3e et dernier 2006...voir notes précédentes. Encore tellement frais...et son fruit...merveilleux !! Je m'entendais à plus d'arômes tertiaires mais ce fruit délicieux domine et persiste... Équilibré, harmonieux, savoureux, long et rond...j'aurai pu lui laisser atteindre son 20 ans facilement !
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Third time Musar after the 1998 and 2000 vintages. This is something else totally. Brawny, full-bodied, almost like a Cal Cab. I liked it but am wondering how it's going to age.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour and a half. Delicious, perhaps on the brawny side of a Musar, but still sour cherries amongst the blackberries, tannins quite resolved, but no leather or VA. This bottle not quite what one would wait from a Musar, but very good in any case!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep brick red. Very strong caramel and toffee aroma with lots of vanilla and then spice. Really really good. Rich Christmas cake spices, warmth and soft tannins. Very drinkable, lovely. Will age further but great to drink now
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2006 was a very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions – which were remarkable by themselves, feeling like a never-ending spring with only 10 days of summer weather – but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Although it seemed that there wouldn't be any opportunity to do harvest the fruit at all, everybody still carried on normally despite the volatile conditions and fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest. However, unlike the vintages that normally feel ready to be released after 7 years of aging, this wine was still in shambles in 2013 when the wine was supposed to be released, 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. From a magnum; the wine was aerated in two decanters for four hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, dark and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an evolved plummy hue. The nose feels evolved, somewhat old and moderately tertiary with aromas of wizened dark berries and pruney dark fruit, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of old leathery, light earthy nuances, dried-fruit hints of raisins and dried figs and an autumnal touch of damp leaves. The wine feels evolved, silky and sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of ripe figs and pruney dark fruits, some strawberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried dates, a hint of balsamic VA and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is somewhat soft and mellow with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and somewhat resolved, slightly grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, ripe and sweet-toned with some tannic grip and a slightly tertiary aftertaste of dried dates and raisiny dark fruit, some strawberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light pruney nuances, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of balsamic VA.
I remember how this wine seemed a bit soft and surprisingly raisiny back when it was released. Back then I commented how the wine seemed a bit similar like those sunny, almost pruney Plavac Mali wines of Croatia and expressed hope in how the wine could pick up some depth and complexity with age, even if the vintage didn't seem that promising. Well, it seems my hopes are turning out to be unfounded: the wine is just more pruney and raisiny in character and the structure has softened up, only emphasizing those dried-fruit notes. I really don't see why people give this vintage raving reviews here in CT, because in my books this has always been a bit iffy vintage for a Musar and it doesn't seem to be aging that gracefully. Unless my view is skewed by a constant flux of less-than-optimally performing bottles, I must say this wine is a far cry from a great Musar. Not worth the price at 39,90€.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
50mm natural cork enclosure that was fragile enough (as noted by others) to require a Butler’s Thief (aka Ah-So) to open without major mishap. Medium garnet in colour (it is 17 years old) with a medium intensity nose yeilding dark fruit, leather, liqourice, spice, cedar, vanilla, stewed plums and raisens. Complexity box ticked. The body started out as medium (OK, this was weird for me too) but over time I swear it increased to a good Med(+) to Full. The palate was med(+) intensity, very smooth, lovely balance, high acidity, smooth high and fine tannins. The only niggle for me was the finish. Sure the length was there and fruit driven but it was a bit one-dimensional. Am I being unfair? Bottom line: A very nice bottle of wine and worth every one of £23 I paid for it back in 2017.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Upon opening, nose was close to corked and was really in doubt whether it was or nor. Decanted back to the bottle and left for an hour. Still not sure. Very tannic and very odd nose. Then after a couple of hours more, it opened up. It turned out really lovely and smooth. Conclusion is, leave for a bit longer. Once drinking, decant well in advance. NB: Cork was rather fragile.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Paired with Lebanese dinner and it was amazing. Smooth, sophisticated, and complex, but so approachable and enjoyable. This is in a great drinking window right now. Notes of cherry, leather, and spices. Beautiful wine.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
So good. I didn't make notes, but even the fact that I opened on a jiggly train, broke and then destroyed the cork, and drank it out of paper cups with my mother-in-law could not spoil the enjoyment. Deep leathery goodness! A warm cedary hug! Delicious.
One of the best Musars I've had. I had this last night with 2003 Beaucastel CdP and this was better, and I had it a few months ago alongside the 2015, 2001 and 1998 vintages of Musar, and this was the best of the bunch in my opinion. This wine has a great nose and an amazingly long finish. I think the wine is in a perfect spot now for drinking, but it clearly has years and years left in the tank if you want to hold.
Very classy wine indeed. Glorious dark fruit and a lovely texture on the palate. Enjoyed with rare roast rib eye, mashed root veggies and stir fried greens. Seemed a far better bottle than the prior one consumed. Yum!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sometimes these are sublime. And some come through a bit sweet. The nose on this was great (cherries, leather, tobacco, menthol). But it was too sweet, bit of the wet dog too. Some aged cat breath on the final straight…enough to make you flinch. Lacking a bit of length. Maybe it was stored badly…aged Musat can go either way.
Decanted and left to breath in between notes. Otherwise the wine itself is nice and clear. Some chunky sediment in the bottle.
First note just after opening at 6 pm: Hibiscus tea in colour grading to a faded blood orange and thin rim. The nose expresses sweet rose hips, dried strawberry, desert dust, light cherry cough syrup and some underlying earthy / animal / funky notes. Sweet and sour on the palate, very smooth and clean, medium bodied, delicate finish with juicy acidity. Dried and tart, fleshy red fruits, rose hip, hibiscus, soft leather and a bit of cedar at the end. Finishes long and tangy. Great with falafels and olives! 92 points
Second pour and note at 7:30 pm: The nose has now more cedar and dried herbs to the fore with the sweeter fruit notes taking the back seat. Also some dried floral (violet), spice and still those rose hips and hibiscus. A bit fuller on the palate with seemingly more red fruit extract. Still sweet and tart, ripe red fruit, some slight astringency from the tannins, mouthwatering acidity and a smooth, long, dried red fruit finish. Great cleansing acidity and no real tannins to be found. This was great with Mediterranean seasoned grilled lamb chops, but they made the wine seem drier than on its own. 93 points
Third pour and note at 9:30 pm: A bit more funkiness is now starting to emerge, but still not as much as other vintages. There is also a little bit of VA and iron showing on the nose now as well with only just a shadow of the fruit now in the background. The palate has not changed much from the last time. Still dried red fruits, rose hip and hibiscus, a bit of iron and leather, ans even some black olive, as well as that juicy acidity and a steely, dry finish. OK with stuffed grape leaves; better with black olive bread sticks. 92 points
Last pour and note at 11 pm: The VA is a bit more pronounced on the nose now. Smelling more like a Musar! Less funky notes; more spirited red fruits. Cranberry, red currant, rose hip, slight tar, some charred wood and warm spices. The most complex the nose has been all night! Sweet red fruit entry on the palate. Maybe medium-full bodied now. The wine has put on weight over time. Great acidity, no tannins except for a slight bit of tingly bitterness on the finish. The flavours are back in the dried red fruit spectrum. I really like the mix of sweet and tart that comes across on the palate. Everything is quite seemless and in balance. The finish lasts a good 30 seconds! This is equally good with food as it is on its own. Now up to 94.
This was an interesting experiment to undertake. I just finished reading the book in Chateau Musar and the late, great Serge Hochar always said to take your time with his wines and get to know them. He was right! The changes in the wine over the course of 6 hours or so was eye-opening. And I would say that the last sip was by far the best!
Briefly, 18 months on from my last TN, this is slowly making progress. Decanted for about 6 hours before drinking with a lamb/tomato sauce on pasta. On first opening there is a load of acidity, but 6 hours later it's nicely balanced, quite big and rich with the classic Musar spicy fruit. But somehow still a bit one-dimensional.
Maybe this bottle suffered for being drunk 2 days after a perfect bottle of the 1999. It's already excellent, but I suspect with another few years it will become outstanding. Perhaps never quite reaching the 1999, but maybe close.
And, of course, for the ~US$32 that I paid, outstanding QPR.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Musar Vertical: Powerful nose here, fresh red berries, blood / iron, lovely sweet strawberries, acetone, fresh herbs; the palate shows gigantic structure and immense promise for the future. This is or better will be absolutely breathtaking once its ready in some decades. Quite difficult to judge at the moment because it’s just so immense; huge potential. 19+/20
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful mature color. Ripe plums and fresh red fruit. Very integrated and nice acidity. Somewhat oxidized maby? Not so fun and i though that it might be over the top or cooked but the wine really developed with an hour in a decanter and the oxidized notes blew off. The fruit is generous with ripe, sweet plums, blackberries and figs. Licorice and tobacco. Full body and high acidity that balance the sweet fruit quite well.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank this alongside a magnum of a much older vintage of Musar (1997). Interesting that everyone preferred this 2006 for the first hour or so, then it turned the other way. Unique and beautiful wines…there's just nothing else like Musar and there hasn't been a bottle yet I didn't love, in red, white or 'rosé'.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hesitant to give a score as I'm at the end of a cold and my senses are not spot on, but I'll do it for fun as I tasted it before and scored it then in my private notes as 93-94. Nevertheless, this is clearly wonderful. Went great with dinner. Such a unique wine - unusual (but interesting and wonderful) fruit smells it seems, some herbal aspects. An incredibly long finish. Great concentration. Outstanding and fun wine. 1st bottle tonight was corked, so after this one I'm sadly left now with only 2 more of this vintage...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A truly satisfying wine, at full maturity. Not overwhelming, but sublimely balanced with spices and leathery notes. Kudos to Musar for such a fine effort !
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Concentrated, smooth, sweet? rich, lush- tannins melted away but rich meaty acidity giving structure. Extraordinary length, lovely colour- another Musar winner. Ive got 6 of these and will drink them when cellar tracker says I can.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mature wine. Claret like, with tannins mostly melted away. Good acidity. Slightly annoying bottle spritz. Almost an NR, as this may be a slightly off bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first Musar, and I get the hype. It was a unique, singular wine that I will happily seek out again, and at a relatively reasonable price point. Surprisingly bright ruby color, tarry nose, black and blue fruits, tart acidity that might not be for everyone (but I enjoyed). Tannins were basically gone and I thought the wine was in good balance now, perhaps starting to inch downward from peak; not sure I'd follow the advice of some to sit on it, seemed ready to go with minimal air.
Purchased in Amsterdam, ferried home to the US in a suitcase, stored for a year. No sign of temperature excursions or damage, so that's a win.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first ever bottle of Musar. VERY ripe red fruit dominates the nose and palate which also tastes slightly oxidative. Not sure I like it, but I want to try other vintages.
Nez : épices, cave à vin...moisi et poussière, arômes végétales et minérales...terre humide, cassonade. Les tannins sont poussiéreux. Saveurs de fruits rouges mûrs. Souple, texturé et étagé. Finale moyenne à longue. Toujours un régal boire un Musar âgé !
