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| | Vintage | 2001 |  Label 1 of 576 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Chateau Musar (web) | | Variety | Red Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | Lebanon | | Region | Bekaa Valley | | SubRegion | n/a | | Appellation | n/a | | UPC Code(s) | 2057369110107, 2617327078995, 4000133906930, 5017469110107, 5017469110206, 5017469119803, 5017469119902, 5017469120106, 5017469130105, 5017469770707, 611482012995, 611482022567, 611482375014, 8437011795755 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 679 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by RajivAyyangar on 4/23/2024: w/alexF
fur, brown sugar, tamari, dried cranberry and dried red cherry. softer and lighter style. not particularly assertive. Silky finish. Very musar - hello old friend! It's been a minute. (1269 views) | | | Tasted by Neat Water Back on 4/18/2024: This is drinking beautifully! Such an elegant, fragrant, floral nose.
We drank this basically as a PnP. Fortunately, the bottle was stored properly and the restaurant didn’t know what they had, we received a great deal on the bottle. Unfortunately, they were not prepared to remove the cork properly with 20+ years of age.
Regardless of the obstacles, this was drinking great. Light bricking at the edge of the wine in the glass but the aromatics just gave and gave. Some tannin is still there but they’re not super grippy, just right to enjoy with a steak or to ponder thoughts while you enjoy a glass. (991 views) | | | Tasted by LandCruiser on 3/27/2024 & rated 93 points: What a treat- the color is Toyota Land Cruiser rust , aroma of spice , strawberries , cherries, liquorish. Medium on the tongue , tannins still noticeably present for 23+years.
Advice:
1) Open with Durand corkscrew (or similar)
2) Use a coffee filter when pouring into a decanter
3) 55-65 temp when serving (1555 views) | | | Tasted by Ernestas on 3/8/2024 & rated 93 points: Always a pleasure to return to an aged Musar. Made from a blend of CS, Cinsault and Carignan, fermented in cement, aged in oak for 12 months. Seems lighter in colour than 2002 or 2000. Medium+ intensity aroma of prunes, spices, dried cherries, blood, cigar box, leather, hint of tamarind. Medium+ body, rewarding rich spiced cherry and fig flavours, leather and smoky tobacco notes, structure is pleasantly leaner than for instance 2002, medium+ acidity, extra fine tannins. (1952 views) | | | Tasted by Renevin on 2/16/2024 & rated 91 points: Nez discret mais avec de belles notes de tabac, fumée, cuir. En bouche ampleur moyenne, tanins fondus. Tout en rondeur. Finale sur des notes de tabac et de cuir (2116 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 2/16/2024 & rated 94 points: Popped and poured. Havent had one of these in a bit. This is very good out of the gate with just a bit of air. Nose of black cherry, flowers. Transparent, medium bodied, black cherry, a little tar, herbs and a little funk. This is interesting and complex. (1888 views) | | | Tasted by ekorn on 2/15/2024 flawed bottle: Maderized. (1964 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 2/9/2024: Mamnoon: The exact opposite of the 1999. Deep and earthy, bloody, Syrah personality, gaining a pine forest character over time. Deep, almost unyielding, but over time this gains a really poignant balsamic note on the finish, sweet and sour, great acidity. (2225 views) | | | Tasted by admid on 1/26/2024 & rated 95 points: Brickish red with some sediments
Intense tertiary nose with raisins, prunes, tobacco and leather
Balanced and lean, smooth tannins
lingering
