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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.9 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 24 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Eric on 2/9/2024 flawed bottle: Mamnoon: Sadly and hideously corked. (468 views) | | | Tasted by PSPatrick on 11/23/2023: A blend of the white grape varietals Obaideh (57%) and Merwah (40%) grown at high altitude, with a dash of Cinsault, mixed before fermentation. Fermented and aged in French oak for 9 months. 12% ABV.
Medium salmon colour. Floral notes, rose petal, violet, citrus, lemon peel, tangerine peel, blood orange, light red fruit notes, almond, light herbal notes, a hint of spice, and saline minerality, with great acidity, and impressive length. Smoothly textured and well balanced. A light woodiness is mildly disturbing, but subsides if the wine is paired with food. To my surprise, the wine stood up to high-class dark chocolate (80% cocoa). Very fresh, with great persistence, and with very good depth for a rosé. Only the lightly drying woodiness ruins it for me at this point 91(+)(?) (399 views) | | | Tasted by Ernestas on 6/9/2023 & rated 91 points: Lebanese night, Chateau Musar tasting (Vilnius, Lithuania): Chateau Musar tasting, flight 1/4, wine 3/12. Vines are located at 1200 meters of altitude, made from a blend of 57% Obaideh, 40% Merwah and 3% Cinsault, aged for 9 months in new FR oak. Provencal pale salmon colour. Medium+ intensity aroma of dried strawberries and cherries, smoke, lanolin, earth, sea shell, spices, almonds. Medium body, fresh and rich with soft and round structure, medium+ intensity nearly fruitless flavours mirroring aroma, some faded red fruit nuances with bitter and saline touches. (517 views) | | | Tasted by sharonandroland on 11/17/2022 & rated 92 points: Rather floral, good acidity - will be interesting with more age. (541 views) | | | Tasted by Maphill01 on 9/3/2022: Nice aromatics of orange blossom and peach. On the palate, white peach, melon, orange peel, caramel and saline. Overall impression of sweet and sour, very distinctive and approachable now. (594 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 6/8/2022 & rated 88 points: A blend of white Obaideh (57%) and Merwah (40%) with a 3% addition of red Cinsaut to add color. All varieties are blended, co-fermented and aged for 6-9 months in French oak barrels. 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale peachy orange color. Sweet, distinctively perfumed nose with aromas of strawberry marshmallow, marzipan, some floral notes of cow parsley bloom, a little bit of apple jam, light sawdusty notes of dull woody oak, a hint of Hubba-Bubba and a touch of white peach. The wine is ripe, crunchy and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with dry flavors of fresh red apple and white peach, some perfumed floral notes, a little bit of dull, sawdusty oak, light woolly notes of lanolin, a candied hint of marshmallow and a mineral touch of wet stones. The high acidity lends the wine good sense of freshness and structure. The finish is crisp yet a bit dull with medium-long flavors of sawdust and woolly lanolin, some floral notes of cow parsley, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe white peach and a touch of salinity.
The wine was very easily recognizable and several people guessed Chateau Musar Rosé, me included, 2016 vintage being the most likely suspect. While the wine showed good freshness with its high acidity, the overall feel was a bit dull and dusty with the dry woody oak lending a somewhat woolly character to the wine. The tutti frutti notes from the fruit department didn't really go that well with the woody tones either. The wine isn't funky in any way - unlike most Musar reds and some whites - but even though this rosé is based on the white Musar, it lacks the richness and complexity of its white counterpart. I wonder if it's because of the age (white Musar is always released with a lot more bottle age) or if there is something else going on. Even if I'm a big fan of Musar reds and whites, these rosé versions rarely seem to do the trick - at least not without significant bottle age. While it was obvious in our rosé blind tasting that this was Musar, this time it really didn't leave as lasting an impression as many other rosé wines did. (1316 views) | | | Tasted by fred o. on 8/2/2021 & rated 91 points: Light amber rose.
Nose some almost orange wine notes, a mineral floral note.
Palate faint peach fruit, mineral, some black cherry flavors surprisingly.
Nice fruity depth and seems young still, this is a rosé to ponder (245 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 7/14/2021 & rated 91 points: Anniversary Dinner at Martina (Martina, Mpls): Salmon rose color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Very earthy, mushroom, red fruits, melon rind, red flowers, cherry, stone and white pepper across the nose and palate. This carries through with white fruits on the finish a lacquer note. This was a fun wine for sure with a different style that was both intriguing and pleasurable. 90+ to 91pts. (1207 views) | | | Tasted by prof b on 6/24/2021: I really like this wine. The fruit comes across as kind of a dried cranberry meets a touch of strawberry. Solid acidity and overall balance. One glass survived to the following day and I found it even more lively and enjoyable than the previous night. Hopefully I can keep my hands off the remaining bottles for a while. (987 views) | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 5/9/2021 & rated 92 points: My first experience with one of Musar’s Rosés and I’ve got to say that it reminds me a lot of their Blanc but with a kiss of red fruit…which, in a sense, is exactly how this wine is made. Popped and poured; consumed over two hours. Served just a touch below cellar temp but it warmed in the glass. The wine presents as a sort of pale copper color. On the nose, a rather fascinating array of fruit including strawberry, watermelon, bing cherry, grapefruit, and generic tropical fruit. On the palate, I’m reminded more of Rainier cherries with kiwi, lemon, lanolin and almond skin. A rather fabulous body with wonderful texture…not too unlike LdH’s Tondonia Rosado, actually. Medium- tannin and medium+ acid. The finish is long and satisfying. No doubt, this is a very nerdy rosé and one that I look forward to experiencing more often! (1101 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 8/14/2020: -- cork pulled approx. 1.5 hours before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours --
NOSE: corn tortilla chips; chalk; watermelon.