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Marginal improvement over my last two tastings. This one is ageing nicely. It's a more polished, integrated vintage than other ones I've enjoyed in recent years. It's got intense sweetness and real depth, masses of treacly sensations and a good balancing acidity and even a touch of sourness on the finish. Super Musar character there, though - all that funky weirdness. Great fun.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a magnum. There had been a very small amount of seepage around the cork.
Decanted for 90 minutes (removing maybe 30ml of sediment). Returned to the rinsed bottle, and began to drank after a further 90 minutes or so.
I don't see much change here from my note 17 months ago: slight acidity on first opening, but by the time we came to drink it was in a very nice balance. Typical Musar spicy fruit, rich and mouth-filling, very pleasant medium finish. Light tannins, moderate- acidity. Not as "funky" as some Musars can be.
All in all an excellent wine, albeit still perhaps lacking some of the complexity of the best Musar vintages. Let's hope that develops over the next 5-10 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Magnum. This wine is in a great place now! Tannins are integrated in a good and sift way, but still present, the acid suits the tannins and there's a nice mix of fresh and aged tones.
Superb now, will last for at least five more, probably ten or twenty.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ripe fruit, dried herbs, hint of paint bucket. Elevated acidity, evident tannins, 14% abv. A little sweetness to the fruit (like a couple of more grams/liter than your average dry 0-3), which was actually the reason I chose the wine - to pair with a port wine sauce - so in this context the sweetness was something really nice (despite not being my go-to style for reds, in general). Very good balance. Decanted 1.5 hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good right away but decanted for one hour. Ripe warm dark sweet red berrirs, cherries and dried fruits. Some developed notes. Still some balanced acidity. Long and balanced, very nice finish. Liked it alot.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color: ruby, garnet edges Nose: raisinated, sherry like in ways. There is red fruit and dark fruit. Plastic film. Thyme. Definitely hints of green bellpepper Palate: sweet on entry. Medium-full body. A bordeaux blend but with anomalous cola notes. Spice and black fruit. Finish: medium-long
Very lovely wine from Lebanon here. An off-stiff bordeaux imo. Loved it. Note: best after a couple hours decanting.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sitting next to the 1990 and 2000, the 2006 was young and more simple. But standing on its own, would have been an enjoyable wine. Of the three, my girlfriend much preferred this ‘06. Lighter in body than the 2000, drinking fresh and bright, with very little of the tertiary characteristics that often develop. This one didn’t hold up super well overnight. I’m certainly leaving this in the cellar many more years, though it drinks well right now as a more youthful Musar.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 1 hour. Started out with volatile aromas and a lot of Cab barnyard notes which mellowed down into sour cherries, faint chocolate and herbs. Very good acidity but certainly a wine to be had with food rather than in solitaire. After 4h, starting to shit down and sour cherry notes taking over.
Opened an hour before dinner. Spicy notes with sweetness. Taste ripe and juicy and quite similar to a Shiraz with lots of spicy notes and acidity. Not much tertiary notes and probably can go for many more years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted. Medium dark full ruby red edging towards garnet. Spectacular nose of juicy, ripe, sweet, concentrated, dark red berries. Some undertones of roasted chestnut and coffee and a top note of VA to give it a bit of a lift. Lovely mature aromas but no funk or horseiness to speak of. Smells almost like a high end CdP without the garrigue. Smells pretty damn good actually! Fuller on tha palate that the colour would suggest. More of the same flavours on the palate as on the nose. Deceptively sweet fruit, but great acidity and super fine grained steeped black tea tannins. Builds on the finish to a crescendo of fruit flavour. Finishes dry but long. Perhaps a bit atypical for a Musar, but super delicious! Plenty of life ahead for this wine.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lighter than a usual Musar, and also more fruity in flavour. This may be becuase it was younger than I usually open, but still an excellent wine. It benefitted from some time in decanter, but this was less marked than for other vintages; there was also much less sediment than normal.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
WOW! Nez discret d'anis, de bois brulé, d'épices...sel de céleri. Saveurs intense de fruits rouges mûrs, ainsi que de caramel brulé. Souple et soyeux...un vin harmonieux et équilibré. Longue finale chaude...soupçon de réglisse noir. Excellent ! Délicieux maintenant...accent sur le fruit...ou attendre pour plus de notes tertiaires.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another bottle from this vintage of Chateau Musar, a favourite. A somewhat atypical, leaner style with fresh, persistent acidity and fine tannins. Thirds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The product of a cooler year, held back by the winery for release 11, not the usual seven, years from harvest. Good, deep garnet, beginning to soften at the rim. A bouquet of cassis, new leather, black spices and hints of tar, furniture polish and cacao. Savoury and dry with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants, some dried fruit, cedar and suggestions of pine needles and fresh herbs. Only a touch of secondary tobacco development. Alcohol moderate at 14%. Drink over the next 10 years or so.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Notes for day 2. N red raspberry, plum, funk, earth, P red raspberry, a hint of florals, little red licorice, earth, tobacco F above average in length, nice mouthfeel, and much less funk than the first night and overall a cleaner vintage that I have had Overall a really nice bottle of wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Coravin sample. Only needs about 20-30 min breathing in the glass to open up nicely. Seems at peak. Drink now. A solid Musar made during a challenging year (war!).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is often hyped, so my expectations were high and too high. In fact it is a very nice wine at a good spot for drinking. In style it is similar to a (left bank) Bordeaux, with black fruit, cigare, liquorace, vanilla. The nose is reasonable. The finish is relatively dry and tannic. Overall very pleasing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On opening, lots of brett/funk on the nose, with some dried fig coming out. More of the same on the palate, with a healthy splash of VA. Some plum.
After six hours in the decanter, the wine was transformed. Dried red fruits, alongside the fig. Only a lighter hint of brett. Some pipe tobacco, dried flowers, dried strawberries. Medium tannins, but the structure is coming from the acid, which remains plentiful. Musk and spice in the long, long finish.
This was my first Musar, and I get the appeal. I don't think I would want to drink it everyday, but I haven't had anything else quite like it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good wine, and a good spot now. Will develop further, but very uneven cork quality makes it risky to cellar. This and the last cork were both soaked all the way to the top.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Young and accessible, this is a more seductive Musar with a 'cleaner' profile that lacks some of the more characterful notes that offer great interest. Ripe, but slightly wizened, fruit, little of the bretty 'wet dog' I tend to expect. There is an earthy groundedness to this vintage, but also some polish and sheen. Hard to resist.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Luftet 2 timer. Medium blod aktig med en en lett brunet kant. Plomme/kirsebærkompott, tørkede frukter, svakt av brett/fjøs, flott fatkarakter. Har gode modningstoner av fuktig grønn mose og jordbunn. I munnen er svak søtlighet som glir flott over i syrlig frukt med tanniner som begynner å intergreres på en meget bra måte. Sitter medium lenge. 92p
20 Months on from our last bottle, this wine still shows a deep colour and gorgeous nose. My earlier notes still apply. Soft, sweet, mainly dark cherry fruit with all the usual Musar spice and complexity. Much better 4+ hours after decanting. It has years ahead of it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2006 was a very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions – which were remarkable by themselves, feeling like a never-ending spring with only 10 days of summer weather – but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Although it seemed that there wouldn't be any opportunity to do harvest the fruit at all, everybody still carried on normally despite the volatile conditions and fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest. However, unlike the vintages that normally feel ready to be released after 7 years of aging, this wine was still in shambles in 2013 when the wine was supposed to be released, which is why the winery decided to postpone the release for a year. And then another. And yet another. Finally, the wine was ready for release in the spring of 2017. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Somewhat translucent and slightly developed dark cherry color with a hint of maroon and a pale, clear rim. Somewhat sweet-toned but otherwise rather mute nose with very little distinction - vague dark fruits and nothing much else. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with quite reticent flavors of cherry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit and a slightest touch of balsamic VA. The wine is moderately high in acidity with quite soft and gentle tannins. The finish is ripe and quite sweet-toned but also somewhat underwhelming with rather short flavors of wizened black cherries, some earthy tones, a little bit of plummy dark fruit, light smoky tones and an autumnal hint of damp leaves.
A surprisingly reticent and underwhelming effort for a Musar. At first the wine was so mute that almost everybody assumed the wine was corked. However, the wine slowly opened up over the course of the evening and never once exhibited any TCA aromatics, so we chalked up the dumb nature of the wine as bottle variation, which certainly isn't unheard of when it comes to Musar. Nevertheless, it is always possible that the wine was corked so very slightly that the notes of TCA were beneath the threshold of detection, but still enough to mask the fruit. Whatever the case, this was among the least impressive wines in our vertical of Musar 2012-1997 and not really worth the price at 33,40€.
Opened for 3 hrs before consuming. On the nose, a bit of barnyard and spice. Soft tannins, spicy and quite a long finish. Very much like Left Bank Bordeaux. Ready to drink.
Tastes like Musar, a very good Musar. Quite powerful directly while opened, which I prefered more than 2-3 hours with air. Feels balanced today but will be interesting with mature notes. 90p
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dry cork although no obvious taint. Core fruit of intense spiced cherry, ripe tending towards sweet but with a strange lack of balancing complexity, secondaries and acidity which I suspect may be down to this particular bottle. Enjoyable enough 88-89 pointer (with food) but below expectations. Will try again in due course and report back.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The least Musar-like Musar I've had recently. I do like this - it's good stuff - but it's not as excitingly complex and odd as your standard-issue Musar. The 2006 appears to be a rounded, polished vintage, barely bretty and funky - the things I look for in Musar. We had it slightly chilled, so any weird characteristics were even more muted. However - still lots of highly enjoyable sweet spiciness (cloves and cinnamon and nutmeg) and some earthy notes, and decent plump fruit. An interesting wine, this vintage, but not a great one.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bu en vertical, clairement il faut les attendre les Musar... le 2004 et 2006 encore trop jeune à mon goût! 1999: à point, de la fraise, soyeux, long et complexe. Sublime. 2001: un peu plus animal, cuir, avec du fruit. Très bien. Le 2004 et 2006. Encore sur le fruit primaire. Tannins encore presents. Plus costaud. Une belle vertical pour évaluer l’incroyable longévité des Musar et déterminer celui à notre goût.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Even better than first bottle. No need for decantation, lasted 3,5 hours in bottle. Excellent, rounded and very lively with lots of sour cherry and some tobacco. Beautiful right now and has a lot of potential shelf life.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clear ruby in colour. Notes of red currant, cherry, baking spice and floral. Dry, med body, med acidity, smooth elegant tannins. This wine is drinking very well right now. Very approachable. This is a wine definitely worth having in your cellar. Paired beautifully with lamb shanks.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nez plus discret que la bouche, sur des notes de fruits rouge. La bouche est sur des fruits rouges et noir avec une finale juste assez raccoleuse. Ça se boit très bien! Beaucoup moins de tertiaire et de volatile que le 99 et 01 bu récemment, mais tout de même le petit côté animal propre à musar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with the wine group (Millbrae, CA): Highly aromatic, tamari, umami; palate has plenty of primary fruit but also with some tertiary complexity already. Really unique Musar, among the best in the table tonight. 93-95
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Three Musar's at Ashish's (Ashish's): Out of the bottle - brooding and balsamic, also slightly raisinated with a hint of dark merlot-Cab fruit. Double-decanted in the morning then recorded.
