down some vines and raisined some grapes in the vines. Due to the very irregular weather, careful selection of fruit yielded best results.

Quite translucent and luminous, but also pretty dark ruby red color.

Very dark-toned and somewhat earthy nose with aromas of juicy and quite sweet dark cherries, some plummy fruit, hints of dried prunes and an underlying nuance of leather.

Rich, supple and full-bodied on the palate with lots of ripe, well-delineated fruit on the fore: dark cherries, plummy dark fruit, some sour cherry bitterness and hints of peppery spice. The warm vintage is quite evident in the sweet edge of the fruit. The structure feels in balance with the fruit, the wine having moderate acidity and moderate, firm but not that grippy tannins.

The finish is long, juicy and quite opulent with somewhat less sweet and more savory flavors of peppery spice, dark cherries, some tart sour cherry character, a hint of earth and a little tannic astringency.

A classy and sophisticated Chianti Classico with more weight than in 2012 or 2010 and with much emphasis on the pure, slightly sweet and very ripe, dark-toned fruit. Although somewhat big and pretty ripe, the structure feels well-balanced with the rest of the wine.

88/100

Summary: This is an enjoyable and nice Chianti Classico from the sweeter and obviously more ripe end, drinking very nicely right now. Although the wine shows potential to short-to-medium-term cellaring, I wouldn't hold on to this vintage for too long.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2010

• Size: 0,75
• Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 5/5 by Montevertine and one that is also considered as one of the best (but also very difficult) in Tuscany in some while – especially so in Montalcino. The vintage started off pretty wet and remained rather cool until July, when the temperatures started to rise. The wet and cool start reduced yields and kept the ripening about 2 weeks behind the normal schedule. The grapes ripened very late, well into October, and many producers had to pick their grapes in may tiers in order not to harvest grapes that weren't ripe enough or not to let some go overripe. In many cases the resulting fruit quality was outstanding.

Quite translucent and luminous, but also pretty dark ruby red color.

The nose feels somewhat dark-toned and even a bit reticent with ripe red cherry fruit on the fore, supported by a blanket of earthy and dusty tones and hints of tart dark berries. However, there also lingers a slightly green undertone of bell pepper and celery behind the brighter fruit notes.

On the palate the wine feels a bit restrained as well, but with pure and bright flavors of plums, sour cherries, darker berries, some dusty earth notes and nice, subtle bitterness. The mouthfeel is full-bodied with moderate acidity and moderate, ever-so-slightly grippy tannins.

The medium-long finish follows the midpalate with slightly rough-edged flavors of roasted spices, brambly blackberries, ripe plums, some tannic grip and hints of sour cherry bitterness.

As I've had lots of tremendous Tuscan reds from 2010, I had high expectations for this wine. However, they were met only partially; the wine was pure and lovely with a bit more tightly-knit texture than in 2009 or 2011, but it fell a bit short on the depth and complexity department.

89/100

Summary: Overall this is a nice, bright and balanced Chianti Classico-style red with lovely purity of fruit and one that is obviously still on its way up, but most likely this is not going to be one of the great Pian del Ciampolos despite the great vintage.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2009

• Size: 0,75
• Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 5/5 by Montevertine. The year began with a normal spring, followed first by an exceptionally hot May and then a month of more or less nonstop rain. After the rains, the summer was warm and got pretty hot towards the end of the summer – culminating in a heat wave that arrived during the time when the temperatures normally start to decline. The summer nights were somewhat cool, preserving some of the acidity, but most of this year's wines bear the mark of the hot vintage in their sweet, somewhat jammy or cooked fruit.

Quite translucent and luminous, but also pretty dark ruby red color.

For a 2009, the nose is quite sophisticated and nuanced, albeit very fruity and juicy. The aromas are quite dark-toned and brooding with obviously sweet edge, betraying succulent aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, even some strawberries – and a hint of alcohol.

On the palate this wine feels a bit richer, fruitier and more plump than the surrounding vintages with its full body and pure but somewhat rich and obviously very ripe flavors of dark forest berries, earthy spices, some red cherries and even a hint of syrup. However, there is a hint of bitterness and sour cherry tartness to offset the sweetest edge. Due to its modest acidity and suave, mellow tannins, the mouthfeel is noticeably silky, but lacking that certain Tuscan brightness.

The wine finishes with a spicy, dark-fruited medium-long aftertaste that shows a bit more bitterness and sour cherry character than the midpalate, yet remains rather sweet and soft.

This vintage feels excessively mellow and easy for a Pian del Ciampolo, as if the hot vintage just had polished away all the rough edges and personality from the wine.

87/100

Summary: This is an enjoyable Chianti Classico-style red, albeit one a bit too ripe and sweet for my taste. The wine is drinking really nicely now, but although the wine might keep for a handful of years in a cellar easily, I fail to see much potential for development here. Most likely a vintage for earlier enjoyment.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2008

Size: 0,75

Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 4/5 by Montevertine. Overall a cooler vintage with high diurnal temperature variation, resulting in lighter, structured and more serious wines. In Chianti Classico the vintage was less successful than in other Tuscan regions, with only the very best vineyards producing fruit for the truly remarkable wines.

Remarkably dark, almost opaque black cherry color.

Somewhat restrained nose that shows that slightly darker-toned aroma profile of Montevertine, but lacking all that sweetness which was so evident in the vintages that followed. The nose is pure and fresh with aromas of red berries, sour cherries and crunchy – not that sweet – dark cherries with some earthy spice tones.