BODY: light orange-pink color; {forgot to note wine's weight}
TASTE: 12% alc. not noticeable; behaves like a very light red wine; very light cherry seltzer water; something was kind of odd about this wine --- don't know exactly what it was, but something that rubbed me the wrong way. Not nearly as good as the astounding 2006 vintage of the same. Have one more bottle and will probably sit on it awhile to see if it transforms into something more to my liking. (1371 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 8/13/2020 & rated 91 points: A blend of white Obaideh (57%) and Merwah (40%) with a 3% addition of red Cinsaut to add color. All varieties are blended, co-fermented and aged for 6-9 months in French oak barrels. 12% alcohol.
Pale golden yellow color with a subtle onion-skin hue. Distinctively perfumed, sweet-toned and even somewhat musky nose with aromas of ripe white peach, Tutti Frutti bubblegum, marzipan, some woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light floral tones of jasmine, a hint of dusty old wood and a touch of vanilla. The wine is ripe, juicy and medium-bodied on the palate with flavors of ripe white peach, some floral notes of jasmine, light woolly tones, a little bit of Tutti Frutti candies, sweet hints of golden apples and cantaloupe and a touch of chalk dust. The high acidity keeps the wine impressively in balance. The finish is fresh, juicy and lengthy with flavors of tropical fruits, some exotic spice, light woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of ripe golden apples and juicy peaches, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of tangy salinity.
A sophisticated yet somewhat odd and funny rosé that manages to contrast such extremes like woolly lanolin funk and almost candied Tutti Frutti character together - and still not make the wine feel awkward and weird. The overall feel here is very approachable and eminently very drinkable, but also quite heady and pretty singular to say the least. Although the wine shows some sense of sophistication, it really comes across as nowhere nearly similar to the unique reds and whites of Chateau Musar and, to be honest, I'd prefer the wine to be a bit more toned down in style. While enjoyable for what it is, I'd leave the wine in a cellar and return to it once only after its 10th birthday. At least the wine feels like it can age really well. (1785 views) | | | Tasted by R.H. on 6/29/2020: creamy mouthfeel which was an enjoyable quaff but not my favorite style (803 views) | | | Tasted by manonthemoon on 4/25/2020 & rated 89 points: Notes from day 1.
N melon, nectarines, minerals
P fuzzy white peaches, apricots, under ripe strawberry, melon rind
F above average in length, decent cut but nice mouthfeel (822 views) | | | Tasted by Kirk Grant on 4/10/2020: I think this bottle was even better than the last bottle...the had a creamy mouthfeel that was framed by the tension and acidity with notes of white peach, strawberry, and kiwi. These are in such a good spot now, I imagine that I'll be drinking my remaining bottles this summer. (938 views) | | | Tasted by Goldstone on 9/17/2019 & rated 88 points: Ch. Musar Dinner with Marc Hochar (The Bunker, Crown Wine Cellars, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): A very recent release. This is like a zero dosage Champagne without the bubbles. A nice expression of Rose. As I now recall from Serge Hochar some years ago, this was originally intended to be the base wine for a Rose Champagne until the nomenclature rules changed. (1112 views) | | | Tasted by Kirk Grant on 8/11/2019: This is more of a pale rosé in color. Initially scents of watermelon, yellow delicious apples, and nectarine are noted. On the palate this is light as flavors of white peach, kiwi, and melon persist and transition into a lingering finish. It's chalky, but there is twinge os candied sweetness that I really love, before it transitions back into a dry finish with persistent notes of peach & melon. Outstanding!! (943 views) | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 6/13/2019 & rated 91 points: Distinctive but not a mere curiosity either. I like this restrained, slightly oxidative style, with notes of marzipan and tart stone fruit. The oak shows. Built to age, should last a decade easily. Not for every night, but really well made. Serve at cellar temperature or warmer. (987 views) | | | Tasted by adnorthup on 4/26/2019 & rated 92 points: Classic Musar bret, but in a Rose.tastes more orange than rose. Lots of stone, best at cellar temp to room temp. Definitely unique in this category.
Edit: 3 hours opened and fully acclimated to just above cellar temp this thing is beautiful. Super delicious ripe peach and apricot, but still has that classic Musar backbone. Going to be sure to decant the last few bottles I have. (816 views) |
| 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.Rosé Blend"Rosé blend" can mean a blend of just about any varietals since the designation comes from the resulting color of the wine.Rosé Rosé - Wikipedia |
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