Seems centered, with pomegranate and cassis. Slight dried black cherry. Very interesting. Tastes like there’s more VA - it’s lifted somehow.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a very promising Musar with all the hallmark components of the wine – layers of dark and red fruit, depth and complexity, and volatile esters on the nose. Will keep my remaining bottles for 10+ years since this will most certainly evolve into another legendary Musar. 93+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Toujours aussi bon. Je suis ambivalent à faire vieillir quand c'est à mon goût maintenant. Plus sur les fruits rouges que le tertiaire, mais il est présent en arrière plan.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bouteille similaire à celle ouverte en juin, provenant d'un autre arrivage. Toujours agréable de goûter à cette signature de Musar. Moins mentholé à l'ouverture que les 1999 et 2001. Davantage de fruits rouges que de tertiaire. Ça descend tout seul, avec ou sans nourriture.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From magnum. Juicy and cool dark cherries, red fruits and ripe plums at first, with some hints of leather, cardboard, pipe tobacco and spice. With time in the glass I got the classic lilac flower and nail polish remover. Long, lingering finish. Solid stuff. Young but very drinkable now. 93p
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork broke, very dry although stored in controlled cellar. Was bought from Waitrose, could have been stood upright too long? Tasted slightly oxidised on opening, after less than 30 minutes this subsided and revealed a beautiful Musar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This 2006 wine is ageing well. The lustrous garnet has ageing tints to the meniscus. Vanilla, tobacco and plummy aromas. It floods the palate with generous and complex fruit. Supremely long finish that again blossoms. This upfront wine is perfectly judged, neither too much sun, too much maceration, too much oak. Tannins are utterly integrated and balanced with fruit and acidity.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Har roet seg ned litt siste året og begynner å drikke bra nå. Syren er bedre integrert og tanninene noe mere polert. Litt søt frukt med ellers flott balanse.
Flott nese. Plommer, fiken, tobakk, rips. Samme i munn. Flott struktur, frisk med bra lengde. 92
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Balanced and powerful nose with ripe red fruit together with some dark fruit, some pepper and garrigue (dried herbs), and some tar. Medium+ body with ripe red and some dark fruits, some sweetness of fruit and fine purity in the fruit notes, pepper and other spices, hints of alcohol and some pleasantly "rough" notes, some tannin that is well integrated in the fruit, and an aftertaste with berries and spices. Drinks well now but will develop further, 91 pts.
This vintage is very good and surprisingly "non-funky" for being a Chateau Musar. Stylistically, this could have been a good southern Rhône wine with its alcohol level in check. As this vintage was released late (out of order, after 2007-2009), I had expected it to be more closed or tannic, but in my opinion, this drinks beautifully now.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A deep colour, mahogany; very perfumed fruit with noticeable oak and some sweetness. Good depth and overall a very appealing wine: fragrant, rich and long. Drinking well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I had a six-pack of these which I had hidden away with the intention of not touching them for a few years, but after reading reviews (and particularly comments on the "Chateau Musar musings" thread in the discussion forum) I succumbed and opened one up today.
I gave it 4 hours in the decanter before drinking with a pepper steak.
It has the classic Musar nose with somewhat more alcohol apparent than is sometimes the case, and less (in fact almost none) of the rustic funkiness.
On the palate it's a decent balance of fruit, tannins and acidity, but somehow I feel that there isn't quite the complexity of fruit flavours or overall power that my favourite vintages (currently 1999) have.
Interestingly, there was almost no dark sediment in the bottle, but in the glass I am getting a significant amount of tartrate crystals, which I haven't seen in any other Musar.
My overall take on this is that with a few more years this vintage perhaps will develop some more complexity of flavours to match the 1999, but it needs time to do that.
But if you can't wait then it's still a very good wine indeed.
(I sampled it soon after I opened it, and the main difference over the 4 hours was that the acidity was a little prominent when opened and moderated later. Otherwise no big change, so compared to other vintages this is one that you can pull and pour with less loss vs decanting for a few hours.)
11 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Once again a great value wine and barring the first looks of people who dnt know it ( a Lebanese wine ???) a great experience once again. We actually love to serve this blind and see peoples reaction. Bordeaux blend, classic in a way, and in a very much great time to be enjoyed now. Round, soft tannin, energetic wine though with good fruit and nice length. Very solid 91
Decanted for an hour. Very primary, very fruity, with a hint of VA. This gave the impression of a strong wine, powerful and brawny. The palate follows with lots of good fruit and tannins. Definitely has many years ahead of it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Farge: Mørk kirsebærrød med et brunskjær mot kanten. Intens duft av mørke frukter, krydder og noe treverk. I munnen enormt rik med samme smakstoner, litt lakris, sigarkasse, litt skogbunn. Perfekt integrerte tanniner, enormt lang, den bare fortsetter og fortsetter. Herregud, for en vin! I en blindsmaking er det no way at jeg ville gjettet noe annet enn kvalitets-Bordeaux! Ok, den har 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, men ellers er det druesorter som ikke er med i tradisjonell Bdx blend (Carignan og Cinsault). Men i min gane smaker dette Bdx i prisklassen 7-800 kr og oppover. Også koster den 370 kr! Er dette polets beste rødvinskjøp?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mon premier Musar Couleur rubis translucide Nez sur les fruits rouges, le bois, l’humide, les fines herbes. En bouche, je le trouve à point. Tannin fondu, belle complexité, fruits rouges, mûres, fines herbes, bois humide. Finale moyenne. Toute en finesse. Je vais racheter.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served with roast lamb. Dark maroon colour, and slightly cloudy in the glass. Peppermint nose, with dark berries. Aniseed and orange peel on the palate. I thought still a little young, however my table companions thought it was perfect now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The cork broke. Not decanted. Very well balanced, rich, fruity, soft tannins and long aftertaste. Didn't improve the next day. Think I prefer Musar young.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium cherry colour and the characteristic orange rim of Musar. Somewhat alcoholic on the nose, but some nice clove spice coming through as well. Powerful acidity - almost abrasive, but nicely offset by the splendidly idiosyncratic combination of brambly fruit and unapologetic spiciness. No Musar-ish brett on this one (disappointingly!) Good, but not the best Musar I've had.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I very much like this vintage of Chateau Musar. A leaner style than typical with good, persistent acidity and fine tannins. Thirds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The product of a cooler year, held back by the winery for release 11, not the usual seven, years from harvest. Good, deep garnet. Aromas of blackcurrant, oak dresser, new leather, black spices and hints of tar and espresso. Savoury and dry with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants, some dried fruit, cedar and suggestions of pine needles and fresh herbs. Alcohol moderate at 14%. Drink or cellar.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark, garnet colour. Mature aromatics of mushroom liqueur, pumpernickel toast and dried currants with forest floor and graphite minerality. Evolved ripeness of fruit with a striking mineral complexity. Tannins are polished and supportive; finishes with great complexity and length. 5/5 A great hybrid of European styles, it's a bit of Bordeaux, Tuscany and Ribera del Duero with the unique Bekaa valley capping off the profile.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Toujours aussi bon du Musar. Dans une phase moins intéressante en ce moment, mais tout comme le 2009, quelques années en cave va aider cette magnifique bouteille.
4/5
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe fruit on the nose, raisins. Dark berries on the palate, some cherries, hints of forest floor. Full bodied, complex. Nice food wine, a bit odd but tasty nonetheless.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep colour, gorgeous nose. Excellent soft, sweet fruit soon after opening. Mainly dark cherries and berries but with damson notes evolving. Lots of Musar spice - very harmonious but complex. It seemed much sweeter than usual. Most of the bottle was kept until dinner the next day when it was better balanced but still complex and a good match for a rare fillet steak. It has a great future and it will be fascinating to see how it develops with the years. Note. This was a restaurant purchase in the English Lake District. A very fair mark-up at £47 but even more attractive with a 20% loyalty card discount making it £37.60.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ethereal nose, sweet rose oil, flowers, dark fruits and hint of wood spice. Harmonious, silky palate, no hard edges. Nicely balanced, a tad sweet for my palate, nonetheless quite lovely. Should be a fine companion with oriental food.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Barolo Dinner (Tim and Elliott's Place, San Francisco): Double decanted 18 hours before. Moderately aromatic, umami, soy; palate is medium bodied, superb medium-plus acidity, soft integrated tannins, soy, umami, almost caramelized; medium-long finish. A superb Musar which should age really well. 92-93
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Double-decanted ~18hrs before. High fill, cork normal - good integrity and soaked through 2 mm. Out of the bottle: Medium ruby with some sediment and some crimson at the rim. Heady, figgy VA with some suggestions of cassis fruit. Volatile cherry leaf perfume. Some earth - though overt brett isn't apparent at the moment. The predominant character is fig and date skin - sort of a vague raisiny / golden raisin type of fruit, with some acetaldehyde character. Very interesting nose - showing glimpses of fresh fruit as well as dried-out ephemeral fruit. Medium body, slightly elevated alcohol - feels 13.5%, medium plus acid, medium tannins - fine grained and satiny.
At dinner: Nose is phenomenal for young Musar. Explosive black cherry and black currant and shades of tamari blackberry. Slight tamari umami. Slightly primary but quite developed. This might be one of the most intense pre-inflection Musar I’ve had. Palate shows a variety of pomegranate and red cherry. Beautiful balance. Check again in 5 years!
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Either this is over the hill or the bottle wasn´t properly stored. Smelled and tasted like old burgundy. Some acidity still, but most of the fruit gone.
Medium bodied, crystalline, ruby red. Cedar, spicebox, old leather and sweet red and purple berries on the nose with a hint of VA that elevates it and adds to the exoticism and complexity. (Autocorrect changed that to eroticism which is equally apt). Smooth and mouth filling, deceptively sweet taste that fans out through your mouth and up the back of your nasal passages. Finishes with sweet fruit, moderate tannins and a hint of tartness, but lingering waves of flavour. Quite delicious!
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs at least 2 hours to decant. Powerful earthyness, oak and leather on the nose. Beautiful dried fruits such as plum and apricots on the palate. Quite firm tannins for a 11 year old vintage. Could be aged further for at least 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Piptobak, liten örtighet, sötlakrits, mörka bär och, inbillar vi oss, kryddor från mellanöstern såsom saffran. Läcker munkänsla. Kraft, komplexitet, eleganta fat. Funkade mer än väl till kvalitetskebab. Pur drickglädje!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Distinct bretty barnyard on the nose. Leather, tobacco, cinnamon, dried fruit, cherries and a slight touch of raisins. Very fresh and focused on the palate with good acidity, a medium+ body and medium tannins. Compared to the previous Musar release (2007) this was less sweet fruit and better structure. To my taste one of the better Musars in the last few years.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Kryddade plommon och torkade russin i inledningen och toner av såväl nejlika, kummin och möjligtvis en släng av saffran. Mycket kropp och en avslutning som snyggt återkopplar till inledningen. Samtidigt som avslutningen tillför toner av läder och tobak och, framförallt!, en mäktig tanninsyra som är viktig för vinets ballans. Ett välgjort och modigt vin. Den libanesiska tappningen på traditionella druvor är både träffsäker och unik.
