'Left-field' whites (TWS North London) (Must and Lees, Liverpool Road): This won Wine of the Night by a distance, but I didn't feel it was so far ahead of the others as the votes indicated. On the nose I initially had a startling but thankfully fleeting memory of the smell of gym bags and changing rooms, which blew away with time.
Overall, this is not yet showing its age at all. It's less oxidised than you might expect, with those indigenous Lebanese varietals (Obaideh and Merwah) working their magic. Hugely rich and opulent and retaining a lot of fruit (especially baked apples and quince), but the predominant memory is butter, nuts, mellowness and enjoyment.
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What wine goes with Chinese food? Dinner (Phoenix Palace London): Served blind (by me, so I knew what it was...) deep colour, almost orange, the palate and nose are fresher than this. A kind of soapy or waxy mouthfeel, the fruit is still there and there is a lovely framing from the oxidative character. Of the oxy flight, to me it sat between the Tondoniae in terms of loveliness.
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Presented blind in a label-less Riesling bottle. Obviously not Riesling, though. Then someone promptly called it as Musar :-)
Deep orange. Subtle but funky nose. Again subtle, even a bit weak, on the palate - served too cold? A touch of rose petal, very slightly sweet, and creamier with air. I definitely liked this, but not as much as the Tondos.
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Lunch at Noizé: Full gold. A touch of orange blossom on the nose when first opening with an unctuous texture. Three hours on this has tightened and calmed a little. Waxy and leggy. There’s a surprising lightness and line here with filigree. O peel it’s woven around it. Another wine I’ve not looked at for over a decade, and time has served it well, perhaps freshening it a little. A clear step up from 04 currently, and a more complete wine. ****
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Tasted blind. A golden color with an amber hue. A very mature, pungeant nose with notes of dried fruits, almond, wood and a citrusy edge. On the palate relatively full-bodied and thick with mild acidity. Not a lot of fruity character but it has plenty of secondary flavor and plenty of life left. An acquired taste, but interesting for sure.
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Brought this bottle to a Musar dinner which included the '95, '01, '10, and '13 blanc.
This bottle was opened but not decanted around an hour and a half before serving. It was probably served around cellar temperature evolve (positively) as it continued to warm up over the evening. Initially, the nose on this was quite quiet, but the palate was strong from the start with an almost chenin blanc-y character. Quite fresh for a 22-year-old wine. This was drinking best at the end of the night -- much more open. I think this bottle would have benefitted from a relatively lengthy decant (a couple of hours, at least). This was my favorite of the whites we opened -- plenty of aged characteristics (distinguishing it from the '10 and '13 which seemed relatively anonymous to me) but not nearly as sherry-like as the '95.
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Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved medium-deep burnished golden yellow to medium amber color. Evolved, moderately tertiary and very complex nose with sweet-toned aromas of dried apricots, bruised apples and beeswax, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light caramel notes, a hint of dusty old wood, a touch of terracotta and a whiff of browned butter. The wine is broad, savory and very complex with a full body, slightly viscous mouthfeel and layered flavors of dried apricots and honeydew melon, some tertiary nutty tones, a little bit of dusty old wood, light stony mineral notes, hints of honey and caramel and a touch of bruised apple. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't lend that much freshness to the wine, but feels more than adequate to keep the wine balanced and structured enough. The finish is broad, evolved and slightly viscous with a lengthy, complex aftertaste of honeydew melon and bruised apple, some syrupy tones, a little bit of wizened nectarine, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of beeswax and a touch of browned butter.
This was quite recognizable for an old Musar - and based on the combination of evolved flavors and somewhat modest yet not low acidity, 2001 was an obvious choice for the vintage. This bottle seemed slightly more evolved and slightly more oxidative compared to the bottle we had a few months ago. Stylistically this was almost identical, but I'd say the wine we had earlier this year was marginally better with its slightly more vibrant fruit. However, this still remains an exceptional vintage of Musar Blanc that still keeps on going despite its slightly lower level of acidity. I can imagine people who don't like oxidative, tertiary nuances in their white wine can find this wine ponderous and too old, but I'm more than happy how this wine is now. I doubt there is much potential for further development here, but most likely the wine will keep just fine for years more. At just 30€ it's hard to think of better value for the money.
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Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2014-1998 vertical.
Very deep, luminous and intensely-colored golden yellow appearance. The fascinating, evolved nose shows rich and complex aromas of browned butter and toasted brioche, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of roasted chestnut, light peachy tones of very ripe stone fruits, a hint of sweet smoke, a touch of wild honey and a whiff of creaminess. The wine is rich, complex and very oily - even slightly viscous - on the palate with a rather full body and bold, developed flavors of browned butter and roasted nuts, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light smoky notes of popcorn, hints of dried apricots and wizened exotic fruits and a touch of cooked cream. The medium-to-moderately high acidity is a bit on the lower side for a Musar, but it feels high enough to keep the wine quite effortlessly in balance and lends it some sense of structure despite the rich texture. The finish is ripe, rich and very long with complex flavors of toasty brioche and oxidative nuttiness, some beeswax, a little bit of acacia honey, light saline mineral tones, a hint of lemon curd and a touch of dried exotic fruits.
This was my sixth bottle of 2001 Musar Blanc and fifth bottle that was nothing short of exceptional. Even though I normally prefer Musar whites that are less ponderous and show more freshness, this is still a fantastic, beautifully evolved and quite tertiary white wine that manages to show some vibrant fruit despite its advanced age. This seems like a vintage that has evolved a bit faster than some of the surrounding vintages - based on not only this bottle, but an observation over six bottles - but while some felt the wine was getting a bit too advanced, I thought the wine was either at its peak or close to it. While not a youngster anymore, I think this wine will either keep for at least a handful of years more, or evolve even further from here - not by much, mind you. In our vertical tasting this was my favorite wine with the slightly fresher and more delicate, but similarly fantastic and beautifully evolved 1998 vintage. At just 30€ this has been an absolute bargain.
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Musarathon (Ariana II): My fourth or perhaps fifth bottle from a case, and I think the best. Colour - deep yellow, almost orange. On the nose - oxidative, vibrant. On the palate - so much going on, yes a slight hint of waxiness in the mouthfeel, but also a length there, and a hint of something, liquorice maybe, that gives it an extra dimension of complexity. My WOTN.
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Some weekend wines at the end of April; 4/30/2022-5/1/2022 (The leafy West London suburbs): Night 2. Pleasurable but less vitality than yesterday evening. Usually Musar peaks on day 2 or 3 so I wonder if this was a particularly advanced bottle. Nonetheless - very good wine, and felt somewhat indulgent to be drinking it on my own (or at least - with children who are NOT drinking alcohol).
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Some weekend wines at the end of April; 4/30/2022-5/1/2022 (The leafy West London suburbs): The most orange coloured bottle of this I’ve had. Popped and poured. Ready to go from the offset, after 20 minutes or so started to show its oxidative sherry character, but so well balanced. Old church on the nose - stone and a hint of insence. In depth and elegance up there with the now unaffordable / unobtainable Tondonia Blanco GRs. Shared a glass with my sister, who is not a wine nerd. She absolutely loved it - which at first surprised me and then I suppose didn’t.
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Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2012-1994 vertical.
Deep golden yellow color. Evolved, very complex and still remarkably fruit-forward nose with captivating, sweetish aromas of caramel and lemon marmalade, some acacia honey, a little bit of wizened apricot, light sweet notes of bitter almond oil or cherry pits, a developed hint of creaminess - even strawberry cream - and a touch of almost overripe apricot. Lots of stuff happening here. The wine feels rich, textural and even slightly oily on the palate with ripe and moderately evolved flavors of spicy wildhoney, some wizened peach tones, a little bit of developed creaminess, light toffee nuances, a hint of stone minerality and a sweet touch of Sultanas. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't feel as bright and zippy as in some vintages, but it is more than adequate to keep the wine balanced and structured enough. The long finish is impressively complex with subtly sweetish flavors of ripe apricots, some dried-fruit notes of Sultanas and wizened nectarines, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light caramel tones, a hint of exotic brown spices and a touch of candied orange peel.
This is the fifth time I taste this particular vintage of Musar Blanc, and apart from the less impressive bottle we had in early 2020, this has been consistently one of the most impressive vintages of white Musar. The acidity feels a bit on the low side here - at least compared to some of the vintages - and while the lack of acidic zip doesn't make the wine feel unbalanced in any way, it feels the wine is evolving a bit fasted than some other vintages, making the wine appear slightly weightier and more dull with age. Thus, it might be that even this was one of the most impressive wines we opened this night, it might be possible that this wine was showing its best 5 years ago. This is still and extraordinary wine, but not as exceptional as it has been. Or then it's just bottle variation. Or then this vintage is in a slight slump at the moment, so perhaps this will be again something otherworldly in another 5-10 years. Who knows? What matters to me is that at just 30€ this has been an absolute steal.
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A beautiful deep gold colour - much deeper than later vintages in my cellar. This was disappointing when first opened (Serge noted that this happened with his 1959 Blanc and describes how it opened, developed, and changed character becoming ever more complex and interesting over the course of a week - yes, a week). After 5 hours, the nose showed rich fruit with citrus and herb notes that were amplified on the palate. Early, less attractive flavours had disappeared but the lemon citrus and lemon curd notes were prominent with an attractive, complex richness and almond (+ skin) flavours. To quote part of a perceptive note from Steven Spurrier on this vintage: ‘balanced by a Tarte Tatin quince-like acidity leading to a mellow, dry finish with endless length’. Still true, some years after his note. The length was simply amazing. Give this wine time and trust it - let it gradually show its qualities. Follow its progress over time with confidence and don’t be put off. It is not an ‘easy’ wine and it doesn’t reveal all early on. Note. We tasted the wine 24h after opening (stored at room temperature) and it was even better. The nose was perfumed. There was no oxidative character at all. The palate had a smooth, soft, complex fruit with a citrus and herb core. A creamy, intense middle with lemon and lemon curd as above. Great mouthfeel and the longest finish I can ever remember. An exceptional wine. I have added a point on the basis of its performance over 24 hours. Note. Just for the record, a small sample was retained and, 48h after opening, the wine was interesting but not as good. Oaky character had emerged and the fruit had been overtaken by herb/herbal notes.