Great wine (2166 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 1/12/2024 & rated 89 points: Brick red. Savoury aromas of dark berries, prunes, leather and oriental spices. Meaty and full bodied in the mouth. Well developed, but will last. On line with the best Musar's I have tasted from this vintage. (2299 views) | | | Tasted by johnrm on 12/25/2023 & rated 94 points: Double-decanted. Tasted on Christmas Day with a flight of each year from 1998 to 2003. Drinking beautifully from the off. A great nose which took time to develop in the glass, as before (it developed even more impressively after 8 hours). Deceptively pale in colour but full of sweet, soft fruit (difficult to separate the complex, subtle flavours but cherry was prominent). Long, with the complexity unravelling gradually in the glass. Still going strong and very rewarding. (2017 views) | | | Tasted by northpolewine on 12/11/2023 & rated 89 points: A bit raisiny, less spice than I normally expect from Musar. (2593 views) | | | Tasted by SuperSomm on 11/11/2023 & rated 90 points: Deep garnet colour. Pronounced and developing nose with dark plum, fig, prune, leather, tobacco, cedar, cinnamon, thyme, potpourri, forest floor, vanilla and orange peel. Medium (+) taste of dark plum, fig, raisins, leather, tobacco, cedar, cinnamon, potpourri, vanilla, orange peel, chocolate, eucalyptus and licorice. Long and dry finish. Medium acidity. Medium (+) tannins. Medium body. A very good Lebanese Bordeaux blend from a half bottle. Cork bled through. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Goes well with beef or lamb. (851 views) | | | Tasted by Jonathanmustang on 11/10/2023 & rated 93 points: Ouvert 6h avant, avec Musar c’est vraiment important.
Après, musar est un véritable magicien!
Une déflagration totale sur les épices douces, le bois de santal, les fruits rouge, le cuir, la feuille morte, quelques notes de menthol, des herbes et du sous-bois
L’attaque est puissante, super fruitée sur la cerise, les arômes du nez se retrouvent en bouche dans un ensemble suave, fondu.
La finale est d’une belle longueur, une explosion de fruit, d’épices et d’arômes tertiaire
Un vin magnifique, clairement sur un plateau, mais fort délicieux (2670 views) | | | Tasted by jshufelt on 9/16/2023 & rated 93 points: Decanted 30 minutes before service. In the glass, auburn at the rim, shading to a clear medium red at the core. On the nose, raisins and prunes, which concerned me - oxidized bottle? Thankfully not. On the palate, dried currants, strawberries, leather, and secondary notes of tobacco and graphite, with a light, delicate texture. Would be very interesting as a ringer in a blind Pauillac flight. I suspect there is not much more left on this drinking plateau, so if you haven't opened one, now is the time. (2943 views) | | | Tasted by chbeaumont on 9/12/2023 & rated 94 points: Brick red; classic intriguing bouquet; complex, engaging; very long indeed. On top form. (2996 views) | | | Tasted by Sookin1 on 9/9/2023 & rated 90 points: Always amazed by this wine. Old and great in mouth and nose. Delicious option (2856 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 9/8/2023 & rated 94 points: Slow ox for one hour. Drinking really well. Red cherry, olives, game and minerals. Mature but not in decline. Transparent, complex with medium length. (2569 views) | | | Tasted by AudunG on 9/6/2023 & rated 84 points: Bought at Gatwick Airport. Brick red. Developed and earthy aromas, and a bit ethereal and oxidized. Soft on the palate, and lacks the power and fruit of a good Musar. (2470 views) | | | Tasted by Sookin1 on 9/5/2023 & rated 96 points: For a 22 year old wine, it is unbelievable how great this wine was. It kept great nose, flavours and length. Tannins were soft. All on the fruit. A delicious surprise (2126 views) | | | Tasted by aelwine on 7/12/2023: Tasted this alongside a 2016.
Very similar DNA and style.
This particular one had dried fruits, a touch of toffee/caramel, mellow and tannins are fully integrated
Complex and elegant, matured nicely. (2736 views) | | | Tasted by James Kim on 7/2/2023 & rated 94 points: Stood up for 2 days. Decanted off sediment for 2.5h. Now 3h after decant. Lovely, seamless aromas of currants, cassis, ripe ripe cherries, game meats, minerals, herbs, leather, mild green tobacco and a bit of VA. Palate w red cherries, some currants, mild tobacco, herbs, roasted game meats, cedar, leather, minerals and a bit of VA. Nice moderately long finish of fruit, tobacco, leather, and just a touch of VA. Lovely elegant, medium body with mild tannins on midpalate. Excellent, juicy acids give the wine a lovely lift. Beautiful. I can imagine that this can gain some more complexity w some more time but I think the wine is pretty close to peak. Went beautifully with dry aged strip steak. (2978 views) | | | Tasted by Thefatbastard on 6/18/2023: Superbe! Des notes de cuir, de fruit kirshé, d’épices douces. Complexité et finesse… Soyeux, long. Tout simplement magnifique! (3141 views) | | | Tasted by Fletch0007 on 5/27/2023 & rated 92 points: Fully translucent, yellow-orange - very much at maturity. Toasted vanilla & strawberry jam on the nose - delicate and very expressive. Still full-bodied and very long. My first taste of Musar and a memorable one. Would struggle to tell apart from Bordeaux if tasted blind. Wonderful stuff. Ready now. (3116 views) | | | Tasted by doctornoah on 5/17/2023 flawed bottle: Heat damaged and off (3348 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
Decanter, Château Musar (6/12/2020)
(Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Vinous, Vinous Table: T’ang Court, Hong Kong (Sep 2018) (9/1/2018)
(Château Musar Château Musar Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/2/2018)
(Ch Musar Bekaa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Christelle Guibert
Decanter, Chateau Musar Masterclass 2017 (12/11/2017)
(Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2017, Issue #67, Château Musar The World’s Most Heroic Wine
(Château Musar) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Ian D'Agata
Decanter
(Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (10/13/2010)
(Chateau Musar) Nice baked berry, red fruit, red bean, licorice nose; baked berry, red fruit, red bean, licorice palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Chateau Musar Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Housed in an 18th century castle in Ghazir, about 25 km north of Beirut, Chateau Musar was founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, inspired by Lebanon’s 6,000-year winemaking tradition and his friendship with Ronald Barton of Chateau Leoville-Barton in Saint Julien. The estate’s name in Arabic is ‘M’zar,’ meaning “place of extraordinary beauty/shrine to be visited,” an ideal name for this fascinating estate.
The vines for the estate’s unique wines are located in the famed Bekaa Valley, an area celebrated for its viticulture since Biblical times. At the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, Lebanon’s favorable geographical and climatic conditions have always held abundant promise for the cultivation of grapes. The Bekaa Valley is positioned particularly well, nestled between the ‘Lebanon’ and ‘Anti-Lebanon’ mountain ranges at 34° N of the equator.
The vineyards of Musar are planted at altitudes ranging from 1,000 – 1,500 meters (3,280 – 4,921 ft) above sea level. The vines benefit from cool nights and seasonal temperatures (snow in winter and hot summers), resulting in long ripening periods. The vineyard soils are predominantly calcareous/limestone with gravel and stone, resulting in wines of distinctive character and blends of appealing complexity.
The vineyards’ remote location coupled with the Hochar family’s respect for the environment has resulted in ‘organic’ vineyards by default since the 1950s, even long before the term was coined. The estate obtained organic certification for its vineyards in 2005, the first producer in Lebanon to do so. All the grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins in the cool of the morning in order to preserve freshness, the harvest usually taking place between August and October.
The Chateau Musar winery is located in Ghazir about two and a half hour’s drive from the Bekaa Valley. The cellars are dug into the mountainside providing perfect condition for long term wine storage. The wines of Chateau Musar are produced with a ‘non-interventionist’ wine making philosophy; fermentation starts naturally with ambient yeasts, the bare minimum of sulfur is used and the Chateau Musar wines are neither fined nor filtered. Individual varieties from different vineyards are kept separately up to two years, and constantly tasted to understand their unique personalities and characteristics. The final blending process is an intrinsic part of the winemaking art at Chateau Musar — winemaking by instinct.