Vinet blev som bäst efter att ha fått luftas i 1-2 timmar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3 hours in decanter. Ruby core with orange rim. Orange peel, plums, tobacco and some leather on the nose. Fresh mouth with plums, cherries, figs, leather and some tobacco in mouth. An extraordinary acid and dense fine polished tannins goves a very good, somewhat closed grip. Long-term balanced finish. Will probably develop nicely within 5-10 years. Will probably last for another decade. 92
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 3 hours and then put back in the bottle for dinner. The nose is red fruit, glue, oak and some vanilla. Color is dark red. On the palate tannins are medium and smooth very well integrated. Full body. Acidity is medium. Alcohol is medium. Tastes like a right flank Bordeaux very similar to merlot. The taste is long 45s at least. It is still drying a little and could benefit from a bit more aging I think it could gain more with time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and served. A very good wine and real value for money. As one of our friends who tried this blind said this is a french wine (meaning bordeaux) but not really from France. A very fitting comment. Quite open at this stage, well evolved and has a very cabernet sauvignon feel to it, dark fruited, light leather, light cedar. Well round but with a firm presence, good tannin and acidity and well assimilated oak. Very solid 91-92 and drinks very well now
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aubergine Chermoula with bulgar as the starter, a rib of beef with a middle eastern gravy (with cinnamon, allspice, garlic, onion, nutmeg, parsley), then English cheeses and rose pannacota for dessert. A Gardet 120 with canapés to start. 2003 - 91. So clearly the lightest and most translucent but still punching strong for its age and opened up after a couple of hours. Drink now. Soft tannins and good fruit. 2004 - 90. Better nose. More assertive with sharper taste. This was the star of the evening last time. This time, it was the one with a vegetal whiff. Light tawny. Still has that cherry on the palate. 2005 - 92. Distinctly darker next to the last 2. Punchy and heavier. Notes of almost fortified wine. High acidity. Probably peaking next year. 2006 - 91. Still tannic. A few years to go yet. Some pepper, tar and herbs (but still sweet). Musar held back the 2006 before release 2007 - 92. The favourite for a couple of us. Coffee beans and ripe fruits. A hot year. 2008 - 91. Dark purple. Dark fruits and a hint of cloves. The food makes a huge difference. We used a quarter of the chilli powder the recipe called for, half the yoghurt. We also tried and discounted pork with the Musar.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lukt av våt, svett hest, møkkakjeller, solbær, bjørnebær, dadler og aceton. Smak av solbær, bjørnebær, gul tørket frukt, nellik, muskat, bringebær og mørk sjokolade. Ren men litt skitten frukt. Frukten føles moden. Mild tannin.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society, Hampshire, UK. Chateau Musar tasting. First of four bottle vertical tasting. This wine has a strong structure after a year in oak barrels. There are strawberry fruity notes as well as the distinctive earthy richness. Very popular with members.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rød med oransje kant. Plommer, tobakk, fiken og tørka blomster på nese. I munn er det plommer, rips, tobakk, lær og litt fiken. Imponerende syre, modne tanniner og fantastisk balanse. Brukbar lengde. Deilig vin. Moden nå, men holder mye lengre. 92p
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
NB: Note made the day after tasting Nose: quite fruity with little Brett or funk. Plums, liqueured black cherries, prunes. Black and red fruit, warmed in the sun, dried plum stones. Warm earth. Sweet spice. Palate: again, lots of rich warm black and red fruit, but with a hint of bitterness -- as you get from bitter dark chocolate -- in the background. Plums, black cherries, prunes, perhaps raisins. Sweet spice. Bitter chocolate. Acidity moderate, berry like, balanced. Very smooth tannins. Rich and, though dry, all the fruit character provides some sweetness. 14% alcohol.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Way too young for me, will leave the rest of my bottles for at least 5 more years. A very clean vintage of Musar, no brett or funk at all which is a disappointment to me.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
{@ Restaurant in Reykjavik, Iceland; Decanted x 15 minutes and drunk over 90 minutes} Classic Musar nose, delicious, lovely scent, cherries and both red and black fruits; medium full middle and long length. For me is in drinking window and will hold for years. Better after open an hour. [$165 on list, a relative bargain in Iceland]
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
50ml sample from Coravin; first access. Classic Musar nose, but not even close to being ready. Drink from 2021-2025. I'd recommend driniking the 2003 or 2004 now, both ready, but 2006 will need longer than average, or the full 15 years recommended by the late Serge Hochar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
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 an effort for a Musar with a surprisingly noticeable raisiny character, especially given the cooler vintage. 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.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan.
A(ccuracy)=2: Medium garnet with slight brown tint; subdued plum and prune nose. B(alance) =2: Acid overtone. C(omplexity)=2: Elegant sweetness. D(epth) =1: Medium length and finish.
WineTally Score [2,2,2,1]=7/10
Note: A very difficult vintage both climatically (cold) and geopolitically (war). Knowing the full story helps appreciate this wine.
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/14/2024 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 94 Points
3e et dernier 2006...voir notes précédentes.
Encore tellement frais...et son fruit...merveilleux !! Je m'entendais à plus d'arômes tertiaires mais ce fruit délicieux domine et persiste...
Équilibré, harmonieux, savoureux, long et rond...j'aurai pu lui laisser atteindre son 20 ans facilement !
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2024 - boillatm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Third time Musar after the 1998 and 2000 vintages.
This is something else totally. Brawny, full-bodied, almost like a Cal Cab. I liked it but am wondering how it's going to age.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2023 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half. Delicious, perhaps on the brawny side of a Musar, but still sour cherries amongst the blackberries, tannins quite resolved, but no leather or VA. This bottle not quite what one would wait from a Musar, but very good in any case!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2023 - lloyd.cochrane@googlemail.com wrote:
Deep brick red. Very strong caramel and toffee aroma with lots of vanilla and then spice. Really really good. Rich Christmas cake spices, warmth and soft tannins. Very drinkable, lovely. Will age further but great to drink now
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2023 - forceberry wrote: 88 Points
2006 was a very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions – which were remarkable by themselves, feeling like a never-ending spring with only 10 days of summer weather – but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Although it seemed that there wouldn't be any opportunity to do harvest the fruit at all, everybody still carried on normally despite the volatile conditions and fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest. However, unlike the vintages that normally feel ready to be released after 7 years of aging, this wine was still in shambles in 2013 when the wine was supposed to be released, 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. From a magnum; the wine was aerated in two decanters for four hours before tasting the wine.
Deep, dark and almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an evolved plummy hue. The nose feels evolved, somewhat old and moderately tertiary with aromas of wizened dark berries and pruney dark fruit, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of old leathery, light earthy nuances, dried-fruit hints of raisins and dried figs and an autumnal touch of damp leaves. The wine feels evolved, silky and sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of ripe figs and pruney dark fruits, some strawberry tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried dates, a hint of balsamic VA and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is somewhat soft and mellow with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and somewhat resolved, slightly grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, ripe and sweet-toned with some tannic grip and a slightly tertiary aftertaste of dried dates and raisiny dark fruit, some strawberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light pruney nuances, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of balsamic VA.
I remember how this wine seemed a bit soft and surprisingly raisiny back when it was released. Back then I commented how the wine seemed a bit similar like those sunny, almost pruney Plavac Mali wines of Croatia and expressed hope in how the wine could pick up some depth and complexity with age, even if the vintage didn't seem that promising. Well, it seems my hopes are turning out to be unfounded: the wine is just more pruney and raisiny in character and the structure has softened up, only emphasizing those dried-fruit notes. I really don't see why people give this vintage raving reviews here in CT, because in my books this has always been a bit iffy vintage for a Musar and it doesn't seem to be aging that gracefully. Unless my view is skewed by a constant flux of less-than-optimally performing bottles, I must say this wine is a far cry from a great Musar. Not worth the price at 39,90€.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2023 - SrMundo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really spectacular. Tannin are fully integrated, still tastes young and vibrant with layer of complexity.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2022 - Head4Heights Likes this wine: 93 Points
50mm natural cork enclosure that was fragile enough (as noted by others) to require a Butler’s Thief (aka Ah-So) to open without major mishap.
Medium garnet in colour (it is 17 years old) with a medium intensity nose yeilding dark fruit, leather, liqourice, spice, cedar, vanilla, stewed plums and raisens. Complexity box ticked. The body started out as medium (OK, this was weird for me too) but over time I swear it increased to a good Med(+) to Full. The palate was med(+) intensity, very smooth, lovely balance, high acidity, smooth high and fine tannins. The only niggle for me was the finish. Sure the length was there and fruit driven but it was a bit one-dimensional. Am I being unfair?
Bottom line: A very nice bottle of wine and worth every one of £23 I paid for it back in 2017.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2022 - NCWW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Upon opening, nose was close to corked and was really in doubt whether it was or nor. Decanted back to the bottle and left for an hour. Still not sure. Very tannic and very odd nose. Then after a couple of hours more, it opened up. It turned out really lovely and smooth. Conclusion is, leave for a bit longer. Once drinking, decant well in advance. NB: Cork was rather fragile.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2022 - rexmerlot wrote: 93 Points
Paired with Lebanese dinner and it was amazing. Smooth, sophisticated, and complex, but so approachable and enjoyable. This is in a great drinking window right now. Notes of cherry, leather, and spices. Beautiful wine.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2022 - OneForTheStairs Likes this wine:
So good. I didn't make notes, but even the fact that I opened on a jiggly train, broke and then destroyed the cork, and drank it out of paper cups with my mother-in-law could not spoil the enjoyment. Deep leathery goodness! A warm cedary hug! Delicious.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
10/28/2022 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best Musars I've had. I had this last night with 2003 Beaucastel CdP and this was better, and I had it a few months ago alongside the 2015, 2001 and 1998 vintages of Musar, and this was the best of the bunch in my opinion. This wine has a great nose and an amazingly long finish. I think the wine is in a perfect spot now for drinking, but it clearly has years and years left in the tank if you want to hold.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/24/2022 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very classy wine indeed.
Glorious dark fruit and a lovely texture on the palate.
Enjoyed with rare roast rib eye, mashed root veggies and stir fried greens.
Seemed a far better bottle than the prior one consumed.
Yum!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2022 - Cake & Fine Wine wrote: 89 Points
Sometimes these are sublime. And some come through a bit sweet. The nose on this was great (cherries, leather, tobacco, menthol). But it was too sweet, bit of the wet dog too. Some aged cat breath on the final straight…enough to make you flinch. Lacking a bit of length. Maybe it was stored badly…aged Musat can go either way.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
9/5/2022 - Druvhöken Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mycket gott vin.
Dofta av russin, sv vinbär, choklad o kaffe.
Fylligt, mycket frukt, balanserat och långt fint slut.
Mycket bra!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2022 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Long haul, multi-course tasting experiment.
Decanted and left to breath in between notes. Otherwise the wine itself is nice and clear. Some chunky sediment in the bottle.
