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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.2 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 479 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Murphy6000 on 4/28/2024 & rated 95 points: Incredible, still fruity, but more complex. Leather, herbs, red fruits. Exceptional. (295 views) | | | Tasted by hajoha on 4/10/2024 & rated 92 points: Juicy og aromatisk med en herlig fruktsødme.
En skikkelig krydder-smoothie.
Begynner å nå en viss modning nå, men tar flere år i kjelleren på strak arm. (940 views) | | | Tasted by Henman on 3/7/2024 & rated 96 points: The cork was just a little stained at the bottom, a bit fragile as a piece fell into the bottle upon popping. Decanted for one hour. Vibrant nose of funk and barnyard with some red fruit. Medium bodied, smooth and supple, delivering surprisingly vibrant tart red fruit/berries with great barnyard/brett and funky notes carried by excellent acidity and smooth tannins. Felt overall still quite youthful but seems to be in a great spot now. A stunning wine. (1445 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 2/29/2024 flawed bottle: Small dinner with large pours (Ariana II): A bit of, what? As soon as a fellow diner points it out...TCA. Corked corked corked corked corked. Most vexing. Not least as it was my wine and I'd left my planned backup bottle on the kitchen table when leaving the house. Grrr. (1598 views) | | | Tasted by Vinumming & Ahhing on 2/28/2024 flawed bottle: BWC Pot Pourri at Ariana II (Ariana 2, Kilburn, London): Sadly low level but persistent TCA. Underneath lurks a nice wine. (1551 views) | | | Tasted by Julian Marshall on 2/3/2024 flawed bottle: Sadly and annoyingly, this was cooked. Had a really unpleasant smell and an orange-hued rim to the colour. Bottle variation, no doubt, the perennial risk with Musar. (2027 views) | | | Tasted by JasonWino on 12/26/2023 & rated 95 points: Wow! I’m blown away by this historic vineyard. I was told that age does this beauty justice and they were not wrong. This wine is singing tonight! Smooth, dark and blue fruit. You can smell the nose from a mile away. If you’ve got a bottle drink up, it’s in the perfect window. (2158 views) | | | Tasted by Rupert on 12/22/2023 flawed bottle: From a half. Oxidised. In a faulty way, not a Musar way. (2019 views) | | | Tasted by WojteG on 12/3/2023 & rated 100 points: I had this wine last March. Let's see if my impression is any different. I will write my notes on paper and compare them with March review.
3 hours in the decanter
🕙⏰🕐
Very strong, sweet aromas of black cherry, plum, raisins, figs, black tea, but also sweet spices, forest and balsamic vinegar ( interesting). There is much more, but I have a problem to name them. Definitely everything is on the sweet side. Anyway - incredible, powerful, complex smell.
Taste? Sh¢π×t! It's very complex! I don't know how to start.
Taste has a sweet profile also, but with one exemption: balsamic, red currant and strawberry notes in long finish are mixed with black pepper, vivid acidity and grainy tannins. And this is a great counterbalance to black cherry, plum, raisins, figs. Black tea is everywhere. When you read it you would think - there is chaos everywhere, but it's not.
Nice structure, nice balance, nice harmony.
Let's compare this review with the March review.
Sweet aromas of black cherry and black tea, but I didn't detect all other aromas like barnyard, earth, menthol or eucalyptus.
Hmmm...🤔
Taste? Here and there: blackberry, tea and black pepper. No cinnamon or chilly ( were they mistaken for balsamic vinegar? Or reverse?)
W&S Mag - 93
RP - 93 (2149 views) | | | Tasted by dlduchon on 10/24/2023 & rated 93 points: This bottle did not have the freshness and structure of the prior bottles I have had. (2639 views) | | | Tasted by johnrm on 10/17/2023 & rated 94 points: Tasted with a bottle of the 1998. This showed a deeper, richer colour. Very good nose. Lovely fruit and good balance as soon as it was opened. Smooth and rich.