The wine is very dry, fresh and savory on the palate with moderately full body, balanced high acidity and rather pronounced, firm but not angular tannins. The fruit feels ripe, but intense instead of sweet, showing flavors of juicy dark berries, dark cherries, roasted Moroccan spices, some fresh red forest berries, a little smoke and a hint of aged, slightly raisined dark fruit.

The wine leaves a long, spicy and crunchy finish with some astringent, tannic grip and bright flavors of plummy dark fruit, tart cranberry, some Middle-Eastern spice and a hint of sour cherry.

This vintage shows exactly those characteristics I look for in a Chianti Classico: sour cherry, spice, intense structure of acidity and firm tannins, great finesse and no distracting sweetness.

91/100

Summary: This is a wine that still, at almost 8 years of age, shows good potential for further cellaring – yet also starting to drink very nicely as well. Seeing how this one feels much more serious, leaner and less sweet than the younger vintages, this is definitely a food wine. No hurry to open this one now, but if you do, let it breathe for a while. A terrific example how the best vintages of Pian del Ciampolo can be actually quite ageworthy and truly worth the buck.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2006

Size: 0,75

Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 4/5 by Montevertine. Generally hailed as one of the greatest vintages of the the millennium along with the superb 2004, resulting in very serious wines. The weather conditions were very variable, ranging from the heat waves of June and July to the cooler days of Autumn, and from the hot Indian summer to the rains that closed the harvest.

The wine's appearance is translucent, yet moderately dark cherry red with a limpid, almost colorless rim.

The rich and nuanced nose is starting to show some hints of maturity in its dark-toned aromas of dark cherries, slightly tart plums, boysenberry marmalade, light earthiness and floral hints of aged Sangiovese. Overall the fragrant nose feels really beautiful and attractive.

The wine has full body and lovely, textural mouthfeel on the palate. There are somewhat developed, but remarkably intense and focused flavors of dark cherries, dried dark berries, some roasted exotic spices and umami hints of soy sauce and game. The flavors are juicy and succulent, but more dry and savory than ripe and sweet. The structure is remarkably good with moderately high acidity and ample, but ripe tannins that feel round yet still firm.

The wine finishes with a really long and slightly aged aftertaste of earthy spices, slightly wizened red cherries, some dark berries, a little sour cherry bitterness and a hint of rocky minerality.

Now this is the stuff, really! Judging by this bottle, 2006 is by far the best vintage of Pian del Ciampolo I've had. Not only it is a textbook example of a high-quality Chianti Classico, it is also an entry-level red that is capable to putting many flagship reds to shame!

95/100

Summary: This is really a remarkable example of the Montevertine style – even at 10 years of age, this wine feels like it was opened 10–15 years too early. Definitely a beautiful Chianti Classico that is all about aging potential. Just wow.

***

Pian del Ciampolo 2002

Size: 0,75

Tasted on 4th of January, 2016

A vintage evaluated as 3/5 by Montevertine, which is surprisingly high considering how horrible this vintage was on average: it was cool and wet, resulting mainly in grapes that were either unripe or rotten – or both. Definitely not a vintage that made keepers.

Somewhat translucent and somewhat hazy cherry red appearance with a matured maroon hue.

The obviously developed nose is really complex and attractive with fascinating aromas of dried cherries, dark forest fruits, some leather, a little mushroomy earthiness and hints of smoke.

On the palate the wine feels medium-bodied and moderately high in acidity with very mellow and fully resolved tannins. The fruit seems to have dried out a little, resulting in a quite developed, but rather unassuming taste with flavors of wizened red cherry, some raisiny dark fruit, a little syrupy, a hint of figs and a touch of dried dates. The wine's structure is in balance with the fruit, so it hasn't become yet overtly austere nor has it fallen apart yet either.

The finish is rich, albeit somewhat unfocused and lacking cohesion. There are pretty light yet still rather sweet flavors of dried dark fruits, wizened red cherries, some caramel and a hint of dried dates with some sensation of soft, powdery tannins gripping the gums very lightly.

Unsurprisingly, as a wine from a vintage universally recognized as poor, this was on a decline already. The wine was still quite alive and thoroughly enjoyable, but obviously it had never been a remarkable wine and its peak years were already in the past.

83/100

Summary: Perhaps the wine would have had a few points more, if enjoyed some years ago. Now most of its charm was reduced to only a shadow of its former self and those syrupy-raisiny notes of old wine had started to take over. It's high time to drink up these.

The wines of our tasting, pt. 1

The wines of our tasting, pt. 2

Although only an entry-level wine, this vertical successfully challenged the widely regarded view that Pian del Ciampolo is a wine for early consumption. Of course not all of the vintages are meant for the long haul, and quite certainly even the better ones won't outlive any good Montevertine or Le Pergole Torte, but it's quite plain to see that even the less impressive vintages are not just early drinkers, but also capable of benefiting from cellar age, whereas the best vintages can easily develop for decades.

Above all, this vertical really showcased the lovely, sophisticated style of the Montevertine winery that obviously emphasizes clarity and purity over power and concentration. You don't need to spend bucketfuls of bucks in order to get stunning, classically styled Tuscan reds – all you have to do, is study which vintages were really good in Chianti Classico and look for Pian del Ciampolos from those years!

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)

source: wine-searcher

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.