First note just after opening at 6 pm: Hibiscus tea in colour grading to a faded blood orange and thin rim. The nose expresses sweet rose hips, dried strawberry, desert dust, light cherry cough syrup and some underlying earthy / animal / funky notes. Sweet and sour on the palate, very smooth and clean, medium bodied, delicate finish with juicy acidity. Dried and tart, fleshy red fruits, rose hip, hibiscus, soft leather and a bit of cedar at the end. Finishes long and tangy. Great with falafels and olives! 92 points
Second pour and note at 7:30 pm: The nose has now more cedar and dried herbs to the fore with the sweeter fruit notes taking the back seat. Also some dried floral (violet), spice and still those rose hips and hibiscus. A bit fuller on the palate with seemingly more red fruit extract. Still sweet and tart, ripe red fruit, some slight astringency from the tannins, mouthwatering acidity and a smooth, long, dried red fruit finish. Great cleansing acidity and no real tannins to be found. This was great with Mediterranean seasoned grilled lamb chops, but they made the wine seem drier than on its own. 93 points
Third pour and note at 9:30 pm: A bit more funkiness is now starting to emerge, but still not as much as other vintages. There is also a little bit of VA and iron showing on the nose now as well with only just a shadow of the fruit now in the background. The palate has not changed much from the last time. Still dried red fruits, rose hip and hibiscus, a bit of iron and leather, ans even some black olive, as well as that juicy acidity and a steely, dry finish. OK with stuffed grape leaves; better with black olive bread sticks. 92 points
Last pour and note at 11 pm: The VA is a bit more pronounced on the nose now. Smelling more like a Musar! Less funky notes; more spirited red fruits. Cranberry, red currant, rose hip, slight tar, some charred wood and warm spices. The most complex the nose has been all night! Sweet red fruit entry on the palate. Maybe medium-full bodied now. The wine has put on weight over time. Great acidity, no tannins except for a slight bit of tingly bitterness on the finish. The flavours are back in the dried red fruit spectrum. I really like the mix of sweet and tart that comes across on the palate. Everything is quite seemless and in balance. The finish lasts a good 30 seconds! This is equally good with food as it is on its own. Now up to 94.
This was an interesting experiment to undertake. I just finished reading the book in Chateau Musar and the late, great Serge Hochar always said to take your time with his wines and get to know them. He was right! The changes in the wine over the course of 6 hours or so was eye-opening. And I would say that the last sip was by far the best!
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
7/9/2022 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 95 Points
Highly variable. Some of these are fantastic and some are pruny/heavy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2022 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Briefly, 18 months on from my last TN, this is slowly making progress. Decanted for about 6 hours before drinking with a lamb/tomato sauce on pasta. On first opening there is a load of acidity, but 6 hours later it's nicely balanced, quite big and rich with the classic Musar spicy fruit. But somehow still a bit one-dimensional.
Maybe this bottle suffered for being drunk 2 days after a perfect bottle of the 1999. It's already excellent, but I suspect with another few years it will become outstanding. Perhaps never quite reaching the 1999, but maybe close.
And, of course, for the ~US$32 that I paid, outstanding QPR.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2022 - Vanja1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfekt moden med god frukt i tillegg til krydder og tørkede toner. Tett, kompleks, lang og balansert. Fantastisk vin på et godt sted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2022 - martijnkriens wrote: 92 Points
Exceptional wine considering price point
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2022 - Ryan-ParkCity wrote: 94 Points
Easily the wine of the night. You can smell wet sawdust and complexity. Sautéed mushrooms, black berry pie and so delicious!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
1/15/2022 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beau musar encore bien jeune mais malgré tout fort approchable! Encore 10 ans et il sera probablement magique !
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2021 - jan erik wrote: 93 Points
- Ruby color - Right in the drinking window this one!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2021 - tunaguy Likes this wine:
3 hour decant. powerful with red fruits, herbs, leather, curing meats, and iron. Still on the upswing but no harm in opening this today
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2021 - VegaSicilia1970 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Double decant. Drank over 3 hrs.
Cherrys, wild strawberries. Phenomenal. Good acidity and balance. Can’t wait for another 10 years
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2021 - mcktuck wrote: 91 Points
Still young, but classic Musar. Dense and powerful--still needs another 10 years before coming close to peak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2021 - ploher wrote:
Musar Vertical: Powerful nose here, fresh red berries, blood / iron, lovely sweet strawberries, acetone, fresh herbs; the palate shows gigantic structure and immense promise for the future. This is or better will be absolutely breathtaking once its ready in some decades. Quite difficult to judge at the moment because it’s just so immense; huge potential. 19+/20
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2021 - Nyllet wrote:
Beautiful mature color. Ripe plums and fresh red fruit. Very integrated and nice acidity. Somewhat oxidized maby? Not so fun and i though that it might be over the top or cooked but the wine really developed with an hour in a decanter and the oxidized notes blew off. The fruit is generous with ripe, sweet plums, blackberries and figs. Licorice and tobacco. Full body and high acidity that balance the sweet fruit quite well.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2021 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank this alongside a magnum of a much older vintage of Musar (1997). Interesting that everyone preferred this 2006 for the first hour or so, then it turned the other way. Unique and beautiful wines…there's just nothing else like Musar and there hasn't been a bottle yet I didn't love, in red, white or 'rosé'.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2021 - wlayne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just entering the window, decanted for half hour and could’ve used a touch longer. Classic Musar
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hesitant to give a score as I'm at the end of a cold and my senses are not spot on, but I'll do it for fun as I tasted it before and scored it then in my private notes as 93-94. Nevertheless, this is clearly wonderful. Went great with dinner. Such a unique wine - unusual (but interesting and wonderful) fruit smells it seems, some herbal aspects. An incredibly long finish. Great concentration. Outstanding and fun wine. 1st bottle tonight was corked, so after this one I'm sadly left now with only 2 more of this vintage...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2021 - trumpet60201 wrote: flawed
Corked, so opened another.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2021 - Martin_G wrote: 91 Points
Oh yeah. That is very well balanced and has aged beautifully. Drink now, or hold for fun. Can probably go a little longer. From magnum.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2021 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 93 Points
A truly satisfying wine, at full maturity. Not overwhelming, but sublimely balanced with spices and leathery notes. Kudos to Musar for such a fine effort !
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2021 - ruth3 Likes this wine:
Concentrated, smooth, sweet? rich, lush- tannins melted away but rich meaty acidity giving structure. Extraordinary length, lovely colour- another Musar winner. Ive got 6 of these and will drink them when cellar tracker says I can.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2021 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Best bottle so far, cleaner than previous one. Rich, very mature fruit, leather, tar. A bit tannic but also long and balanced. Great with steak.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2021 - melzar wrote: 91 Points
Mature wine. Claret like, with tannins mostly melted away. Good acidity. Slightly annoying bottle spritz. Almost an NR, as this may be a slightly off bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2021 - Château de Farmer Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first Musar, and I get the hype. It was a unique, singular wine that I will happily seek out again, and at a relatively reasonable price point. Surprisingly bright ruby color, tarry nose, black and blue fruits, tart acidity that might not be for everyone (but I enjoyed). Tannins were basically gone and I thought the wine was in good balance now, perhaps starting to inch downward from peak; not sure I'd follow the advice of some to sit on it, seemed ready to go with minimal air.
Purchased in Amsterdam, ferried home to the US in a suitcase, stored for a year. No sign of temperature excursions or damage, so that's a win.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2021 - dsenni wrote:
My first ever bottle of Musar. VERY ripe red fruit dominates the nose and palate which also tastes slightly oxidative. Not sure I like it, but I want to try other vintages.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
2/14/2021 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nez : épices, cave à vin...moisi et poussière, arômes végétales et minérales...terre humide, cassonade. Les tannins sont poussiéreux. Saveurs de fruits rouges mûrs. Souple, texturé et étagé. Finale moyenne à longue. Toujours un régal boire un Musar âgé !
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2021 - ricard Likes this wine: 93 Points
Marginal improvement over my last two tastings. This one is ageing nicely. It's a more polished, integrated vintage than other ones I've enjoyed in recent years. It's got intense sweetness and real depth, masses of treacly sensations and a good balancing acidity and even a touch of sourness on the finish. Super Musar character there, though - all that funky weirdness. Great fun.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2021 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 90 Points
From a magnum. There had been a very small amount of seepage around the cork.
Decanted for 90 minutes (removing maybe 30ml of sediment). Returned to the rinsed bottle, and began to drank after a further 90 minutes or so.
I don't see much change here from my note 17 months ago: slight acidity on first opening, but by the time we came to drink it was in a very nice balance. Typical Musar spicy fruit, rich and mouth-filling, very pleasant medium finish. Light tannins, moderate- acidity. Not as "funky" as some Musars can be.
All in all an excellent wine, albeit still perhaps lacking some of the complexity of the best Musar vintages. Let's hope that develops over the next 5-10 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2021 - mskovli wrote: 91 Points
Magnum.
This wine is in a great place now! Tannins are integrated in a good and sift way, but still present, the acid suits the tannins and there's a nice mix of fresh and aged tones.
Superb now, will last for at least five more, probably ten or twenty.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2020 - arvidpalmqvist wrote:
Dark ripe fruit, dried herbs, hint of paint bucket. Elevated acidity, evident tannins, 14% abv. A little sweetness to the fruit (like a couple of more grams/liter than your average dry 0-3), which was actually the reason I chose the wine - to pair with a port wine sauce - so in this context the sweetness was something really nice (despite not being my go-to style for reds, in general). Very good balance. Decanted 1.5 hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2020 - DrDaniel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good right away but decanted for one hour. Ripe warm dark sweet red berrirs, cherries and dried fruits. Some developed notes. Still some balanced acidity. Long and balanced, very nice finish. Liked it alot.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2020 - stet Likes this wine: 91 Points
Color: ruby, garnet edges
Nose: raisinated, sherry like in ways. There is red fruit and dark fruit. Plastic film. Thyme. Definitely hints of green bellpepper
Palate: sweet on entry. Medium-full body. A bordeaux blend but with anomalous cola notes. Spice and black fruit.
Finish: medium-long
Very lovely wine from Lebanon here. An off-stiff bordeaux imo. Loved it. Note: best after a couple hours decanting.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2020 - terronk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sitting next to the 1990 and 2000, the 2006 was young and more simple. But standing on its own, would have been an enjoyable wine. Of the three, my girlfriend much preferred this ‘06. Lighter in body than the 2000, drinking fresh and bright, with very little of the tertiary characteristics that often develop. This one didn’t hold up super well overnight. I’m certainly leaving this in the cellar many more years, though it drinks well right now as a more youthful Musar.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2020 - matage Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Started out with volatile aromas and a lot of Cab barnyard notes which mellowed down into sour cherries, faint chocolate and herbs. Very good acidity but certainly a wine to be had with food rather than in solitaire. After 4h, starting to shit down and sour cherry notes taking over.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/26/2020 - boston617 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light bodied for this varietal composition. Herbaceous notes as well as hints of caramelization
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2020 - bethel31 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Opened an hour before dinner. Spicy notes with sweetness. Taste ripe and juicy and quite similar to a Shiraz with lots of spicy notes and acidity. Not much tertiary notes and probably can go for many more years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2020 - adamanko wrote: 88 Points
Edit: After three years in the closet this showed a lot of prunes/raisin. A taste I do not appreciate much. Got better with chocolate. 88
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
10/12/2020 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted. Medium dark full ruby red edging towards garnet. Spectacular nose of juicy, ripe, sweet, concentrated, dark red berries. Some undertones of roasted chestnut and coffee and a top note of VA to give it a bit of a lift. Lovely mature aromas but no funk or horseiness to speak of. Smells almost like a high end CdP without the garrigue. Smells pretty damn good actually! Fuller on tha palate that the colour would suggest. More of the same flavours on the palate as on the nose. Deceptively sweet fruit, but great acidity and super fine grained steeped black tea tannins. Builds on the finish to a crescendo of fruit flavour. Finishes dry but long. Perhaps a bit atypical for a Musar, but super delicious! Plenty of life ahead for this wine.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2020 - srp_gc Likes this wine:
Lighter than a usual Musar, and also more fruity in flavour. This may be becuase it was younger than I usually open, but still an excellent wine. It benefitted from some time in decanter, but this was less marked than for other vintages; there was also much less sediment than normal.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2020 - ChateauDutremble Likes this wine: 96 Points
WOW! Nez discret d'anis, de bois brulé, d'épices...sel de céleri.