After a couple of hours, the nose really began to show and the palate had developed superb deep, sweet cherry and strawberry fruit with hints of gingerbread spice for me. Complex, soft and enticing on its own and exceptional with Beef Bourguignon. Superb wine with a long life ahead. This was the first bottle tasted from half a dozen and I will be fascinated to see how it develops with time. (2469 views) | | | Tasted by OneForTheStairs on 8/23/2023: Very good. Opened for 6h, one hour decant. Just excellent. Long. At peak. (2601 views) | | | Tasted by MaJeKu on 7/22/2023 & rated 91 points: In der Nase viel reife Kirsche, Minze, Basilikum. Dazu sautierte Pilze, etwas Waldboden. Mit Luft auch dunklere Beeren, Zimt und weitere Gewürze, phenolische Frische.
Am Gaumen einerseits recht weit und oxidativ, mit sehr viel und frischen Säuredruck. Auch hier recht würzig, generös, fast üppig. Angedeutete dunkle Mineralik, sehr feines und deutlich abgeschmolzenes Tannin.
Sehr guter Abgang mit viel Frische und dunkler Würze. (2655 views) | | | Tasted by Andrew of Berko on 5/20/2023 & rated 91 points: I would just add that if you like all that is "typical" of Ch Musar, I would aim to drink the 2005 fairly promptly after opening (at least if, as we did, you have done a double decant). (3305 views) | | | Tasted by kingkanu on 5/5/2023: This tasted like the real deal in a large vertical, probably a decade of slow development ahead of it (3055 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 5/4/2023 & rated 94 points: A great bottle at its peak. Still some sweet red fruit, but oh... the wonderful exotic woody notes, the gentle but insistent spices running through from the nose to the finish. This is a wine to sip slowly and contemplate - unique pleasure! (Can scarcely believe this was £18 a bottle, even though that was 10 years ago) (2941 views) | | | Tasted by mmh on 4/9/2023 & rated 92 points: Excellent as usual! Really complex and interesting, yet with an elegant balance, helped by the nice acidity and tannins. (2908 views) | | | Tasted by WojteG on 3/28/2023 & rated 98 points: This is my third Musar. 2000 and 2005 got 98pts. from me. Let's see if this one can get the same score.
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First snif, first sip and I knew I have a winner. Unmistakable, unique Musar! Basically I could copy and paste notes from my previous reviews. It's very consistent wine, that's why I could detect it blindly.
Smell - musty cellar, barnyard, earth, forest, toast, tobacco, smoke, all kinds of spice, vanilla and, wait a minute, sweet notes black cherry, tea. Wait a minute, because there's more: ... mesmerizing and hypnotic menthol and eucalyptus aromas.
Taste? I can use thousand of words and I still won't be able to convey the character of this juice. Unique and original. Yes, we have here red cherry, black berry, tea and all kinds of spice ( black pepper, cinnamon, chilly and more). We have perfect acidity and tannins, but this wine has its soul and I won't even try to describe it.
Just drink it if you have a chance. (2979 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 3/11/2023 & rated 96 points: Unlike in most European wine countries, the 2005 was an atypically cool and humid vintage in Lebanon, resulting in harvest delayed more than a week from normal schedule (the harvest of red varieties was finished on 18th of September) and with wines showing lower than average alcohol and higher acidity. 14% alcohol, 5,3 g/l acidity. Aerated in a decanter for four hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, luminous and somewhat translucent brick-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, somewhat evolved yet not tertiary with very attractive, layered aromas of wizened bing cherries and raisins, some dried figs, a little bit of sweet clove-driven fruit, light funky notes of leather, volatile hints of balsamico and nail polish, a floral touch of violets and a whiff of brambly blackberry. The wine feels silky, harmonious and somewhat developed on the palate with complex flavors of wizened dark fruits and fried figs, some ripe blackberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light balsamic nuances of VA along with faint nail polish overtones, a hint of clove and a touch of tart red berries. The overall feel is quite structured and very balanced with the high acidity and still pretty firm and grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a complex, somewhat sweetly-fruited aftertaste of wizened cherries and prunes, some leathery funk, a little bit of ripe blackberry, light raisiny tones, a volatile hint of balsamico and a touch of cloves.
Tasting 2005 Musar has always been both a real treat and an exercise in consistency: Musar is notorious for its bottle variation and how its wines can age on completely different trajectories, but 2005 has been a stunning vintage every time I've tasted it. It was stunning upon release and it has done nothing but improved with age. The wine is starting to show some evolved qualities, but there is still more than enough of fruit, structure and intensity for the wine to age and develop for years - maybe even decades - more. Tasting it in a vertical setting only accentuates all of this. Prior to getting to the 2005 vintage in a vertical I always wonder whether I've been correct with my previous assessments, but once I reach the 2005 it always becomes obvious: this vintage really does put almost all the other vintages from the 00's in its shadow. I'm not sure if this is The Best Vintage on this side of the millennium, but at least it is definitely up there in the top 3. At 35,90€ this has been a real bargain. (2653 views) | | | Tasted by S. Connery on 3/5/2023 & rated 91 points: Aroma av skogsbunn, syre og frukt. Sammensatt søt/syrlig, tydelig frukt, lang syrlig ettersmak. (2735 views) | | | Tasted by dera on 2/7/2023 & rated 93 points: Brick-ish to blood red and some browning. Developed nose of raisins, umami, soy sauce, little bit of barnyard, cranberries, tart cherries, mulch/wet ground, some balsamic VA. Palate is developed but with nice acidity, tart red fruits, iron, meat, touch of oxidation, lots of things going on with this one. Finishes long with many layers of various tart red fruits and really nice grippy tannins.
The bottle had signs of very slight seepage through the cork, so I think this bottle was slightly more developed than average. It is still very enjoyable but might lack some freshness that is taken away by the umami and soy sauce notes. (2967 views) | | | Tasted by Smahlatz on 12/27/2022 & rated 94 points: 4 years since my last one. Typical Musar nose, but it's all about the balance. Enough leather, sweaty interesting bus, that volatilic sweetness. For me, a little more heft than the 2001, but not venturing into more pruney aspects of 2003. I possibly even prefer this to the 2001. Gorgeous (2864 views) | | | Tasted by gwilliams68 on 12/26/2022 & rated 92 points: Have drunk a lot of Musar over the years but this bottle was right up there with the best of them. Beautifully harmonious fruit, touch of wood polish and long finish. (2482 views) | | | Tasted by lozatron on 12/21/2022: Feel like my last note was spot on for this. Just enough animale to be interesting, that lovely Musar core of quasi-sweetness, some spice in there, great length. This is in a great place just now. (2751 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 12/16/2022 & rated 91 points: Aromas of dark red berries, raisins, herbs, leather, liquorice and something etherical. Elegant, soft and classy for a Musar. Plenty of fruit left. (2338 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/14/2016)
(Chateau Musar) Bricking dark red violet color; aromatic, berry, blackberry, mulberry, dried berry, clove nose; delicious, maturing, dried berry, black cherry, tart berry, mulberry, black raspberry, licorice palate with near medium acidity; medium-plus finish 94 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Chateau Musar Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Housed in an 18th century castle in Ghazir, about 25 km north of Beirut, Chateau Musar was founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, inspired by Lebanon’s 6,000-year winemaking tradition and his friendship with Ronald Barton of Chateau Leoville-Barton in Saint Julien. The estate’s name in Arabic is ‘M’zar,’ meaning “place of extraordinary beauty/shrine to be visited,” an ideal name for this fascinating estate.
The vines for the estate’s unique wines are located in the famed Bekaa Valley, an area celebrated for its viticulture since Biblical times. At the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, Lebanon’s favorable geographical and climatic conditions have always held abundant promise for the cultivation of grapes. The Bekaa Valley is positioned particularly well, nestled between the ‘Lebanon’ and ‘Anti-Lebanon’ mountain ranges at 34° N of the equator.
The vineyards of Musar are planted at altitudes ranging from 1,000 – 1,500 meters (3,280 – 4,921 ft) above sea level. The vines benefit from cool nights and seasonal temperatures (snow in winter and hot summers), resulting in long ripening periods. The vineyard soils are predominantly calcareous/limestone with gravel and stone, resulting in wines of distinctive character and blends of appealing complexity.
The vineyards’ remote location coupled with the Hochar family’s respect for the environment has resulted in ‘organic’ vineyards by default since the 1950s, even long before the term was coined. The estate obtained organic certification for its vineyards in 2005, the first producer in Lebanon to do so. All the grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins in the cool of the morning in order to preserve freshness, the harvest usually taking place between August and October.
The Chateau Musar winery is located in Ghazir about two and a half hour’s drive from the Bekaa Valley. The cellars are dug into the mountainside providing perfect condition for long term wine storage. The wines of Chateau Musar are produced with a ‘non-interventionist’ wine making philosophy; fermentation starts naturally with ambient yeasts, the bare minimum of sulfur is used and the Chateau Musar wines are neither fined nor filtered. Individual varieties from different vineyards are kept separately up to two years, and constantly tasted to understand their unique personalities and characteristics. The final blending process is an intrinsic part of the winemaking art at Chateau Musar — winemaking by instinct.
The estate produces three lines: the flagship range includes Chateau Musar Red, Chateau Musar White and Chateau Musar Rosé; Hochar Père et Fils Red – a more accessible red, produced from a single vineyard site in the Bekaa Valley and ready to drink upon release at year five (as opposed to Chateau Musar Red which the family recommends to drink starting from year 15); and Musar Jeune — unoaked vibrant wines intended for immediate drinking. The Chateau Musar Red and White wines undergo lengthy bottle ageing in the estate cellars and are released only after seven years.
Chateau Musar first achieved international recognition during the Bristol Wine Fair in England in 1979, where the wine press and prominent critics including Michael Broadbent declared it “the discovery of the fair”. In 1984, Decanter wine magazine named Serge Hochar their first ever “Man of the Year” for his extraordinary achievements, determination and dedication to producing outstanding wines during the difficult years of the Lebanese civil war.
Today, Chateau Musar wines are known worldwide for their finesse, elegance and extraordinary ability to age, and the estate still offers mesmerizing wines dating back to the 1950’s.
Speaking about the wines of Chateau Musar, Serge Hochar said “the harmony of nature is better than anything we could ever create. I believe it should be a priority to seek to drink what is ‘true’ rather than what is ‘good’ “. When speaking about quality in wine he added “I once produced a wine that was technically perfect but it lacked the charms of imperfection”.
With its captivating history and the incredible passion and dedication of the Hochar family, Chateau Musar has achieved a sort of cult-like status and is one of the most written-about and discussed wines in the world today.Chateau MusarA guide to the style
In youth, Chateau Musar Reds are dense and richly-textured, with intense ‘baked fruit’ characters: plums, damsons, cranberries, cherries, figs and dates. Bordeaux grape Cabernet Sauvignon lends black fruit flavours; Rhône grapes Cinsault and Carignan contribute fragrance (violets; pepper) and supple spiciness. Either set of qualities might dominate a particular vintage, but the style is always emphatically Lebanese: enticingly aromatic, with persistent fruit flavours. Over decades the wines acquire tawny hues and mellow notes. We still offer wines from the 1950s: mesmerising artefacts of vintage.
Grapes and vines
Seven years in the making, Chateau Musar Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault from vineyards near the Bekaa Valley villages of Ammiq, Aana and Kefraya on gravelly soils over limestone. Planted from the 1930s onwards, yields are low from these mature bushvines (average age: 40 years): 35hl per hectare.
Winemaking
The varietal components in Chateau Musar Red undergo lengthy fermentations in cement-lined vats at temperatures below 30°C. Racked from their yeast ‘lees’ 6 months after the harvest they are transferred into French barrels (oak from the forest of Nevers, one-third new each vintage) for one year.
Blending
The varietal components are brought together two years after the harvest; the resulting blend is then placed back in cement-lined tanks before being bottled 12 months later. Each wine is blended to reflect the strengths of the vintage: in hotter years, Cabernet Sauvignon might dominate (the thick-skinned grapes fare better in the heat); cooler conditions can favour the Cinsault grape. After 4 years’ bottle maturation in the deep stone cellars of Chateau Musar, the finished wines are released a full seven years after the harvest.
Decanting and serving
Bottled unfined and unfiltered, Chateau Musar Reds are suitable for vegans (fining agents often contain animal proteins); they’re also richly-textured and likely to ‘throw a crust’. This is a common feature of most fine wines and is especially true of Musar Red vintages over a decade old. Ideally, bottles should be stood up the night before opening to settle any sediment. After careful decanting (and discarding of sediment, usually in the last centimetre of the bottle) the wine should be allowed to breathe for several hours and served at 18°C with roasts, grills (especially lamb), casseroles, game, and mature cheeses.
Storage
To keep the wines showing at their best, bottles must be cellared in darkness, lying on their sides and not subjected to unnecessary movement or fluctuations in temperature.Red Blend. |
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