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Last one - and the first bottle of 5 or 6 that wasn't fully oxidized. Still, past it's prime. The white is not suitable for long aging, in my experience.
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The filling-level of this bottle was upper mid shoulder, the cork was soaked, and the wine had and evolved-looking dark golden colour. The rich and full-bodied wine offered ripe apricot, dried stone fruit, orange marmalade, burned brown sugar, caramel, wild honey, spice notes, mild herbal notes, some beeswax, mild tea and some VA on the nose and palate, and was well-balanced, with great concentration, an amazing, oily and smooth texture, and great persistence. The botrytis-like character gave the wine an interesting twist. As all Chateau Musar wines, the wine benefited from aeration and drank best at 14 to 15 degrees.
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Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2010-1992 vertical.
Deep, concentrated burnished golden color with a thin, colorless rim. Surprisingly mute - almost dead - nose with nuanced yet very subtle, sweet-toned aromas of pineapple, some mushroomy tones, a little bit of overripe apricot, light notes of beeswax and a lifted hint of nail polish VA. The wine is oily, full-bodied and rather concentrated on the palate with developed and rather reticent flavors of wizened peach, some mushroomy umami tones, a little bit of overripe apricot, light developed notes of bruised apple, a hint of chopped almonds and a touch of orange marmalade. The wine is only medium in acidity, which feels relatively low for a white Musar, and makes the wine come across as rather weighty, even heavy. The finish is rich, concentrated and heavy, but not particularly powerful. A long yet slightly underwhelming aftertaste of peach, some wizened apricot, a little bit of exotic spice, light bruised apple tones, a hint of browned butter and an oxidative touch of nutty complexity.
A few years ago I had this wine multiple times and it was constantly one of the most impressive white Musars - both in verticals and on its own. However, the wine seems to have been peaking then, since now the overall feel here is noticeably less favorable: the wine still retains that impeccable complexity, but has lost intensity along the way, making the wine come relatively mild and underwhelming in aroma and taste. Furthermore, this has always been a relatively low-acid vintage for a white Musar. While the rich, concentrated and complex fruit has always made up for that lack of zip and verve, now the wine starts to come across as rather tired and heavy. It is still very delicious, but knowing how extraordinary this wine is at its best, this is a far cry from those experiences. Nevertheless, solid value at 30€.
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Oxidized. All 3 bottles purchased at the estate in Lebanon were oxidized. Chateau storage is probably not great. Still, I won’t buy older Musar white anymore.
Oh yes! I have little to add to my note of November 11 2018. Beautiful deep, rich gold. Good from the off - no VA, no flaws. Served a little below room temperature at first and allowed to warm in the glass towards room temperature, as preferred by Serge. Good fruit - it changed emphasis with time, as before - and excellent mouthfeel. The palate and freshness still do not chime with the age on the label - it seems a lot younger and yet it has a mature 'togetherness' that could not be expected from a young white. After an hour or two, apricot developed on the early palate and almond flavours on the middle, together with spicy citrus notes. It continued to develop (including the gentle caramel flavours mentioned earlier) over many hours. Very long indeed. Good with food but frankly even better on its own because it then receives ones full attention. Actually, we had water with a gently spiced chicken dish and kept this wine for soft blue cheese. Superb. The developing apricot sweetness and unctuous, rich character would have handled some puddings, perhaps a pannacotta with apricots and shortbread. Not for everyone but a wonderful bottle for those who appreciate Musar blanc. The development after opening forces a higher score - an incredible, memorable wine.
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A rich gold colour (like barsac or sauternes), and rich on the palate, but also restrained and retaining some juiciness. A good food wine. Not young, but not old either. Good stuff.
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Drinking beautifully now but still with plenty of life ahead of it. Wish I had more. Was fun to serve alongside Musar Rouge 99 with our Turkey at Christmas.
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No formal note Bruised apple aroma, premoxed burgundy nose Palate follows through similarly. Sadly it appears this is over the hill compared with past notes and my own tastes for this wine.
Drink up or avoid
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Superb wine, as always, even deeper gold in the glass than I remembered. Like DKSTAR1, I think the note from Rich S is a very good description. I also got some caramel, buttery toffee, and citrus flavours. The wine was served and kept at room temperature (as Serge insisted) and retained its fascinating, ever-changing complexity over 24 hours (although it was kept below room temperature overnight). By then, there were more prominent citrus flavours (lemon with a touch of orange) to add to the apricot and other fruits. Subtle vanilla/oak notes emerged on the very long late palate. Excellent with a creamy chicken and mushroom dish (and with soft cheese later) but at least as good on its own next day when the nose became more fragrant with time. Unique and special wine which has plenty of life ahead and, at 12.5% proves that you don't need a high alcohol content to hold together great richness, complexity and body. 92+
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My first time having Musar blanc and was certainly an interesting experience. Decanted for around 30 minutes. Deep golden color, hints of amber. Very complex on the nose with orange blossom honey, some apricot, golden raisin, a touch of paint thinner or VA but not in a distracting way, slightly nutty and oxidative notes. New aromas with every swirl. Similar flavors on the palate. The wine drank richly with a slightly waxy and oily mouthfeel but plenty of acidity which was essential in the drinking experience. Really interesting wine but certainly not for everyone.
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Quite lovely. No sense of where this wine is on its aging curve, but very good with Vietnamese food at Doi Moi in DC. Softer, very rich with light citrus and floral notes. Well balanced. Lovely mouthfeel. Clean finish. Not at all oxidized. Still has years ahead of it.
Dark yellow colour. Very expressive, complex and interesting nose. Slightly oxidised and sherry like. Dry and rather complex on the palate, with a low but evident acidity as well. Extremely interesting and quite good. Will keep for several more years. (The cork broke in half when opening the bottle, but the wine was in no way faulty.)
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Rather dark yellow with medium deep bronze hue. Not that expressive, but incredibly complex and slightly oxidative bouquet with layered, constantly evolving aromas of wizened peach, orange blossom, browned butter, some sweet, sweet dried yellow fruits, a little leafy greenness, hints of nutty aged Champagne aromas and a faint whiff of saline minerality. Rich, full-bodied and oily palate that seems to have concentrated with age; intense and remarkably complex flavors of ripe citrus fruits, lemon curd, vanilla, dried pineapple, cream, tangy saline minerality, some almond nuttiness and a hint of honey without obvious, honeyed sweetness. Rather modest acidity. Sweet, rich and very persistent finish with an intense and complex aftertaste of apple jam, cream, orange peel, some dried apricot, a little oxidative nuttiness and a tangy hint of salty acetaldehyde.
It seems this vintage just gets better and better with age. Though the wine seemed to be as perfect white wine as it could be possible a few years ago, it seems to have become even better. Even though the wine showed some oxidative characteristics back then, they haven't grown with age, unlike the depth and complexity - which was already something remarkable! Even though the wine is relatively low in acidity for a white Musar, it is still easily one of the best white Musars I've had due to its incredible, peerless complexity. Most likely one of the greatest wines I will ever taste.
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Dark honeyed yellow color with pale copper hue. Upon opening the nose is surprisingly pungent and smoky with rather dominant aroms of burnt wood and mocha. However, these aromas blow off as the wine aereates, revealing an utterly complex, developed bouquet of pineapple, waxy lanolin, orange peel, autumnal leafy aromas, some vanilla, developed floral nuances and faint oxidized hints of hazelnut. In the mouth the wine is rich, concentrated and opulent with full body; though the wine comes across quite big, it doesn't feel heavy nor flabby. Intense and very complex flavors of beeswax, dried peach, stony minerality, creaminess, some aromatic herbal notes and a hint of developed nuttiness. Medium acidity that gives some freshness to the wine when cool, but fades into the background as the wine gets warmer. Very complex and persistent, developed finish with concentrated, honeyed notes, dried yellow stone fruits, creaminess, stony minerality, some vanilla, a little almond or hazelnut and a touch of salty tang.
Truly an extraordinary vintage of white Musar that transcends the state of being just white wine and becomes something more profound; an ideal of what a wine can be. Remarkable depth, complexity, power and concentration with impeccable balance. Requires moderately long aeration of several hours and needs to be served cool enough just to push the modest acidity up a little. A true masterpiece with otherworldly QPR at 35 to 40€.
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Very attractive aged rustic flavours, power and pleasant volatility (this is a Musar), honey, coffee, almonds, waxy, good complexity and depth, excellent structure, this was a good bottle, some other white -01s have been mediocre probably due to not so careful cellaring, white Musars need to be stored properly in the right temperature and sheltered from light. I wish they did not use clear bottles. Few wines impress as much as this one at this price point.
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Cork very good N: some ethery notes, roasted nuts and pear P: good fruit, some interesting oxidation flavours that are distinct from fino. Drinking very well now.
Drink or hold until 2020.
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Intense, deep and almost dark yellow color. A bit reticent nose that is not as rich and generous as many other white Musars, but with remarkable depth and complexity. Incredibly attractive, developed and moderately oxidative aromas of beeswax, honey without any honeyed sweetness, orange blossom, roasted nuts, some bruised apple and a hint of saline minerality. Rich, full-bodied and moderately oily palate with waxy and modestly oxidative flavors of ripe citrus fruits, dried peach, almonds, sophisticated vanilla characteristics, some caramel, a little honeyed spiciness and a hint of saline Fino Sherry tang. Modest acidity that gets at times overwhelmed by the rich fruit. Dry, very long and slightly oxidative finish with complex, layered flavors of wizened peach, nuttiness, roasted spices, some herbs, a little creamy vanilla curd and a hint of saline minerality.
This is not just a wine, but a profound experience; the 2001 vintage of white Musar shows such incredible depth and complexity I can't be but perplexed by it. Despite its rather low acidity, the wine does not come across as heavy, dull or ponderous, but instead something almost otherworldly. Easily one of the best wines I've ever had. I can't emphasize how much recommended this wine is. Oh boyo.