Saveurs intense de fruits rouges mûrs, ainsi que de caramel brulé. Souple et soyeux...un vin harmonieux et équilibré. Longue finale chaude...soupçon de réglisse noir. Excellent ! Délicieux maintenant...accent sur le fruit...ou attendre pour plus de notes tertiaires.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2020 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another bottle from this vintage of Chateau Musar, a favourite. A somewhat atypical, leaner style with fresh, persistent acidity and fine tannins. Thirds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The product of a cooler year, held back by the winery for release 11, not the usual seven, years from harvest. Good, deep garnet, beginning to soften at the rim. A bouquet of cassis, new leather, black spices and hints of tar, furniture polish and cacao. Savoury and dry with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants, some dried fruit, cedar and suggestions of pine needles and fresh herbs. Only a touch of secondary tobacco development. Alcohol moderate at 14%. Drink over the next 10 years or so.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2020 - manonthemoon wrote: 92 Points
Notes for day 2.
N red raspberry, plum, funk, earth,
P red raspberry, a hint of florals, little red licorice, earth, tobacco
F above average in length, nice mouthfeel, and much less funk than the first night and overall a cleaner vintage that I have had
Overall a really nice bottle of wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2020 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravin sample. Only needs about 20-30 min breathing in the glass to open up nicely. Seems at peak. Drink now.
A solid Musar made during a challenging year (war!).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2020 - vinero Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is often hyped, so my expectations were high and too high. In fact it is a very nice wine at a good spot for drinking. In style it is similar to a (left bank) Bordeaux, with black fruit, cigare, liquorace, vanilla. The nose is reasonable. The finish is relatively dry and tannic. Overall very pleasing.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2020 - Geoffy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting Musar vintage. Most of the usual components, but probably the sweetest I've tasted. Still works, though.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2020 - mkribar Likes this wine: 92 Points
On opening, lots of brett/funk on the nose, with some dried fig coming out. More of the same on the palate, with a healthy splash of VA. Some plum.
After six hours in the decanter, the wine was transformed. Dried red fruits, alongside the fig. Only a lighter hint of brett. Some pipe tobacco, dried flowers, dried strawberries. Medium tannins, but the structure is coming from the acid, which remains plentiful. Musk and spice in the long, long finish.
This was my first Musar, and I get the appeal. I don't think I would want to drink it everyday, but I haven't had anything else quite like it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2020 - Murphy6000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Outstanding - the best in a vertical tasting (mar 20) of 09, 08, 06, 05, 04, 02, 99.
Complex, herbaceous, cedar, sticking plasters, vanilla, cherries.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2020 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good wine, and a good spot now. Will develop further, but very uneven cork quality makes it risky to cellar. This and the last cork were both soaked all the way to the top.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2020 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mye rosiner, litt medisinskap trekker ned, ellers flott
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2020 - ttholst wrote: 90 Points
Flott moden frukt, myk tannin. Ingen brett
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/10/2020 - Perlundstrom Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mkt bra. Perfekt drickfas.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2020 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drikker bra nå. Høy syre, rene smaker (til Musar) av Solbær, bringebær, tørket fiken og appelsinskall. Finpolerte tanniner og bra lengde. Frisk. 91-92
(smakte 2006 ved siden av 2012. 2012 gav mye mere inntrykk av rosiner, alkohol og sødme. 89p)
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2020 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young and accessible, this is a more seductive Musar with a 'cleaner' profile that lacks some of the more characterful notes that offer great interest. Ripe, but slightly wizened, fruit, little of the bretty 'wet dog' I tend to expect. There is an earthy groundedness to this vintage, but also some polish and sheen. Hard to resist.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2019 - karlsenrm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Luftet 2 timer. Medium blod aktig med en en lett brunet kant. Plomme/kirsebærkompott, tørkede frukter, svakt av brett/fjøs, flott fatkarakter. Har gode modningstoner av fuktig grønn mose og jordbunn. I munnen er svak søtlighet som glir flott over i syrlig frukt med tanniner som begynner å intergreres på en meget bra måte. Sitter medium lenge. 92p
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
12/25/2019 - johnrm Likes this wine: 92 Points
20 Months on from our last bottle, this wine still shows a deep colour and gorgeous nose. My earlier notes still apply. Soft, sweet, mainly dark cherry fruit with all the usual Musar spice and complexity. Much better 4+ hours after decanting. It has years ahead of it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2019 - preid wrote: 89 Points
Love it. Nice color, great strong Bordeauxian like smell. Opens up even more after 1 hour decanting. The value for money of this wine is fantastic.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
A bit of VA on the nose, spices, cedar, tobacco. Lots of acidity on the palate, juicy, fresh, not that much depth. 90-92
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2019 - wlayne Likes this wine: 89 Points
Strong effervescent taste on the entry, mellows out a little with air but still present. Delightful Musar
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2019 - dagmf Likes this wine: 91 Points
Flott, men vil ha godt av mer tid i kjelleren.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2019 - forceberry wrote: 84 Points
2006 was a very difficult vintage, but not that much because of the climatic conditions – which were remarkable by themselves, feeling like a never-ending spring with only 10 days of summer weather – but due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Although it seemed that there wouldn't be any opportunity to do harvest the fruit at all, everybody still carried on normally despite the volatile conditions and fortunately a ceasefire came before the harvest. However, unlike the vintages that normally feel ready to be released after 7 years of aging, this wine was still in shambles in 2013 when the wine was supposed to be released, which is why the winery decided to postpone the release for a year. And then another. And yet another. Finally, the wine was ready for release in the spring of 2017. 14% alcohol. Decanted for a few hours before tasting the wine.
Somewhat translucent and slightly developed dark cherry color with a hint of maroon and a pale, clear rim. Somewhat sweet-toned but otherwise rather mute nose with very little distinction - vague dark fruits and nothing much else. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with quite reticent flavors of cherry marmalade, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit and a slightest touch of balsamic VA. The wine is moderately high in acidity with quite soft and gentle tannins. The finish is ripe and quite sweet-toned but also somewhat underwhelming with rather short flavors of wizened black cherries, some earthy tones, a little bit of plummy dark fruit, light smoky tones and an autumnal hint of damp leaves.
A surprisingly reticent and underwhelming effort for a Musar. At first the wine was so mute that almost everybody assumed the wine was corked. However, the wine slowly opened up over the course of the evening and never once exhibited any TCA aromatics, so we chalked up the dumb nature of the wine as bottle variation, which certainly isn't unheard of when it comes to Musar. Nevertheless, it is always possible that the wine was corked so very slightly that the notes of TCA were beneath the threshold of detection, but still enough to mask the fruit. Whatever the case, this was among the least impressive wines in our vertical of Musar 2012-1997 and not really worth the price at 33,40€.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/24/2019 - bethel31 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened for 3 hrs before consuming. On the nose, a bit of barnyard and spice. Soft tannins, spicy and quite a long finish. Very much like Left Bank Bordeaux. Ready to drink.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
10/5/2019 - bengemarräng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tastes like Musar, a very good Musar. Quite powerful directly while opened, which I prefered more than 2-3 hours with air. Feels balanced today but will be interesting with mature notes. 90p
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2019 - NickBurwood wrote:
Very dry cork although no obvious taint.
Core fruit of intense spiced cherry, ripe tending towards sweet but with a strange lack of balancing complexity, secondaries and acidity which I suspect may be down to this particular bottle. Enjoyable enough 88-89 pointer (with food) but below expectations. Will try again in due course and report back.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2019 - kim@meko.ru Likes this wine: 95 Points
This time we paired it with lamb neck fillet in Oriental spice crust. Memorable dinner! And the wine really deserves high score.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2019 - ricard Likes this wine: 92 Points
The least Musar-like Musar I've had recently. I do like this - it's good stuff - but it's not as excitingly complex and odd as your standard-issue Musar. The 2006 appears to be a rounded, polished vintage, barely bretty and funky - the things I look for in Musar. We had it slightly chilled, so any weird characteristics were even more muted. However - still lots of highly enjoyable sweet spiciness (cloves and cinnamon and nutmeg) and some earthy notes, and decent plump fruit. An interesting wine, this vintage, but not a great one.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2019 - Thefatbastard wrote:
Bu en vertical, clairement il faut les attendre les Musar... le 2004 et 2006 encore trop jeune à mon goût!
1999: à point, de la fraise, soyeux, long et complexe. Sublime.
2001: un peu plus animal, cuir, avec du fruit. Très bien.
Le 2004 et 2006. Encore sur le fruit primaire. Tannins encore presents. Plus costaud.
Une belle vertical pour évaluer l’incroyable longévité des Musar et déterminer celui à notre goût.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Appelsinskall, medisinskap, plomme, kaffe. Ekstrem syre. Intens, litt funky flaske. Litt tørket frukt. Noe blomster, vakker struktur. Lang. 92
Mye flaskevariasjon på disse. Denne var elegant.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2019 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au wrote: 88 Points
Did not meet my expectations ....will reserve judgement till we try the next one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2019 - kim@meko.ru Likes this wine: 95 Points
Even better than first bottle. No need for decantation, lasted 3,5 hours in bottle. Excellent, rounded and very lively with lots of sour cherry and some tobacco. Beautiful right now and has a lot of potential shelf life.
7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/2/2019 - Marmaras Likes this wine: 94 Points
A complex wine, full body, optimally matured tannins, long finish, this vintage 2006 invites you to enjoy, great!
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2019 - rexmerlot wrote: 92 Points
Clear ruby in colour. Notes of red currant, cherry, baking spice and floral. Dry, med body, med acidity, smooth elegant tannins. This wine is drinking very well right now. Very approachable. This is a wine definitely worth having in your cellar. Paired beautifully with lamb shanks.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2019 - benjamin96 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nez plus discret que la bouche, sur des notes de fruits rouge. La bouche est sur des fruits rouges et noir avec une finale juste assez raccoleuse. Ça se boit très bien! Beaucoup moins de tertiaire et de volatile que le 99 et 01 bu récemment, mais tout de même le petit côté animal propre à musar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2019 - aagrawal wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with the wine group (Millbrae, CA): Highly aromatic, tamari, umami; palate has plenty of primary fruit but also with some tertiary complexity already. Really unique Musar, among the best in the table tonight. 93-95
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2019 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Three Musar's at Ashish's (Ashish's): Out of the bottle - brooding and balsamic, also slightly raisinated with a hint of dark merlot-Cab fruit. Double-decanted in the morning then recorded.