The estate produces three lines: the flagship range includes Chateau Musar Red, Chateau Musar White and Chateau Musar Rosé; Hochar Père et Fils Red – a more accessible red, produced from a single vineyard site in the Bekaa Valley and ready to drink upon release at year five (as opposed to Chateau Musar Red which the family recommends to drink starting from year 15); and Musar Jeune — unoaked vibrant wines intended for immediate drinking. The Chateau Musar Red and White wines undergo lengthy bottle ageing in the estate cellars and are released only after seven years.
Chateau Musar first achieved international recognition during the Bristol Wine Fair in England in 1979, where the wine press and prominent critics including Michael Broadbent declared it “the discovery of the fair”. In 1984, Decanter wine magazine named Serge Hochar their first ever “Man of the Year” for his extraordinary achievements, determination and dedication to producing outstanding wines during the difficult years of the Lebanese civil war.
Today, Chateau Musar wines are known worldwide for their finesse, elegance and extraordinary ability to age, and the estate still offers mesmerizing wines dating back to the 1950’s.
Speaking about the wines of Chateau Musar, Serge Hochar said “the harmony of nature is better than anything we could ever create. I believe it should be a priority to seek to drink what is ‘true’ rather than what is ‘good’ “. When speaking about quality in wine he added “I once produced a wine that was technically perfect but it lacked the charms of imperfection”.
With its captivating history and the incredible passion and dedication of the Hochar family, Chateau Musar has achieved a sort of cult-like status and is one of the most written-about and discussed wines in the world today.Chateau MusarA guide to the style
In youth, Chateau Musar Reds are dense and richly-textured, with intense ‘baked fruit’ characters: plums, damsons, cranberries, cherries, figs and dates. Bordeaux grape Cabernet Sauvignon lends black fruit flavours; Rhône grapes Cinsault and Carignan contribute fragrance (violets; pepper) and supple spiciness. Either set of qualities might dominate a particular vintage, but the style is always emphatically Lebanese: enticingly aromatic, with persistent fruit flavours. Over decades the wines acquire tawny hues and mellow notes. We still offer wines from the 1950s: mesmerising artefacts of vintage.
Grapes and vines
Seven years in the making, Chateau Musar Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault from vineyards near the Bekaa Valley villages of Ammiq, Aana and Kefraya on gravelly soils over limestone. Planted from the 1930s onwards, yields are low from these mature bushvines (average age: 40 years): 35hl per hectare.
Winemaking
The varietal components in Chateau Musar Red undergo lengthy fermentations in cement-lined vats at temperatures below 30°C. Racked from their yeast ‘lees’ 6 months after the harvest they are transferred into French barrels (oak from the forest of Nevers, one-third new each vintage) for one year.
Blending
The varietal components are brought together two years after the harvest; the resulting blend is then placed back in cement-lined tanks before being bottled 12 months later. Each wine is blended to reflect the strengths of the vintage: in hotter years, Cabernet Sauvignon might dominate (the thick-skinned grapes fare better in the heat); cooler conditions can favour the Cinsault grape. After 4 years’ bottle maturation in the deep stone cellars of Chateau Musar, the finished wines are released a full seven years after the harvest.
Decanting and serving
Bottled unfined and unfiltered, Chateau Musar Reds are suitable for vegans (fining agents often contain animal proteins); they’re also richly-textured and likely to ‘throw a crust’. This is a common feature of most fine wines and is especially true of Musar Red vintages over a decade old. Ideally, bottles should be stood up the night before opening to settle any sediment. After careful decanting (and discarding of sediment, usually in the last centimetre of the bottle) the wine should be allowed to breathe for several hours and served at 18°C with roasts, grills (especially lamb), casseroles, game, and mature cheeses.
Storage
To keep the wines showing at their best, bottles must be cellared in darkness, lying on their sides and not subjected to unnecessary movement or fluctuations in temperature.Red Blend. |
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