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After two or three faulty or disappointing bottles in a row, I'm delighted and relieved to report that this one was still relatively fresh and drinking nicely. Some initial mustiness upon opening, but that blows off after a few minutes.
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This is quite the extraordinary wine. Is it an unfortified sherry? Big oxidative nutty notes. Don't let the first taste put you off. Someone said white Rioja. Good observation but think old school. Think Lopez de Heredia. Not for the faint of heart but I have to assume that those readers on this site aren't here to read about the latest pinot grigio. Have one of these at least once in your life. You may not have it again, but you'll be glad you tried it once. Me, I'm going to look for another.
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Faded acidity and strangely hollow palate and finish: I think this is probably slightly corked, although perhaps just well past its best. Not good I'm afraid.
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Musarathon (Riga): Intense nose of oriental spices, bazaar, orange blossom. Palate is fuller than '95, oak and even tannins can be felt, also brioche, nuts. Creamy palate, plain tasty, very intergarted and well put together. Very good. (B+)
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Didn't love it. No real fruit to speak of. Bumpy and bit of petrol? Possibly improved a touch over the 2 hours we drank it. Haven't loved a white Musar yet, but I won't stop trying em because I do love the reds so much. Maybe they just need more age?
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Old gold colour. Oxidised but the style of an old Meditteranean white wine with unique flavours. Reminds me of holidays 50 years ago so a little generous!
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G5 - Variety is the Spice of Life (Juliette): Thought it was rosé until the label was displayed, ah! This is on my bucket list of wines because of the uniqueness. Push the light peach color on the spectrum driven by the oxidation, it is a white wine. I really struggled to decode the aromas, I was stumped. Palate has a very strong salinity, most forward I've tasted, right from the attack. There is unripe nectarine and lemon flavors. Finish showed a hint of anise. Really cool experience.
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Hints of an oxidative style, in both the color that was bronzy and the aromatic, showing a nutty quality. I liked the palate, unique with a bitter papaya and a lemon curd note.
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Mid gold. Just such a complex white. But plenty of freshness and acidity too. Tons of crystallised tropical fruits, banana, almond, etc. etc. Great length. But not for the faint hearted.
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Deep golden color and an intense, rich, oxidative nose. The palate is nutty and oxidative, saline and acetic. The mouthfeel is lush and the body hefty while good acidity keeps the wine from surfeiting. I like LdH blancos and other wines made in this style but this one is perhaps a little too much so. Pairs much better with food than without.
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This is the third time I have had this wine I decanted it for 4 hours and served at around 14.5c. The colour was amazing as all the 2001s are with a golden yellow, I almost think I am looking at a sauternes. The guide with this wine is give it time to open up serve around 14/15c and its flavours are just amazing, and unique so I think you either love it or hate it.... I am in the love it group, it has amazing nutty, fruity taste without being overpowering. It has a depth that I have never seen in a white wine before it gives it real body, makes an aged chardonnay or Semillon body like Sauvignon Blanc (which most of them for me taste like a blend of cheap American beer (water), straw and cats piss).
I have to recommend to anyone try this wine once for the experience and just a different taste, don't be put off by the strange nose when you first open a bottle nor serve it old. If done right it is a wonderful experience... I write this in anticipation of another bottle being drunk tonight.
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Robe jaune vieil or. Vin expressif dès l'ouverture de la bouteille, cependant il a commencé à se refermer au bout de 30 minutes en verre. Nez intense de pomme mûre, tarte citron meringuée, amande, abricots et raisin secs, crème brûlée. Beaucoup de miel et de gras en bouche. Un vin qui suffit à lui même, à savourer sans aucun accompagnement.
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5 Decades of Ch. Musar Blanc.... with Serge & Marc Hochar (Dining Room, Aberdeen Marina Club, Hong Kong): Tasted blind amongst 12 vintages. Medium-hued caramel gold colour. High notes of alcoholic volatility on the nose followed by marzipan and fresh almond nuts…young but super. Palate was rounded and warm with lower acidity and higher alcohol than preceding wines, to the point of having some alcoholic burn in the stomach on the finish. I correctly identified this as a very young wine (by Musar standards) but was impressed how it continued to put on weight and improved a lot in the glass throughout the long evening. This could be a stunner in another 5-7 years or more and, interestingly, Serge misidentified this as the 1986.
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Decanted two hours. From experience this wine needs a long decant. Golden yellow , broad and giving with oxidative notes on the nose and palate, relatively low acidity. Nutty, funky notes on the palate integrated with the fruit which seemed to veer towards the tropical side of the spectrum, the finish was long and lingered on the palate. Very fine and will last many years.
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- Yellow color - Golden yellow color. Like almost Musars, unique and earthy, and amenable for aging; remarkable for white wine. Intial sulfur on the nose blew off after 10 mimutes. Honey is prominant on the nose; bakalava? Really intriguing.
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Worryingly oxidative aromas but balanced by an almost tropical fruit profile on the palate and good acidity. Very much alive and with plenty of time left. Lovely.
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Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): Fat, a marked banana tone, lush; it also has those cobweb and butterscotch flavours that you get with premoxed burgundies, but in this case they don't render the wine heavy and lifeless. Interesting rather than delicious. I enjoyed past bottles more.
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This has certainly entered its secondary phase. Gone is the nice honeyed/caramel aromas and flavours that balanced the oxidative notes. There is still some richness/fat in the mouth but the oxidative quality is now in the ascendancy. Still displays that waxy note of lanolin but I preferred this from previous bottles. Seems to be in a transitional phase. I'll leave the others for a while. (89-91)
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Casa Ray 2: Fuller, pale to mid gold in colour. Round and inviting on the nose, a touch of spice, some butter and caramel. Nice weight, some apricot and a hint of butterscotch on the palate. Really quite long. Starting to behave itself - almost mainstream for a Moose. Lovely. ****
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Color: Canary Yellow Smell: roasted gala apples, yellow peppers, sourdough bread, and hints of lemon Taste: yellow apples, banana, kiwi, lime, and pineapple. Overall: A complex wine that is oxidized in style, offering a depth on the palate and nose that lead me to think that this could use some more time to blossom to it’s full potential.
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Long Lunch at Home with Friends (Pine Close): I really liked this. It had been opened for a day when I got to it. Full of character on the nose, lots of smoky, flinty mineral, some slightly oxidative notes, and then dried figs, white plums, a bit of apples, slightly savoury at the edges. Very intriguing - reminded me somewhat of a Nicolas Joly Savenierres we had not too long back. The palate was rather rich on the attack, rather creamy textured, but very balanced, with nice acidity running through honeyed tones, with yellow fruit, figs and plums on the mid-palate, a squeeze of ripe lemon past that and then beeswax, mineral and spice - cloves and cardammon maybe - just at the finish. An unusual wine, a blend of Maiweh and Obaideh, but a really enjoyable one.
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Honey on the nose leading you to believe there might be some sweetness. But on the palate it's dry and a touch oxidised. But only a touch. This was really lovely. Good weight in the mouth, complex and changing. Will, no doubt, become more oxidised with more bottle age but this was just perfect for my palate. Very good.( 90-92 ish)
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poped and poured at a store tasting: dark yellow. Rich, smooth, low end of alcohol range (12.5%), tastes slightly oxidized, golden fruit, long finish. very impressive.
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All I can say is mmmmm. Beautiful dark yellow color bordering on amber, great texture, thick lush and fat entry on the palate, exotic fruits coupled with banana and buttery notes and a very nice finish. Paired extremely well with Salmon Wellington. Would score it higher if it weren't for its slightly disappointing nose. Great wine overall.
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This bottle not as good as previous bottles, bit more oxidative at first but came round later on the evening - delicious waxy texture to it though with good acidity.
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Hard to follow that sublime DP, but this really was most singular, fat, lush, oxidative, with sweet singed banana fruit in the middle, but with enough acidity to keep it fresh - really interesting
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Mini-Vertical: Chateau Musar (Arlequin Wines, San Francisco): Deep yellow-looks like a Vendanges Tardives wine. Tropical fruit, toast, and an oxidative element as well. Unctuous but fairly dry. Fresher than the sherried note would suggest with citrus fruit, good acidity, and earthy finish. This is a fascinating wine that reminds me of Loire Chenin Blanc, vin jaune, and some Jurancons.
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first impression: lightly funky nose, rich midpalate, zingy zing in a super tangy bitter finish. No sign of oxidation in place for me with the exception of that slight funk in the nose. The finish just keeps hanging. This is going to be a fun Wed night. After about two hours, wow this thing just exploded. It was pretty one dimensional with the roasted chicken but on its own after dinner it grew tenfold in intensity. No parallel with LdH blanco for me at all. This is rich, robust, and bigger than I remember the 03 getting. Little tannic bite on the backend too. Lots of ripe fruit but not any crunchy residual sugars. Acidity is just right..
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Drank this over the course of 10 days, with one glass every other day or so. By the 5th day, it had really turned into something special, and the waxy, buttery overtones lathered the palate like a pair of swedish broads in a sauna. Stunning stuff, and this wine has a long future ahead of it. Just remember to open it two days before you consume...
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Decanted for about an hour, it does need it. Beautiful gold colour in the glass. Slightly burnt caramel with a touch of white flower and honey on the nose and a really full mouth of honey, caramel and a nuttiness which is hard to place. Very enjoyable and certainly not your average white wine, a white to really savour.
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Dinner at Ray's: Quite subdued caramel on nose with citrus and anchovies ,,, and green olives. Palate is a bit oxidised & just full of weird contradictiins. Sweet yet savoury. Shallow yet ultra complex. Fresh & oxidised. Fruity. White chocolate. Olives. Bizarre but wonderful.
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Notes from day 2. Medium gold in color. Nose of that reminds me of banana's foster, or honey and bananas, with a little petrol. On the palate there was more honey, petrol, a little yellow fruit, a little funky note, with a little spice toward the back end, maybe a type of licorice or clove to be exact. The finish is quite long and the mouthfeel is excellent with good overall balance. Always liked this odd blend of grapes. Hold. 50+5+11+17+7
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First taste of a white wine from Lebanon and unlike their reds they come from native varieties; Obeideh and Merwah, indigenous to Mount Lebanon, located at an altitude of 1200 m. Both varieties are partly fermented in oak "barriques" where they mature for a further 9 months. They are then blended, bottled and aged for a further 4 years before release. The producer, Chateau Musar says on its website: "To fully appreciate the scope of their complexity and finesse, our white wines should be served at cellar temperature (15 degrees Celsius). And most importantly, don't forget to decant them!" Well, I guess that is simply wishful thinking. I would have enjoyed the aromas of these native varieties if only they used less oak! There is nothing else than notes generated by the use of excessive oak like toast, smoke and a touch of vanilla. It is full on the palate as the deep golden colour also suggests, but the acidity is not enough to support this and with lack of fruit the overall balance is poorly affected.
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Keith's Blind Challenge Offline (The Square, London): Blind. White. Mid gold. Oxidative, slightly bitter element to the nose. Hints of waxy richness and a touch of VA. An old Tondonia? Nick thinks not enough acidity for that. Not my preferred style but ***1/2. Musar? Bother, I've had this twice in the last few months and still didn't spot it!
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Superbe couleur fauve comme un vieux sauternes. Au nez, le vin présente des notes oxydatives agréables dans le style, avec des notes de miel, de beurre clarifié, d'abricot, de thé, au bout de 24h le nez se précise avec l'ajout d'une bonne dose de craie. En bouche c'est dans le style des Musar avec des tannins (ce qui est assez unique pour un blanc), une touche de salinité, par contre le vin manque d'acidité. Longeur acceptable. Moins intéressant que le 95, mais tout de même un vin très original.
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Musar & Pinot (L'Abat Jour, London): Nicely expressive nose. Apricot kernel, almond blossom and a slightly oxidative element. Almost a hint of rosewater. Similar on palate. This is very good and showing well. ****
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This is one of the weirdest whites i have ever tried. The nose is amazing and huge, almost like very mature champagne. Tropical fruits mixed with bread, yeast, popcorn, butter and spices. The palate is a big disappointment.I suppose it has some nice flavours but the almost complete lack of acidity really ruins it for me. 94 for the nose, 70 for the taste = 82. (at the Sampler, London)
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My first ever Musar Blanc and this has turned the world on its head. I love Musar red and this is the white version - different, divisive, an aquired taste - just like the red wine. Deep golden colour - served slightly chilled at first at the nose was shy but as it approached room temperature this wine threw out incredible notes of clarified butter, popcorn, burnt honey, yeast then a really musty, funky smell. In the mouth this is bizarre - when chilled it is rich but fairly innocent - when it warms up this has notes of rancid butter (in a good way), tangy fruit, pineapple but then there is no acidity to clear up the palate - this is warm and has a funk to it - this is a wine you will adore or hate with a passion. I love it. I've never really had a white like this before. I read the Gaston Hochar said that this should be served like a red wine and that the 1989 Blanc is just getting ready to drink - I can see what he means - this is young a tighly wound up. Brilliantly bizarre and brilliantly different. Not a wine you can quaff down - it can be quite hard going after 2 glasses but this is an outlier of a wine that deserves respect even if you cant stand the smell or taste of it. Part white wine, part sherry, part sauternes. Incredible.
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unusual and counter intuitive - to leave for 2 1/2 hours after opening and serve at room temperature - but oh so rewarding - raisiny nose and then somewhat oxidative and olily taste with a very rich finish. Elaine described it as a dry Tokaji - it is just unique
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The look has nice golden hue, the nose is powerful with honey and lactic scents, the pallet is round buttery but the end is very short and without any kind of crispiness or edge. The aromas are kind of oxidized. The bright side is the aromatic nose but the pallet is disappointing. All in all the wine is well preserved for a 8 years wine but the lack of pleasure rapidly turns it into a frustating experience
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'Vintage Pairs II' Offline (The Ledbury, London): Similar colour and nose as the 90 served alongside it. Possibly a little lighter and fresher.palate similar, just a bit fresher and longer. Just a little rounding and precision cf the 90. This has a bit more oomph. ***1/2
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Deep golden colour. Looks like an aged Sauternes. Nectar/Floral notes and honeyed waxy tones on nose. Dry complex palate. Lots of different evolved flavours here. Complex finish. Wouldn't suit some but I like it.
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Chateau Musar-smaking i regi av Aperitif (Gamle Logen, Oslo): Farge: Løkskallsgul. Duft: Mandler, så marsipan, blomster (kamille?), moreller, plomme, lær. Fantastisk nese, med ikke så rent lite rødvinspreg. Smak: Fyldig, glatt, så mye syre, frisk vin. Rik stil og superb kvalitet. Kveldens Musar-vinner, på tvers av alle klasser.
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Opened and Decanted - The colour is beautiful, golden. Interesting nose, not sure what I'm getting there., Really tight, nothing fruity or sweet at all, a little musty (that's not the right word, but I'm thinking of what else to use). First taste (no breathe time) - is this a white? I'm getting some definite robustness, almost tannins! Not much flavour profile in the first glass, but it has TEXTURE!
1 hour - There's a little rubber in there, maybe some creaminess as an undertone, but it's more of a red smell, maybe a light Spanish red. Richer in the mouth, quite chewy. What I called tannin in the first pour has mellowed, not bitter, not harsh, dry but in a way I've not had before, difficult to describe. Initial flavours suggest a rough edge, but these dissolve into a strangely complex and enjoyable taste & texture experience. NOT sweet, at least not for me.
24hrs - The aroma could be viewed as oxidised if you start with that thought, but it's not that simple - I feel this is exactly what it is intended to be like, rather than an ageing flaw which most people would associate with oxidation. The aromas blend together very well - rubber merging into floral cream! Not sure I'd say Sherry-like though. I'm still struggling to descern the different flavours in the mouth, texture is quite full, glyceral (?!), which coats the mouth nicely. Resin (but not bitter), some floral and herb notes, a long finish with some citrus aspects - this is definately a style I like, but I suspect I'm in a minority.
48hrs - On the nose I get an initial sweetness not disimilar to Tokaji before the slightly sour, rubbery/oxidised tang comes back in - it adds a refined element to the aroma and does start to resemble a honey aspect that Sarah said she got on her first exposure. Taste still has that mix of textures and flavours that make for a full wine (this is destroying a basic Beaujolais I also have open, left over from last night, in both taste and smell). The "tang" that I used to describe the nose now makes me think of a saltiness in the mid-palate and finish, reminiscent of sherry (or again, maybe a dry Tokaji, a Szamorodne).
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4/25/2024 - KingsIndian Likes this wine: 93 Points
'Left-field' whites (TWS North London) (Must and Lees, Liverpool Road): This won Wine of the Night by a distance, but I didn't feel it was so far ahead of the others as the votes indicated. On the nose I initially had a startling but thankfully fleeting memory of the smell of gym bags and changing rooms, which blew away with time.
Overall, this is not yet showing its age at all. It's less oxidised than you might expect, with those indigenous Lebanese varietals (Obaideh and Merwah) working their magic. Hugely rich and opulent and retaining a lot of fruit (especially baked apples and quince), but the predominant memory is butter, nuts, mellowness and enjoyment.
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3/23/2024 - lozatron Likes this wine:
What wine goes with Chinese food? Dinner (Phoenix Palace London): Served blind (by me, so I knew what it was...) deep colour, almost orange, the palate and nose are fresher than this. A kind of soapy or waxy mouthfeel, the fruit is still there and there is a lovely framing from the oxidative character. Of the oxy flight, to me it sat between the Tondoniae in terms of loveliness.
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3/20/2024 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Presented blind in a label-less Riesling bottle. Obviously not Riesling, though. Then someone promptly called it as Musar :-)
Deep orange. Subtle but funky nose. Again subtle, even a bit weak, on the palate - served too cold? A touch of rose petal, very slightly sweet, and creamier with air. I definitely liked this, but not as much as the Tondos.
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3/8/2024 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
Lunch at Noizé: Full gold. A touch of orange blossom on the nose when first opening with an unctuous texture. Three hours on this has tightened and calmed a little. Waxy and leggy. There’s a surprising lightness and line here with filigree. O peel it’s woven around it. Another wine I’ve not looked at for over a decade, and time has served it well, perhaps freshening it a little. A clear step up from 04 currently, and a more complete wine. ****
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10/2/2023 - kuumies wrote:
Tasted blind. A golden color with an amber hue. A very mature, pungeant nose with notes of dried fruits, almond, wood and a citrusy edge. On the palate relatively full-bodied and thick with mild acidity. Not a lot of fruity character but it has plenty of secondary flavor and plenty of life left. An acquired taste, but interesting for sure.
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9/27/2023 - ekorn wrote:
Brought this bottle to a Musar dinner which included the '95, '01, '10, and '13 blanc.
This bottle was opened but not decanted around an hour and a half before serving. It was probably served around cellar temperature evolve (positively) as it continued to warm up over the evening. Initially, the nose on this was quite quiet, but the palate was strong from the start with an almost chenin blanc-y character. Quite fresh for a 22-year-old wine. This was drinking best at the end of the night -- much more open. I think this bottle would have benefitted from a relatively lengthy decant (a couple of hours, at least). This was my favorite of the whites we opened -- plenty of aged characteristics (distinguishing it from the '10 and '13 which seemed relatively anonymous to me) but not nearly as sherry-like as the '95.
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12/30/2022 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points
Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Evolved medium-deep burnished golden yellow to medium amber color. Evolved, moderately tertiary and very complex nose with sweet-toned aromas of dried apricots, bruised apples and beeswax, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of acacia honey, light caramel notes, a hint of dusty old wood, a touch of terracotta and a whiff of browned butter. The wine is broad, savory and very complex with a full body, slightly viscous mouthfeel and layered flavors of dried apricots and honeydew melon, some tertiary nutty tones, a little bit of dusty old wood, light stony mineral notes, hints of honey and caramel and a touch of bruised apple. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't lend that much freshness to the wine, but feels more than adequate to keep the wine balanced and structured enough. The finish is broad, evolved and slightly viscous with a lengthy, complex aftertaste of honeydew melon and bruised apple, some syrupy tones, a little bit of wizened nectarine, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of beeswax and a touch of browned butter.
This was quite recognizable for an old Musar - and based on the combination of evolved flavors and somewhat modest yet not low acidity, 2001 was an obvious choice for the vintage. This bottle seemed slightly more evolved and slightly more oxidative compared to the bottle we had a few months ago. Stylistically this was almost identical, but I'd say the wine we had earlier this year was marginally better with its slightly more vibrant fruit. However, this still remains an exceptional vintage of Musar Blanc that still keeps on going despite its slightly lower level of acidity. I can imagine people who don't like oxidative, tertiary nuances in their white wine can find this wine ponderous and too old, but I'm more than happy how this wine is now. I doubt there is much potential for further development here, but most likely the wine will keep just fine for years more. At just 30€ it's hard to think of better value for the money.
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9/17/2022 - forceberry wrote: 97 Points
Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2014-1998 vertical.
Very deep, luminous and intensely-colored golden yellow appearance. The fascinating, evolved nose shows rich and complex aromas of browned butter and toasted brioche, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of roasted chestnut, light peachy tones of very ripe stone fruits, a hint of sweet smoke, a touch of wild honey and a whiff of creaminess. The wine is rich, complex and very oily - even slightly viscous - on the palate with a rather full body and bold, developed flavors of browned butter and roasted nuts, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light smoky notes of popcorn, hints of dried apricots and wizened exotic fruits and a touch of cooked cream. The medium-to-moderately high acidity is a bit on the lower side for a Musar, but it feels high enough to keep the wine quite effortlessly in balance and lends it some sense of structure despite the rich texture. The finish is ripe, rich and very long with complex flavors of toasty brioche and oxidative nuttiness, some beeswax, a little bit of acacia honey, light saline mineral tones, a hint of lemon curd and a touch of dried exotic fruits.
This was my sixth bottle of 2001 Musar Blanc and fifth bottle that was nothing short of exceptional. Even though I normally prefer Musar whites that are less ponderous and show more freshness, this is still a fantastic, beautifully evolved and quite tertiary white wine that manages to show some vibrant fruit despite its advanced age. This seems like a vintage that has evolved a bit faster than some of the surrounding vintages - based on not only this bottle, but an observation over six bottles - but while some felt the wine was getting a bit too advanced, I thought the wine was either at its peak or close to it. While not a youngster anymore, I think this wine will either keep for at least a handful of years more, or evolve even further from here - not by much, mind you. In our vertical tasting this was my favorite wine with the slightly fresher and more delicate, but similarly fantastic and beautifully evolved 1998 vintage. At just 30€ this has been an absolute bargain.
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6/17/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Musarathon (Ariana II): My fourth or perhaps fifth bottle from a case, and I think the best. Colour - deep yellow, almost orange. On the nose - oxidative, vibrant. On the palate - so much going on, yes a slight hint of waxiness in the mouthfeel, but also a length there, and a hint of something, liquorice maybe, that gives it an extra dimension of complexity. My WOTN.
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5/1/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Some weekend wines at the end of April; 4/30/2022-5/1/2022 (The leafy West London suburbs): Night 2. Pleasurable but less vitality than yesterday evening. Usually Musar peaks on day 2 or 3 so I wonder if this was a particularly advanced bottle. Nonetheless - very good wine, and felt somewhat indulgent to be drinking it on my own (or at least - with children who are NOT drinking alcohol).
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4/30/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Some weekend wines at the end of April; 4/30/2022-5/1/2022 (The leafy West London suburbs): The most orange coloured bottle of this I’ve had. Popped and poured. Ready to go from the offset, after 20 minutes or so started to show its oxidative sherry character, but so well balanced. Old church on the nose - stone and a hint of insence. In depth and elegance up there with the now unaffordable / unobtainable Tondonia Blanco GRs. Shared a glass with my sister, who is not a wine nerd. She absolutely loved it - which at first surprised me and then I suppose didn’t.
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2/25/2022 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points
Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2012-1994 vertical.
Deep golden yellow color. Evolved, very complex and still remarkably fruit-forward nose with captivating, sweetish aromas of caramel and lemon marmalade, some acacia honey, a little bit of wizened apricot, light sweet notes of bitter almond oil or cherry pits, a developed hint of creaminess - even strawberry cream - and a touch of almost overripe apricot. Lots of stuff happening here. The wine feels rich, textural and even slightly oily on the palate with ripe and moderately evolved flavors of spicy wildhoney, some wizened peach tones, a little bit of developed creaminess, light toffee nuances, a hint of stone minerality and a sweet touch of Sultanas. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't feel as bright and zippy as in some vintages, but it is more than adequate to keep the wine balanced and structured enough. The long finish is impressively complex with subtly sweetish flavors of ripe apricots, some dried-fruit notes of Sultanas and wizened nectarines, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light caramel tones, a hint of exotic brown spices and a touch of candied orange peel.
This is the fifth time I taste this particular vintage of Musar Blanc, and apart from the less impressive bottle we had in early 2020, this has been consistently one of the most impressive vintages of white Musar. The acidity feels a bit on the low side here - at least compared to some of the vintages - and while the lack of acidic zip doesn't make the wine feel unbalanced in any way, it feels the wine is evolving a bit fasted than some other vintages, making the wine appear slightly weightier and more dull with age. Thus, it might be that even this was one of the most impressive wines we opened this night, it might be possible that this wine was showing its best 5 years ago. This is still and extraordinary wine, but not as exceptional as it has been. Or then it's just bottle variation. Or then this vintage is in a slight slump at the moment, so perhaps this will be again something otherworldly in another 5-10 years. Who knows? What matters to me is that at just 30€ this has been an absolute steal.
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3/6/2021 - johnrm Likes this wine: 95 Points
A beautiful deep gold colour - much deeper than later vintages in my cellar. This was disappointing when first opened (Serge noted that this happened with his 1959 Blanc and describes how it opened, developed, and changed character becoming ever more complex and interesting over the course of a week - yes, a week).
After 5 hours, the nose showed rich fruit with citrus and herb notes that were amplified on the palate. Early, less attractive flavours had disappeared but the lemon citrus and lemon curd notes were prominent with an attractive, complex richness and almond (+ skin) flavours. To quote part of a perceptive note from Steven Spurrier on this vintage: ‘balanced by a Tarte Tatin quince-like acidity leading to a mellow, dry finish with endless length’. Still true, some years after his note. The length was simply amazing.
Give this wine time and trust it - let it gradually show its qualities. Follow its progress over time with confidence and don’t be put off. It is not an ‘easy’ wine and it doesn’t reveal all early on.
Note. We tasted the wine 24h after opening (stored at room temperature) and it was even better. The nose was perfumed. There was no oxidative character at all. The palate had a smooth, soft, complex fruit with a citrus and herb core. A creamy, intense middle with lemon and lemon curd as above. Great mouthfeel and the longest finish I can ever remember.
An exceptional wine. I have added a point on the basis of its performance over 24 hours.
Note. Just for the record, a small sample was retained and, 48h after opening, the wine was interesting but not as good. Oaky character had emerged and the fruit had been overtaken by herb/herbal notes.
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5/29/2020 - SteveHyde wrote:
Last one - and the first bottle of 5 or 6 that wasn't fully oxidized. Still, past it's prime. The white is not suitable for long aging, in my experience.
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5/8/2020 - PSPatrick wrote: 92 Points
The filling-level of this bottle was upper mid shoulder, the cork was soaked, and the wine had and evolved-looking dark golden colour. The rich and full-bodied wine offered ripe apricot, dried stone fruit, orange marmalade, burned brown sugar, caramel, wild honey, spice notes, mild herbal notes, some beeswax, mild tea and some VA on the nose and palate, and was well-balanced, with great concentration, an amazing, oily and smooth texture, and great persistence. The botrytis-like character gave the wine an interesting twist. As all Chateau Musar wines, the wine benefited from aeration and drank best at 14 to 15 degrees.
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2/15/2020 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points
Made with Obaideh and Merwah grapes sourced from ungrafted, low-yielding vineyards over 50 years of age, located at the altitude of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) above sea level. A very cool vintage: snow didn't melt until March, spring lasted until June and the ripening period was slowed down by constant cooler breezes. The white grapes never developed much sugar (hovering around 12% potential alcohol) and were rather low in pH, showing balanced levels of acidity. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 9 months in partly new French 225-liter barriques. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in a Musar Blanc 2010-1992 vertical.
Deep, concentrated burnished golden color with a thin, colorless rim. Surprisingly mute - almost dead - nose with nuanced yet very subtle, sweet-toned aromas of pineapple, some mushroomy tones, a little bit of overripe apricot, light notes of beeswax and a lifted hint of nail polish VA. The wine is oily, full-bodied and rather concentrated on the palate with developed and rather reticent flavors of wizened peach, some mushroomy umami tones, a little bit of overripe apricot, light developed notes of bruised apple, a hint of chopped almonds and a touch of orange marmalade. The wine is only medium in acidity, which feels relatively low for a white Musar, and makes the wine come across as rather weighty, even heavy. The finish is rich, concentrated and heavy, but not particularly powerful. A long yet slightly underwhelming aftertaste of peach, some wizened apricot, a little bit of exotic spice, light bruised apple tones, a hint of browned butter and an oxidative touch of nutty complexity.
A few years ago I had this wine multiple times and it was constantly one of the most impressive white Musars - both in verticals and on its own. However, the wine seems to have been peaking then, since now the overall feel here is noticeably less favorable: the wine still retains that impeccable complexity, but has lost intensity along the way, making the wine come relatively mild and underwhelming in aroma and taste. Furthermore, this has always been a relatively low-acid vintage for a white Musar. While the rich, concentrated and complex fruit has always made up for that lack of zip and verve, now the wine starts to come across as rather tired and heavy. It is still very delicious, but knowing how extraordinary this wine is at its best, this is a far cry from those experiences. Nevertheless, solid value at 30€.
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1/4/2020 - SteveHyde wrote: flawed
Oxidized. All 3 bottles purchased at the estate in Lebanon were oxidized. Chateau storage is probably not great. Still, I won’t buy older Musar white anymore.
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6/30/2019 - SteveHyde wrote: flawed
Maderized.
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6/1/2019 - johnrm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Oh yes! I have little to add to my note of November 11 2018. Beautiful deep, rich gold. Good from the off - no VA, no flaws. Served a little below room temperature at first and allowed to warm in the glass towards room temperature, as preferred by Serge. Good fruit - it changed emphasis with time, as before - and excellent mouthfeel. The palate and freshness still do not chime with the age on the label - it seems a lot younger and yet it has a mature 'togetherness' that could not be expected from a young white.
After an hour or two, apricot developed on the early palate and almond flavours on the middle, together with spicy citrus notes. It continued to develop (including the gentle caramel flavours mentioned earlier) over many hours. Very long indeed. Good with food but frankly even better on its own because it then receives ones full attention. Actually, we had water with a gently spiced chicken dish and kept this wine for soft blue cheese. Superb. The developing apricot sweetness and unctuous, rich character would have handled some puddings, perhaps a pannacotta with apricots and shortbread.
Not for everyone but a wonderful bottle for those who appreciate Musar blanc. The development after opening forces a higher score - an incredible, memorable wine.
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3/26/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 89 Points
A rich gold colour (like barsac or sauternes), and rich on the palate, but also restrained and retaining some juiciness. A good food wine. Not young, but not old either. Good stuff.
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1/27/2019 - gwilliams68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully now but still with plenty of life ahead of it. Wish I had more. Was fun to serve alongside Musar Rouge 99 with our Turkey at Christmas.
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12/22/2018 - Tony Molester Does not like this wine:
No formal note
Bruised apple aroma, premoxed burgundy nose
Palate follows through similarly. Sadly it appears this is over the hill compared with past notes and my own tastes for this wine.
Drink up or avoid
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11/11/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb wine, as always, even deeper gold in the glass than I remembered. Like DKSTAR1, I think the note from Rich S is a very good description. I also got some caramel, buttery toffee, and citrus flavours. The wine was served and kept at room temperature (as Serge insisted) and retained its fascinating, ever-changing complexity over 24 hours (although it was kept below room temperature overnight). By then, there were more prominent citrus flavours (lemon with a touch of orange) to add to the apricot and other fruits. Subtle vanilla/oak notes emerged on the very long late palate. Excellent with a creamy chicken and mushroom dish (and with soft cheese later) but at least as good on its own next day when the nose became more fragrant with time. Unique and special wine which has plenty of life ahead and, at 12.5% proves that you don't need a high alcohol content to hold together great richness, complexity and body. 92+
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9/10/2018 - dkstar1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich S’s review is spot on. Couldn’t say it any more accurately as of 9/8/18
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5/26/2018 - Rich S Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first time having Musar blanc and was certainly an interesting experience. Decanted for around 30 minutes. Deep golden color, hints of amber. Very complex on the nose with orange blossom honey, some apricot, golden raisin, a touch of paint thinner or VA but not in a distracting way, slightly nutty and oxidative notes. New aromas with every swirl. Similar flavors on the palate. The wine drank richly with a slightly waxy and oily mouthfeel but plenty of acidity which was essential in the drinking experience. Really interesting wine but certainly not for everyone.
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1/3/2018 - Counselor Chris wrote: flawed
Pretty badly oxidized - well beyond just the wine having an oxidative quality normally.
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7/1/2017 - SteveHyde Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite lovely. No sense of where this wine is on its aging curve, but very good with Vietnamese food at Doi Moi in DC. Softer, very rich with light citrus and floral notes. Well balanced. Lovely mouthfeel. Clean finish. Not at all oxidized. Still has years ahead of it.
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3/3/2017 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
No formal note. sensational, wish I had more. One of the best Musar whites I've had in forever. Orange peel, rancio,
Drink or hold.
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1/23/2017 - mmh wrote: 88 Points
Dark yellow colour. Very expressive, complex and interesting nose. Slightly oxidised and sherry like. Dry and rather complex on the palate, with a low but evident acidity as well. Extremely interesting and quite good. Will keep for several more years. (The cork broke in half when opening the bottle, but the wine was in no way faulty.)
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6/15/2016 - Ardross Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely as ever - deep yellow ,butterscotch and sherried
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5/28/2016 - forceberry wrote: 98 Points
Rather dark yellow with medium deep bronze hue. Not that expressive, but incredibly complex and slightly oxidative bouquet with layered, constantly evolving aromas of wizened peach, orange blossom, browned butter, some sweet, sweet dried yellow fruits, a little leafy greenness, hints of nutty aged Champagne aromas and a faint whiff of saline minerality. Rich, full-bodied and oily palate that seems to have concentrated with age; intense and remarkably complex flavors of ripe citrus fruits, lemon curd, vanilla, dried pineapple, cream, tangy saline minerality, some almond nuttiness and a hint of honey without obvious, honeyed sweetness. Rather modest acidity. Sweet, rich and very persistent finish with an intense and complex aftertaste of apple jam, cream, orange peel, some dried apricot, a little oxidative nuttiness and a tangy hint of salty acetaldehyde.
It seems this vintage just gets better and better with age. Though the wine seemed to be as perfect white wine as it could be possible a few years ago, it seems to have become even better. Even though the wine showed some oxidative characteristics back then, they haven't grown with age, unlike the depth and complexity - which was already something remarkable! Even though the wine is relatively low in acidity for a white Musar, it is still easily one of the best white Musars I've had due to its incredible, peerless complexity. Most likely one of the greatest wines I will ever taste.
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1/28/2016 - forceberry wrote: 98 Points
Dark honeyed yellow color with pale copper hue. Upon opening the nose is surprisingly pungent and smoky with rather dominant aroms of burnt wood and mocha. However, these aromas blow off as the wine aereates, revealing an utterly complex, developed bouquet of pineapple, waxy lanolin, orange peel, autumnal leafy aromas, some vanilla, developed floral nuances and faint oxidized hints of hazelnut. In the mouth the wine is rich, concentrated and opulent with full body; though the wine comes across quite big, it doesn't feel heavy nor flabby. Intense and very complex flavors of beeswax, dried peach, stony minerality, creaminess, some aromatic herbal notes and a hint of developed nuttiness. Medium acidity that gives some freshness to the wine when cool, but fades into the background as the wine gets warmer. Very complex and persistent, developed finish with concentrated, honeyed notes, dried yellow stone fruits, creaminess, stony minerality, some vanilla, a little almond or hazelnut and a touch of salty tang.
Truly an extraordinary vintage of white Musar that transcends the state of being just white wine and becomes something more profound; an ideal of what a wine can be. Remarkable depth, complexity, power and concentration with impeccable balance. Requires moderately long aeration of several hours and needs to be served cool enough just to push the modest acidity up a little. A true masterpiece with otherworldly QPR at 35 to 40€.
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1/26/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very attractive aged rustic flavours, power and pleasant volatility (this is a Musar), honey, coffee, almonds, waxy, good complexity and depth, excellent structure, this was a good bottle, some other white -01s have been mediocre probably due to not so careful cellaring, white Musars need to be stored properly in the right temperature and sheltered from light. I wish they did not use clear bottles. Few wines impress as much as this one at this price point.
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8/14/2015 - ETT95 wrote: 88 Points
Viscous white wine comes with golden yellow colour, smell and taste of sweet potato.
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12/29/2014 - Tony Molester Likes this wine:
Cork very good
N: some ethery notes, roasted nuts and pear
P: good fruit, some interesting oxidation flavours that are distinct from fino.
Drinking very well now.
Drink or hold until 2020.
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11/19/2014 - forceberry wrote: 97 Points
Intense, deep and almost dark yellow color. A bit reticent nose that is not as rich and generous as many other white Musars, but with remarkable depth and complexity. Incredibly attractive, developed and moderately oxidative aromas of beeswax, honey without any honeyed sweetness, orange blossom, roasted nuts, some bruised apple and a hint of saline minerality. Rich, full-bodied and moderately oily palate with waxy and modestly oxidative flavors of ripe citrus fruits, dried peach, almonds, sophisticated vanilla characteristics, some caramel, a little honeyed spiciness and a hint of saline Fino Sherry tang. Modest acidity that gets at times overwhelmed by the rich fruit. Dry, very long and slightly oxidative finish with complex, layered flavors of wizened peach, nuttiness, roasted spices, some herbs, a little creamy vanilla curd and a hint of saline minerality.
This is not just a wine, but a profound experience; the 2001 vintage of white Musar shows such incredible depth and complexity I can't be but perplexed by it. Despite its rather low acidity, the wine does not come across as heavy, dull or ponderous, but instead something almost otherworldly. Easily one of the best wines I've ever had. I can't emphasize how much recommended this wine is. Oh boyo.
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10/10/2014 - JBsquared wrote:
After two or three faulty or disappointing bottles in a row, I'm delighted and relieved to report that this one was still relatively fresh and drinking nicely. Some initial mustiness upon opening, but that blows off after a few minutes.
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8/22/2014 - Pfleonard wrote: 92 Points
This is quite the extraordinary wine. Is it an unfortified sherry? Big oxidative nutty notes. Don't let the first taste put you off. Someone said white Rioja. Good observation but think old school. Think Lopez de Heredia. Not for the faint of heart but I have to assume that those readers on this site aren't here to read about the latest pinot grigio. Have one of these at least once in your life. You may not have it again, but you'll be glad you tried it once. Me, I'm going to look for another.
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8/22/2014 - JBsquared wrote:
Faded acidity and strangely hollow palate and finish: I think this is probably slightly corked, although perhaps just well past its best. Not good I'm afraid.
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7/6/2014 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to a norther Rhone with a twist
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5/19/2014 - AV2012 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Musarathon (Riga): Intense nose of oriental spices, bazaar, orange blossom. Palate is fuller than '95, oak and even tannins can be felt, also brioche, nuts. Creamy palate, plain tasty, very intergarted and well put together. Very good. (B+)
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5/17/2014 - GrandeSerataFuori wrote: 86 Points
Didn't love it. No real fruit to speak of. Bumpy and bit of petrol? Possibly improved a touch over the 2 hours we drank it. Haven't loved a white Musar yet, but I won't stop trying em because I do love the reds so much.
Maybe they just need more age?
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4/29/2014 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 91 Points
Old gold colour. Oxidised but the style of an old Meditteranean white wine with unique flavours. Reminds me of holidays 50 years ago so a little generous!
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4/3/2014 - JBsquared wrote:
Badly oxidised, unfortunately.
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2/27/2014 - brigcampbell wrote:
G5 - Variety is the Spice of Life (Juliette): Thought it was rosé until the label was displayed, ah! This is on my bucket list of wines because of the uniqueness. Push the light peach color on the spectrum driven by the oxidation, it is a white wine. I really struggled to decode the aromas, I was stumped. Palate has a very strong salinity, most forward I've tasted, right from the attack. There is unripe nectarine and lemon flavors. Finish showed a hint of anise. Really cool experience.
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2/27/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Hints of an oxidative style, in both the color that was bronzy and the aromatic, showing a nutty quality. I liked the palate, unique with a bitter papaya and a lemon curd note.
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1/23/2014 - cannym Likes this wine: 91 Points
Mid gold. Just such a complex white. But plenty of freshness and acidity too. Tons of crystallised tropical fruits, banana, almond, etc. etc. Great length. But not for the faint hearted.
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8/17/2013 - diggydan wrote: 89 Points
Deep golden color and an intense, rich, oxidative nose. The palate is nutty and oxidative, saline and acetic. The mouthfeel is lush and the body hefty while good acidity keeps the wine from surfeiting. I like LdH blancos and other wines made in this style but this one is perhaps a little too much so. Pairs much better with food than without.
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7/12/2013 - Gobigreds Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is the third time I have had this wine I decanted it for 4 hours and served at around 14.5c. The colour was amazing as all the 2001s are with a golden yellow, I almost think I am looking at a sauternes. The guide with this wine is give it time to open up serve around 14/15c and its flavours are just amazing, and unique so I think you either love it or hate it.... I am in the love it group, it has amazing nutty, fruity taste without being overpowering. It has a depth that I have never seen in a white wine before it gives it real body, makes an aged chardonnay or Semillon body like Sauvignon Blanc (which most of them for me taste like a blend of cheap American beer (water), straw and cats piss).
I have to recommend to anyone try this wine once for the experience and just a different taste, don't be put off by the strange nose when you first open a bottle nor serve it old. If done right it is a wonderful experience... I write this in anticipation of another bottle being drunk tonight.
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5/4/2013 - swaap wrote: 93 Points
Robe jaune vieil or. Vin expressif dès l'ouverture de la bouteille, cependant il a commencé à se refermer au bout de 30 minutes en verre. Nez intense de pomme mûre, tarte citron meringuée, amande, abricots et raisin secs, crème brûlée. Beaucoup de miel et de gras en bouche. Un vin qui suffit à lui même, à savourer sans aucun accompagnement.
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2/20/2013 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 91 Points
5 Decades of Ch. Musar Blanc.... with Serge & Marc Hochar (Dining Room, Aberdeen Marina Club, Hong Kong): Tasted blind amongst 12 vintages. Medium-hued caramel gold colour. High notes of alcoholic volatility on the nose followed by marzipan and fresh almond nuts…young but super. Palate was rounded and warm with lower acidity and higher alcohol than preceding wines, to the point of having some alcoholic burn in the stomach on the finish. I correctly identified this as a very young wine (by Musar standards) but was impressed how it continued to put on weight and improved a lot in the glass throughout the long evening. This could be a stunner in another 5-7 years or more and, interestingly, Serge misidentified this as the 1986.
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2/20/2013 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 96 Points
HKWS tasting - 5 decades of Musar Blanc with Serge Hochar (Hong Kong): Straw. Fresh, citrus peel, smoke, meaty, beacon, dried fruit, smooth, classy.
87 point - came 4th, 2 first, 4 second, one last.
Personal first.
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8/28/2012 - keith prothero wrote: 90 Points
Decanted two hours. From experience this wine needs a long decant. Golden yellow , broad and giving with oxidative notes on the nose and palate, relatively low acidity. Nutty, funky notes on the palate integrated with the fruit which seemed to veer towards the tropical side of the spectrum, the finish was long and lingered on the palate. Very fine and will last many years.
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8/24/2012 - StainedGlass wrote: 89 Points
- Yellow color - Golden yellow color. Like almost Musars, unique and earthy, and amenable for aging; remarkable for white wine. Intial sulfur on the nose blew off after 10 mimutes. Honey is prominant on the nose; bakalava? Really intriguing.
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4/23/2012 - Aloysius16 wrote: 90 Points
Worryingly oxidative aromas but balanced by an almost tropical fruit profile on the palate and good acidity. Very much alive and with plenty of time left. Lovely.
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4/13/2012 - Rupert wrote: 89 Points
Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): Fat, a marked banana tone, lush; it also has those cobweb and butterscotch flavours that you get with premoxed burgundies, but in this case they don't render the wine heavy and lifeless. Interesting rather than delicious. I enjoyed past bottles more.
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4/13/2012 - cooberp wrote:
Musarathon (Strictly Rhythm, London): No notes taken
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2/25/2012 - sharonandroland wrote: 91 Points
Perfect match for Uni.
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10/2/2011 - rayq wrote:
This has certainly entered its secondary phase. Gone is the nice honeyed/caramel aromas and flavours that balanced the oxidative notes.
There is still some richness/fat in the mouth but the oxidative quality is now in the ascendancy. Still displays that waxy note of lanolin but I preferred this from previous bottles. Seems to be in a transitional phase. I'll leave the others for a while. (89-91)
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8/19/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Casa Ray 2: Fuller, pale to mid gold in colour. Round and inviting on the nose, a touch of spice, some butter and caramel. Nice weight, some apricot and a hint of butterscotch on the palate. Really quite long. Starting to behave itself - almost mainstream for a Moose. Lovely. ****
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6/19/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 92 Points
Open 48+ hours (375ml left from a 750ml bottle)
Color: Canary Yellow
Smell: roasted gala apples, yellow peppers, sourdough bread, and hints of lemon
Taste: yellow apples, banana, kiwi, lime, and pineapple.
Overall: A complex wine that is oxidized in style, offering a depth on the palate and nose that lead me to think that this could use some more time to blossom to it’s full potential.
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6/17/2011 - Kirk Grant wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding...notes will follow when I revisit the wine again in a few hours.
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6/11/2011 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Long Lunch at Home with Friends (Pine Close): I really liked this. It had been opened for a day when I got to it. Full of character on the nose, lots of smoky, flinty mineral, some slightly oxidative notes, and then dried figs, white plums, a bit of apples, slightly savoury at the edges. Very intriguing - reminded me somewhat of a Nicolas Joly Savenierres we had not too long back. The palate was rather rich on the attack, rather creamy textured, but very balanced, with nice acidity running through honeyed tones, with yellow fruit, figs and plums on the mid-palate, a squeeze of ripe lemon past that and then beeswax, mineral and spice - cloves and cardammon maybe - just at the finish. An unusual wine, a blend of Maiweh and Obaideh, but a really enjoyable one.
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6/7/2011 - PhDP Likes this wine:
Musar + (groupe du mercredi, Bruxelles, Belgium, chez PM): fermé, serré, ananas, truffe, minéral, corinthe
salin, dense, jeune
ma note: 17,5/20
note moyenne du groupe: 16,3/20
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6/4/2011 - jkline wrote: 91 Points
rich honeyed almondy vanilla oxidized....a white wine for a red white night. finishes with good acidity.
faint on the nose, powerful on the palate.
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6/2/2011 - rayq wrote:
Honey on the nose leading you to believe there might be some sweetness. But on the palate it's dry and a touch oxidised.
But only a touch. This was really lovely. Good weight in the mouth, complex and changing. Will, no doubt, become more oxidised with more bottle age but this was just perfect for my palate.
Very good.( 90-92 ish)
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5/29/2011 - MarkL wrote:
Clear Medium Gold
Nose of buttered jacket potatoes
Clean, soft, a touch oxidised (but not in a bad way), some peach & grapefruit. Long. medium body.
Interesting wine, but I didn;t have it with the right food.
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5/8/2011 - christhewino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Easily as good as my last note suggested. Love this vintage. The '04 is not a patch on this.
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4/3/2011 - sharonandroland wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful complex. Flavours of calvados on the nose. Floral hits.
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3/28/2011 - gwkozar wrote: 91 Points
poped and poured at a store tasting: dark yellow. Rich, smooth, low end of alcohol range (12.5%), tastes slightly oxidized, golden fruit, long finish. very impressive.
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3/5/2011 - the player wrote: 91 Points
All I can say is mmmmm. Beautiful dark yellow color bordering on amber, great texture, thick lush and fat entry on the palate, exotic fruits coupled with banana and buttery notes and a very nice finish. Paired extremely well with Salmon Wellington. Would score it higher if it weren't for its slightly disappointing nose. Great wine overall.
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2/9/2011 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #055; Chateau Musar Vertical of 9 vintages red, 3 white plus a few extra's. (By DJ): Some honey and nuts in the bouquet. For the rest it seems to be locked. Full bodied and little yellow fruit on the palate. There is oak and also some fresh acidity. Long finish where the oak is very present.
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2/7/2011 - ChateauTooting wrote:
This bottle not as good as previous bottles, bit more oxidative at first but came round later on the evening - delicious waxy texture to it though with good acidity.
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1/26/2011 - Rupert wrote: 91 Points
Hard to follow that sublime DP, but this really was most singular, fat, lush, oxidative, with sweet singed banana fruit in the middle, but with enough acidity to keep it fresh - really interesting
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1/20/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Mini-Vertical: Chateau Musar (Arlequin Wines, San Francisco): Deep yellow-looks like a Vendanges Tardives wine. Tropical fruit, toast, and an oxidative element as well. Unctuous but fairly dry. Fresher than the sherried note would suggest with citrus fruit, good acidity, and earthy finish. This is a fascinating wine that reminds me of Loire Chenin Blanc, vin jaune, and some Jurancons.
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12/30/2010 - BillB656 Likes this wine:
first impression: lightly funky nose, rich midpalate, zingy zing in a super tangy bitter finish. No sign of oxidation in place for me with the exception of that slight funk in the nose. The finish just keeps hanging. This is going to be a fun Wed night. After about two hours, wow this thing just exploded. It was pretty one dimensional with the roasted chicken but on its own after dinner it grew tenfold in intensity. No parallel with LdH blanco for me at all. This is rich, robust, and bigger than I remember the 03 getting. Little tannic bite on the backend too. Lots of ripe fruit but not any crunchy residual sugars. Acidity is just right..
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12/18/2010 - drfischer wrote: 92 Points
unusual wine, some will like it and some will not, tastes a little bit like sherry, will have a long future
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12/8/2010 - julianseersmartin wrote: 93 Points
Drank this over the course of 10 days, with one glass every other day or so. By the 5th day, it had really turned into something special, and the waxy, buttery overtones lathered the palate like a pair of swedish broads in a sauna. Stunning stuff, and this wine has a long future ahead of it. Just remember to open it two days before you consume...
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11/30/2010 - kevin h wrote: 87 Points
Golden colour, oxidative nose and a big but oxidative flavour. Minerally fruit and some depth but left me a bit non-plussed.
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9/22/2010 - christhewino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for about an hour, it does need it. Beautiful gold colour in the glass. Slightly burnt caramel with a touch of white flower and honey on the nose and a really full mouth of honey, caramel and a nuttiness which is hard to place. Very enjoyable and certainly not your average white wine, a white to really savour.
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9/3/2010 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Ray's: Quite subdued caramel on nose with citrus and anchovies ,,, and green olives. Palate is a bit oxidised & just full of weird contradictiins. Sweet yet savoury. Shallow yet ultra complex. Fresh & oxidised. Fruity. White chocolate. Olives. Bizarre but wonderful.
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8/28/2010 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Notes from day 2. Medium gold in color. Nose of that reminds me of banana's foster, or honey and bananas, with a little petrol. On the palate there was more honey, petrol, a little yellow fruit, a little funky note, with a little spice toward the back end, maybe a type of licorice or clove to be exact. The finish is quite long and the mouthfeel is excellent with good overall balance. Always liked this odd blend of grapes. Hold. 50+5+11+17+7
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7/31/2010 - pepeelvis wrote:
Excellent musar very interstinf and should continue aging
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6/12/2010 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 83 Points
First taste of a white wine from Lebanon and unlike their reds they come from native varieties; Obeideh and Merwah, indigenous to Mount Lebanon, located at an altitude of 1200 m. Both varieties are partly fermented in oak "barriques" where they mature for a further 9 months. They are then blended, bottled and aged for a further 4 years before release. The producer, Chateau Musar says on its website: "To fully appreciate the scope of their complexity and finesse, our white wines should be served at cellar temperature (15 degrees Celsius). And most importantly, don't forget to decant them!" Well, I guess that is simply wishful thinking. I would have enjoyed the aromas of these native varieties if only they used less oak! There is nothing else than notes generated by the use of excessive oak like toast, smoke and a touch of vanilla. It is full on the palate as the deep golden colour also suggests, but the acidity is not enough to support this and with lack of fruit the overall balance is poorly affected.
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6/4/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Keith's Blind Challenge Offline (The Square, London): Blind. White. Mid gold. Oxidative, slightly bitter element to the nose. Hints of waxy richness and a touch of VA. An old Tondonia? Nick thinks not enough acidity for that. Not my preferred style but ***1/2. Musar? Bother, I've had this twice in the last few months and still didn't spot it!
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5/20/2010 - tendring wrote: 84 Points
Wine Education Service - Château Musar - 80th Anniversary Tasting (Imperial College): The aroma of honeyed sherry seemed to lack depth, complexity.
A very drinkable wine but somehow unexpectedly simple, honeyed but drying out. Maybe it needed patience to develop in the glass.
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3/31/2010 - ggb wrote: 90 Points
Superbe couleur fauve comme un vieux sauternes. Au nez, le vin présente des notes oxydatives agréables dans le style, avec des notes de miel, de beurre clarifié, d'abricot, de thé, au bout de 24h le nez se précise avec l'ajout d'une bonne dose de craie. En bouche c'est dans le style des Musar avec des tannins (ce qui est assez unique pour un blanc), une touche de salinité, par contre le vin manque d'acidité. Longeur acceptable. Moins intéressant que le 95, mais tout de même un vin très original.
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2/18/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Musar & Pinot (L'Abat Jour, London): Nicely expressive nose. Apricot kernel, almond blossom and a slightly oxidative element. Almost a hint of rosewater. Similar on palate. This is very good and showing well. ****
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2/11/2010 - mmh wrote: 82 Points
This is one of the weirdest whites i have ever tried. The nose is amazing and huge, almost like very mature champagne. Tropical fruits mixed with bread, yeast, popcorn, butter and spices. The palate is a big disappointment.I suppose it has some nice flavours but the almost complete lack of acidity really ruins it for me. 94 for the nose, 70 for the taste = 82. (at the Sampler, London)
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2/10/2010 - Rupert wrote: 90 Points
Musar @ Mohsen (Mohsen, Warwick Road, London): Mildly oxidative, smooth, lush, spicy - tastes like a red in fact - lovely
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2/10/2010 - SimonG wrote:
Musar @ Mohsen (Mohsen, Warwick Road, London): Mid to deep hold. Full on the palate, rich and waxy. Long. Still not quite resolved on the finish, almost there. ***(*)
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1/30/2010 - pjaines wrote:
My first ever Musar Blanc and this has turned the world on its head. I love Musar red and this is the white version - different, divisive, an aquired taste - just like the red wine. Deep golden colour - served slightly chilled at first at the nose was shy but as it approached room temperature this wine threw out incredible notes of clarified butter, popcorn, burnt honey, yeast then a really musty, funky smell. In the mouth this is bizarre - when chilled it is rich but fairly innocent - when it warms up this has notes of rancid butter (in a good way), tangy fruit, pineapple but then there is no acidity to clear up the palate - this is warm and has a funk to it - this is a wine you will adore or hate with a passion. I love it. I've never really had a white like this before. I read the Gaston Hochar said that this should be served like a red wine and that the 1989 Blanc is just getting ready to drink - I can see what he means - this is young a tighly wound up. Brilliantly bizarre and brilliantly different. Not a wine you can quaff down - it can be quite hard going after 2 glasses but this is an outlier of a wine that deserves respect even if you cant stand the smell or taste of it. Part white wine, part sherry, part sauternes. Incredible.
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1/2/2010 - quickben wrote: 90 Points
unusual and counter intuitive - to leave for 2 1/2 hours after opening and serve at room temperature - but oh so rewarding - raisiny nose and then somewhat oxidative and olily taste with a very rich finish. Elaine described it as a dry Tokaji - it is just unique
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12/4/2009 - Purplebarrel wrote: 83 Points
The look has nice golden hue, the nose is powerful with honey and lactic scents, the pallet is round buttery but the end is very short and without any kind of crispiness or edge. The aromas are kind of oxidized. The bright side is the aromatic nose but the pallet is disappointing. All in all the wine is well preserved for a 8 years wine but the lack of pleasure rapidly turns it into a frustating experience
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6/25/2009 - SimonG wrote:
'Vintage Pairs II' Offline (The Ledbury, London): Similar colour and nose as the 90 served alongside it. Possibly a little lighter and fresher.palate similar, just a bit fresher and longer. Just a little rounding and precision cf the 90. This has a bit more oomph. ***1/2
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1/27/2009 - vespasian wrote: 88 Points
Deep golden colour. Looks like an aged Sauternes. Nectar/Floral notes and honeyed waxy tones on nose. Dry complex palate. Lots of different evolved flavours here. Complex finish. Wouldn't suit some but I like it.
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11/5/2008 - SAND wrote:
Chateau Musar-smaking i regi av Aperitif (Gamle Logen, Oslo): Farge: Løkskallsgul.
Duft: Mandler, så marsipan, blomster (kamille?), moreller, plomme, lær. Fantastisk nese, med ikke så rent lite rødvinspreg.
Smak: Fyldig, glatt, så mye syre, frisk vin. Rik stil og superb kvalitet.
Kveldens Musar-vinner, på tvers av alle klasser.
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7/4/2008 - Greybeard wrote: 90 Points
Opened and Decanted - The colour is beautiful, golden. Interesting nose, not sure what I'm getting there., Really tight, nothing fruity or sweet at all, a little musty (that's not the right word, but I'm thinking of what else to use). First taste (no breathe time) - is this a white? I'm getting some definite robustness, almost tannins! Not much flavour profile in the first glass, but it has TEXTURE!
1 hour - There's a little rubber in there, maybe some creaminess as an undertone, but it's more of a red smell, maybe a light Spanish red. Richer in the mouth, quite chewy. What I called tannin in the first pour has mellowed, not bitter, not harsh, dry but in a way I've not had before, difficult to describe. Initial flavours suggest a rough edge, but these dissolve into a strangely complex and enjoyable taste & texture experience. NOT sweet, at least not for me.
24hrs - The aroma could be viewed as oxidised if you start with that thought, but it's not that simple - I feel this is exactly what it is intended to be like, rather than an ageing flaw which most people would associate with oxidation. The aromas blend together very well - rubber merging into floral cream! Not sure I'd say Sherry-like though.
I'm still struggling to descern the different flavours in the mouth, texture is quite full, glyceral (?!), which coats the mouth nicely. Resin (but not bitter), some floral and herb notes, a long finish with some citrus aspects - this is definately a style I like, but I suspect I'm in a minority.
48hrs - On the nose I get an initial sweetness not disimilar to Tokaji before the slightly sour, rubbery/oxidised tang comes back in - it adds a refined element to the aroma and does start to resemble a honey aspect that Sarah said she got on her first exposure.
Taste still has that mix of textures and flavours that make for a full wine (this is destroying a basic Beaujolais I also have open, left over from last night, in both taste and smell). The "tang" that I used to describe the nose now makes me think of a saltiness in the mid-palate and finish, reminiscent of sherry (or again, maybe a dry Tokaji, a Szamorodne).
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