Seems centered, with pomegranate and cassis. Slight dried black cherry. Very interesting. Tastes like there’s more VA - it’s lifted somehow.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2019 - Larre Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a very promising Musar with all the hallmark components of the wine – layers of dark and red fruit, depth and complexity, and volatile esters on the nose. Will keep my remaining bottles for 10+ years since this will most certainly evolve into another legendary Musar. 93+
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2019 - Martin_G wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable indeed. At beginning of drinking window, which i guess will be very long... beautiful wine and nice pairing with slow-roast reindeer...
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2019 - Laurentcg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Toujours aussi bon.
Je suis ambivalent à faire vieillir quand c'est à mon goût maintenant.
Plus sur les fruits rouges que le tertiaire, mais il est présent en arrière plan.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2019 - Laurentcg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bouteille similaire à celle ouverte en juin, provenant d'un autre arrivage.
Toujours agréable de goûter à cette signature de Musar.
Moins mentholé à l'ouverture que les 1999 et 2001.
Davantage de fruits rouges que de tertiaire.
Ça descend tout seul, avec ou sans nourriture.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2018 - jan erik wrote: 93 Points
- Crimsom color - From a magnum. Glorius wine woth a lot of fruits and starting to get the famous Musar tertiaur niveau smells of aceton etc.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2018 - BSA Likes this wine: 92 Points
From magnum. Juicy and cool dark cherries, red fruits and ripe plums at first, with some hints of leather, cardboard, pipe tobacco and spice. With time in the glass I got the classic lilac flower and nail polish remover. Long, lingering finish. Solid stuff. Young but very drinkable now. 93p
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2018 - janka Likes this wine: 93 Points
You must have a really expensive Bordeaux wine to match this. Sure the best Bordeaux is better but i like this a lot. To lamb its perfect.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2018 - figged Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cork broke, very dry although stored in controlled cellar. Was bought from Waitrose, could have been stood upright too long?
Tasted slightly oxidised on opening, after less than 30 minutes this subsided and revealed a beautiful Musar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2018 - gazinho Likes this wine: 94 Points
This 2006 wine is ageing well.
The lustrous garnet has ageing tints to the meniscus.
Vanilla, tobacco and plummy aromas.
It floods the palate with generous and complex fruit.
Supremely long finish that again blossoms.
This upfront wine is perfectly judged, neither too much sun, too much maceration, too much oak.
Tannins are utterly integrated and balanced with fruit and acidity.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2018 - kim@meko.ru Likes this wine: 94 Points
Young and fruity, excellent wine respecting the price. Hard to believe it’s a Lebanese wine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2018 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Har roet seg ned litt siste året og begynner å drikke bra nå. Syren er bedre integrert og tanninene noe mere polert. Litt søt frukt med ellers flott balanse.
Flott nese. Plommer, fiken, tobakk, rips. Samme i munn. Flott struktur, frisk med bra lengde. 92
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2018 - Vintomas wrote: 91 Points
Balanced and powerful nose with ripe red fruit together with some dark fruit, some pepper and garrigue (dried herbs), and some tar. Medium+ body with ripe red and some dark fruits, some sweetness of fruit and fine purity in the fruit notes, pepper and other spices, hints of alcohol and some pleasantly "rough" notes, some tannin that is well integrated in the fruit, and an aftertaste with berries and spices. Drinks well now but will develop further, 91 pts.
This vintage is very good and surprisingly "non-funky" for being a Chateau Musar. Stylistically, this could have been a good southern Rhône wine with its alcohol level in check. As this vintage was released late (out of order, after 2007-2009), I had expected it to be more closed or tannic, but in my opinion, this drinks beautifully now.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2018 - Skrutt (Formerly RotHead) wrote: 90 Points
Lots of plummy and sweet fruit and pleasant tannins. Fresh. Tomorrow I’ll try it with food and perhaps come up with a score. 88-91 at the moment.
Great tannins. Really saturated, as it were.
Yes, with black currant-glazed ribs, grilled parsnip and sweet potato and the wine reinforced the sweetness and fruitiness.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2018 - La Grappe wrote: 91 Points
A deep colour, mahogany; very perfumed fruit with noticeable oak and some sweetness. Good depth and overall a very appealing wine: fragrant, rich and long. Drinking well now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2018 - Derek Nadon Likes this wine:
Super la plus belle des deux bouteilles
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2018 - Bearbus wrote:
Young, oak forward and ripe-ish fruit, less VA than other vintages it seems. M guesses Musar blind but BY struggle. We all enjoy it though. Needs time
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2018 - adamanko Likes this wine: 91 Points
An old sock drawer, dark berries, cinnamon, clove, a room where the window haven't been open for a couple of years.
Fabulous. The socks disappear and more fruit comes in play later on.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2018 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 90 Points
I had a six-pack of these which I had hidden away with the intention of not touching them for a few years, but after reading reviews (and particularly comments on the "Chateau Musar musings" thread in the discussion forum) I succumbed and opened one up today.
I gave it 4 hours in the decanter before drinking with a pepper steak.
It has the classic Musar nose with somewhat more alcohol apparent than is sometimes the case, and less (in fact almost none) of the rustic funkiness.
On the palate it's a decent balance of fruit, tannins and acidity, but somehow I feel that there isn't quite the complexity of fruit flavours or overall power that my favourite vintages (currently 1999) have.
Interestingly, there was almost no dark sediment in the bottle, but in the glass I am getting a significant amount of tartrate crystals, which I haven't seen in any other Musar.
My overall take on this is that with a few more years this vintage perhaps will develop some more complexity of flavours to match the 1999, but it needs time to do that.
But if you can't wait then it's still a very good wine indeed.
(I sampled it soon after I opened it, and the main difference over the 4 hours was that the acidity was a little prominent when opened and moderated later. Otherwise no big change, so compared to other vintages this is one that you can pull and pour with less loss vs decanting for a few hours.)
11 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2018 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Once again a great value wine and barring the first looks of people who dnt know it ( a Lebanese wine ???) a great experience once again. We actually love to serve this blind and see peoples reaction.
Bordeaux blend, classic in a way, and in a very much great time to be enjoyed now. Round, soft tannin, energetic wine though with good fruit and nice length. Very solid 91
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)
8/14/2018 - wheatacus Likes this wine: 90 Points
Was decanted an hour by NW. Full bodied wine with balanced tannins. Bold and strong, not jammy.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/14/2018 - NiklasW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Very primary, very fruity, with a hint of VA. This gave the impression of a strong wine, powerful and brawny. The palate follows with lots of good fruit and tannins. Definitely has many years ahead of it.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2018 - colmanstephenson wrote:
Drunk at Niamh's 50th birthday dinner at Temple House in Sligo along with some 2009.
Very happy with how this is showing, but no analysis done at the time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2018 - Hanibal wrote: 89 Points
Not as good as my last one. Nose was not open even after opening the bottle 10 hours. Bottle variation maybe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2018 - Svein Vold Likes this wine: 92 Points
Farge: Mørk kirsebærrød med et brunskjær mot kanten. Intens duft av mørke frukter, krydder og noe treverk. I munnen enormt rik med samme smakstoner, litt lakris, sigarkasse, litt skogbunn. Perfekt integrerte tanniner, enormt lang, den bare fortsetter og fortsetter. Herregud, for en vin! I en blindsmaking er det no way at jeg ville gjettet noe annet enn kvalitets-Bordeaux! Ok, den har 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, men ellers er det druesorter som ikke er med i tradisjonell Bdx blend (Carignan og Cinsault). Men i min gane smaker dette Bdx i prisklassen 7-800 kr og oppover. Også koster den 370 kr! Er dette polets beste rødvinskjøp?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2018 - Laurentcg wrote: 92 Points
Mon premier Musar
Couleur rubis translucide
Nez sur les fruits rouges, le bois, l’humide, les fines herbes.
En bouche, je le trouve à point. Tannin fondu, belle complexité, fruits rouges, mûres, fines herbes, bois humide.
Finale moyenne.
Toute en finesse.
Je vais racheter.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2018 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 90 Points
Served with roast lamb. Dark maroon colour, and slightly cloudy in the glass. Peppermint nose, with dark berries. Aniseed and orange peel on the palate. I thought still a little young, however my table companions thought it was perfect now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2018 - jeppejeppe Likes this wine: 94 Points
The cork broke. Not decanted. Very well balanced, rich, fruity, soft tannins and long aftertaste. Didn't improve the next day. Think I prefer Musar young.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2018 - ricard Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium cherry colour and the characteristic orange rim of Musar. Somewhat alcoholic on the nose, but some nice clove spice coming through as well. Powerful acidity - almost abrasive, but nicely offset by the splendidly idiosyncratic combination of brambly fruit and unapologetic spiciness. No Musar-ish brett on this one (disappointingly!) Good, but not the best Musar I've had.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2018 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
I very much like this vintage of Chateau Musar. A leaner style than typical with good, persistent acidity and fine tannins. Thirds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. The product of a cooler year, held back by the winery for release 11, not the usual seven, years from harvest. Good, deep garnet. Aromas of blackcurrant, oak dresser, new leather, black spices and hints of tar and espresso. Savoury and dry with flavours of blackberries, blackcurrants, some dried fruit, cedar and suggestions of pine needles and fresh herbs. Alcohol moderate at 14%. Drink or cellar.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2018 - Double-A Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark, garnet colour. Mature aromatics of mushroom liqueur, pumpernickel toast and dried currants with forest floor and graphite minerality. Evolved ripeness of fruit with a striking mineral complexity. Tannins are polished and supportive; finishes with great complexity and length.
5/5
A great hybrid of European styles, it's a bit of Bordeaux, Tuscany and Ribera del Duero with the unique Bekaa valley capping off the profile.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2018 - Lyubomir Lefterov wrote: 92 Points
DIscover VINO - Fine wines corner; 5/11/2018-5/12/2018 (Sofia): If blind I would totally go South France. This is so nicely balanced,polished and charming, yet vivid and energetic, beautifully drinking now but no rush.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2018 - Derek Nadon Likes this wine:
Première expérience avec Musar le vin comble mes attentes.
Un jeune Musar adolescent un peu dans une phase ingrate , beau arômes fait presque Châteauneuf aucune lourdeur très intéressant .
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2018 - Jean-Philippe M Likes this wine:
Toujours aussi bon du Musar. Dans une phase moins intéressante en ce moment, mais tout comme le 2009, quelques années en cave va aider cette magnifique bouteille.
4/5
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2018 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe fruit on the nose, raisins. Dark berries on the palate, some cherries, hints of forest floor. Full bodied, complex. Nice food wine, a bit odd but tasty nonetheless.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2018 - LWI wrote: 90 Points
Volatile, exciting, wild, not very harmonious
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2018 - Bearbus Likes this wine:
Quite floral, cedary, woodsy. A bit raw, highish acidity, will do better with more time
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep colour, gorgeous nose. Excellent soft, sweet fruit soon after opening. Mainly dark cherries and berries but with damson notes evolving. Lots of Musar spice - very harmonious but complex. It seemed much sweeter than usual. Most of the bottle was kept until dinner the next day when it was better balanced but still complex and a good match for a rare fillet steak. It has a great future and it will be fascinating to see how it develops with the years.
Note. This was a restaurant purchase in the English Lake District. A very fair mark-up at £47 but even more attractive with a 20% loyalty card discount making it £37.60.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2018 - Balthasar wrote: 91 Points
Ethereal nose, sweet rose oil, flowers, dark fruits and hint of wood spice. Harmonious, silky palate, no hard edges. Nicely balanced, a tad sweet for my palate, nonetheless quite lovely. Should be a fine companion with oriental food.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Barolo Dinner (Tim and Elliott's Place, San Francisco): Double decanted 18 hours before. Moderately aromatic, umami, soy; palate is medium bodied, superb medium-plus acidity, soft integrated tannins, soy, umami, almost caramelized; medium-long finish. A superb Musar which should age really well. 92-93
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Double-decanted ~18hrs before.
High fill, cork normal - good integrity and soaked through 2 mm.
Out of the bottle: Medium ruby with some sediment and some crimson at the rim.
Heady, figgy VA with some suggestions of cassis fruit. Volatile cherry leaf perfume. Some earth - though overt brett isn't apparent at the moment. The predominant character is fig and date skin - sort of a vague raisiny / golden raisin type of fruit, with some acetaldehyde character. Very interesting nose - showing glimpses of fresh fruit as well as dried-out ephemeral fruit.
Medium body, slightly elevated alcohol - feels 13.5%, medium plus acid, medium tannins - fine grained and satiny.
At dinner:
Nose is phenomenal for young Musar. Explosive black cherry and black currant and shades of tamari blackberry. Slight tamari umami. Slightly primary but quite developed. This might be one of the most intense pre-inflection Musar I’ve had. Palate shows a variety of pomegranate and red cherry. Beautiful balance. Check again in 5 years!
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2018 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 86 Points
BYOB with wines 30+ years (Sollentuna): Old wooden coffer, green stems, lots of sweet berries, oak. Guessed a luxurious new world blend.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2018 - Baron Samedi wrote:
Either this is over the hill or the bottle wasn´t properly stored. Smelled and tasted like old burgundy. Some acidity still, but most of the fruit gone.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/10/2018 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Medium bodied, crystalline, ruby red. Cedar, spicebox, old leather and sweet red and purple berries on the nose with a hint of VA that elevates it and adds to the exoticism and complexity. (Autocorrect changed that to eroticism which is equally apt). Smooth and mouth filling, deceptively sweet taste that fans out through your mouth and up the back of your nasal passages. Finishes with sweet fruit, moderate tannins and a hint of tartness, but lingering waves of flavour. Quite delicious!
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2018 - M.Y. Chong Likes this wine:
Musar always deliver. 2nd vintage of this excellent producer. Unmistakably Musar on the nose, and in the palate.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2018 - S_Kaaria Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs at least 2 hours to decant. Powerful earthyness, oak and leather on the nose. Beautiful dried fruits such as plum and apricots on the palate. Quite firm tannins for a 11 year old vintage. Could be aged further for at least 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2018 - Cikgoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Distinctive! Powerful Bordeaux like with lots of oak and leather
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2018 - PCVT wrote: 91 Points
Un côté un peu sucré en bouche qui s'estompe le lendemain. Beaucoup de finesse et une bouche qui fait saliver. Peut se garder longtemps
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2018 - PEKB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Piptobak, liten örtighet, sötlakrits, mörka bär och, inbillar vi oss, kryddor från mellanöstern såsom saffran. Läcker munkänsla. Kraft, komplexitet, eleganta fat. Funkade mer än väl till kvalitetskebab. Pur drickglädje!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2018 - thunberg wrote: 92 Points
@BYOB, tasted blind
Wonderful and massvive, oak, leather, dark fruit, slight sweetness. Will last for a long time.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2018 - Lilja wrote: 92 Points
Distinct bretty barnyard on the nose. Leather, tobacco, cinnamon, dried fruit, cherries and a slight touch of raisins. Very fresh and focused on the palate with good acidity, a medium+ body and medium tannins. Compared to the previous Musar release (2007) this was less sweet fruit and better structure. To my taste one of the better Musars in the last few years.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2018 - Gerbos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Kryddade plommon och torkade russin i inledningen och toner av såväl nejlika, kummin och möjligtvis en släng av saffran. Mycket kropp och en avslutning som snyggt återkopplar till inledningen. Samtidigt som avslutningen tillför toner av läder och tobak och, framförallt!, en mäktig tanninsyra som är viktig för vinets ballans. Ett välgjort och modigt vin. Den libanesiska tappningen på traditionella druvor är både träffsäker och unik.
Vinet blev som bäst efter att ha fått luftas i 1-2 timmar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2018 - Vetle wrote:
Mye smak! 1 time på karaffel før servering
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
3 hours in decanter. Ruby core with orange rim. Orange peel, plums, tobacco and some leather on the nose. Fresh mouth with plums, cherries, figs, leather and some tobacco in mouth. An extraordinary acid and dense fine polished tannins goves a very good, somewhat closed grip. Long-term balanced finish. Will probably develop nicely within 5-10 years. Will probably last for another decade. 92
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - Hanibal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours and then put back in the bottle for dinner. The nose is red fruit, glue, oak and some vanilla. Color is dark red. On the palate tannins are medium and smooth very well integrated. Full body. Acidity is medium. Alcohol is medium. Tastes like a right flank Bordeaux very similar to merlot. The taste is long 45s at least. It is still drying a little and could benefit from a bit more aging I think it could gain more with time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2017 - ttholst wrote: 94 Points
Fra magnum, mye friskere nesten uten brett.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2017 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
Opened and served. A very good wine and real value for money. As one of our friends who tried this blind said this is a french wine (meaning bordeaux) but not really from France. A very fitting comment.
Quite open at this stage, well evolved and has a very cabernet sauvignon feel to it, dark fruited, light leather, light cedar. Well round but with a firm presence, good tannin and acidity and well assimilated oak. Very solid 91-92 and drinks very well now
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2017 - shallIshantI Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aubergine Chermoula with bulgar as the starter, a rib of beef with a middle eastern gravy (with cinnamon, allspice, garlic, onion, nutmeg, parsley), then English cheeses and rose pannacota for dessert.
A Gardet 120 with canapés to start.
2003 - 91. So clearly the lightest and most translucent but still punching strong for its age and opened up after a couple of hours. Drink now. Soft tannins and good fruit.
2004 - 90. Better nose. More assertive with sharper taste. This was the star of the evening last time. This time, it was the one with a vegetal whiff. Light tawny. Still has that cherry on the palate.
2005 - 92. Distinctly darker next to the last 2. Punchy and heavier. Notes of almost fortified wine. High acidity. Probably peaking next year.
2006 - 91. Still tannic. A few years to go yet. Some pepper, tar and herbs (but still sweet). Musar held back the 2006 before release
2007 - 92. The favourite for a couple of us. Coffee beans and ripe fruits. A hot year.
2008 - 91. Dark purple. Dark fruits and a hint of cloves.
The food makes a huge difference. We used a quarter of the chilli powder the recipe called for, half the yoghurt. We also tried and discounted pork with the Musar.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2017 - TronnR wrote:
Farge / lukt: Klar varmrød. Flott animalsk duft med godt preg av varm moden rød frukt, jordsmonn, eksotisk trevirke, litt røyk.
Smak: Stor fylde, flott frukt fin syre, veldig kjøttfull til Musar å være, fortsatt ung og lovende, fine runde tanniner, lang krydret ettersmak.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2017 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Aromas of sweet dark berries and horse stable. Generous, frank and seductive. Lacks some concentration, maybe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/10/2017 - jmcmchi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not keeping up to date on Musar, I was surprised to learn the '06 was released only this year, but the taste explains the timing.
Ripe bright fruit - plums and earth with a hint of bitter cherry on edge. Medium body, medium + slightly gritty tannins, good acidity
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/19/2017 - ttholst wrote: 92 Points
Lukt av våt, svett hest, møkkakjeller, solbær, bjørnebær, dadler og aceton. Smak av solbær, bjørnebær, gul tørket frukt, nellik, muskat, bringebær og mørk sjokolade. Ren men litt skitten frukt. Frukten føles moden. Mild tannin.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2017 - Keith Cooper Likes this wine: 88 Points
Tasted at the Whitewater Valley Wine Society, Hampshire, UK. Chateau Musar tasting. First of four bottle vertical tasting. This wine has a strong structure after a year in oak barrels. There are strawberry fruity notes as well as the distinctive earthy richness. Very popular with members.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2017 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rød med oransje kant. Plommer, tobakk, fiken og tørka blomster på nese. I munn er det plommer, rips, tobakk, lær og litt fiken. Imponerende syre, modne tanniner og fantastisk balanse. Brukbar lengde. Deilig vin. Moden nå, men holder mye lengre. 92p
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2017 - penguinoid Likes this wine:
NB: Note made the day after tasting
Nose: quite fruity with little Brett or funk. Plums, liqueured black cherries, prunes. Black and red fruit, warmed in the sun, dried plum stones. Warm earth. Sweet spice.
Palate: again, lots of rich warm black and red fruit, but with a hint of bitterness -- as you get from bitter dark chocolate -- in the background. Plums, black cherries, prunes, perhaps raisins. Sweet spice. Bitter chocolate. Acidity moderate, berry like, balanced. Very smooth tannins. Rich and, though dry, all the fruit character provides some sweetness. 14% alcohol.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2017 - Zorg wrote:
Way too young for me, will leave the rest of my bottles for at least 5 more years. A very clean vintage of Musar, no brett or funk at all which is a disappointment to me.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2017 - BastardMontrachet Likes this wine: 91 Points
mörka bär, svarta vinbär, fin doft och fantastisk längd
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2017 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 92 Points
{@ Restaurant in Reykjavik, Iceland; Decanted x 15 minutes and drunk over 90 minutes} Classic Musar nose, delicious, lovely scent, cherries and both red and black fruits; medium full middle and long length. For me is in drinking window and will hold for years. Better after open an hour.
[$165 on list, a relative bargain in Iceland]
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2017 - Herschel Krustofski Likes this wine:
50ml sample from Coravin; first access.
Classic Musar nose, but not even close to being ready.
Drink from 2021-2025.
I'd recommend driniking the 2003 or 2004 now, both ready, but 2006 will need longer than average, or the full 15 years recommended by the late Serge Hochar.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2017 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points
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 an effort for a Musar with a surprisingly noticeable raisiny character, especially given the cooler vintage. 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.
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2017 - WineTally Likes this wine:
Third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan.
A(ccuracy)=2: Medium garnet with slight brown tint; subdued plum and prune nose.
B(alance) =2: Acid overtone.
C(omplexity)=2: Elegant sweetness.
D(epth) =1: Medium length and finish.
WineTally Score [2,2,2,1]=7/10
Note: A very difficult vintage both climatically (cold) and geopolitically (war). Knowing the full story helps appreciate this wine.
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment